Road trips have always appealed to me. As a kid, vacations always had their genesis in the Dawson Family Truckster. From our home in New York, we traveled up and down I-95 from the Canadian border to Florida.

Traveling by air is quicker, but the only scenery is the back of the seat in front of you. A road trip allows you, quite literally, to see where you're going. Getting there is half the fun.

I also enjoy the independence of being behind the wheel, or at least riding shotgun. There are major attractions, unusual stops, educational and historical sites, and scenic wonders to be taken in. Where next? Priorities are set, and decisions are made, and a course is plotted. One hundred miles down the road something unique catches your eye, and the plans are adjusted. In a way, it's a bit like surfing from link to link across the web, except at 55 70 100 mph.

When Darf and I set out on the big 28 state road trip in 2003 we put Tightwad, Missouri on our list of destinations. The original plan was to open a checking account at the Tightwad Bank. Unfortunately, there was no longer a "Tightwad Bank." I didn't see the point in opening an account in the Tightwad Branch of UMB Financial. On top of that, the bank's office was closed. The drive-thru was open, and we were able to liberate a few souvenir key chains.

A local remarked that she found it funny when tourists stopped to take photos of the city limits sign. We were a little frustrated that Tightwad didn't have a post office, and after a quick stop at the general store we headed out towards St. Louis.

Earlier that day we witnessed a Pontiac Firebird going the wrong way on Highway 71. Considering we were in the city of Peculiar, it shouldn't have been a surprise.