Summer Road Trip 2010: Rule #1 For Road Trips

Preface: I promise all my post won't be this...ummm....ridiculous?!?!

Let me first begin my road trip where it...well....began....random road side stops are sort of my staple. We headed North from Dallas through the great state of Oklahoma, which I will refrain from discussing at this point b/c if I wax any further lyrics about Oklahoma I'm pretty sure Texas will not renew my license when it expires. After we made it through Oklahoma....we hit Missouri. Missouri is gorgeous...rolling hills, gentle mountains,

...picturesque red barns snuggled down in the Ozarks, but you can see that on any ol' postcard....how about I document the first rule of the road and how it came to fruition on day one of the journey....
There is an important rule to road trips, and I'm worried the world doesn't know about it, and thus, can't truly enjoy a road trip to it's fullest. If there are more than two billboards advertising any one stop, it is absolutely necessary that you stop at said location. The largest alligator in the world, you say? The freshest orange juice? A mascot that is a rodent? South of the Border fiesta themed park? ....and when I say south of the border, I mean North Carolina's Border. T-Shirts 5 for ten dollars? You better believe it's worth your time.
Don't believe me? This is my third...that's right....THIRD time to hit this little tourist trap....I mean treasure trove.

OZARKLAND in Missouri. Ozarkland, my friends, offers a little bit of everything you'll never need, and therefor you must go...in fact, you'll need to go b/c I'm not exactly sure I'm allowed to go anymore after taking 30 pictures in their store, and someone has to continue to document these treasures.
There is innocent stuff like this huckleberry jam...

...homemade fudge, and salt water taffy....

There is the obligatory hillbilly aisles with little jewels like this....

Need a pink, lighted, plastic hard hat? They've got 'em.

They also had a full selection of neck rolls....with attached baby animals....so many choices, so little time!

My cousin LOVES when I make her pose with my finds.
...the rare, Missouri pink dolphin via a magnet with wobbling fins.

...and the reason I keep coming back...a bobble head mama and baby animal cookie jar. for $31.99 this to could be yours!

...and who knew, the shopping fun had JUST begun. I could have had Christmas bought for practically EVERYONE....assuming I didn't want ANYONE to talk to me come December 26th.