Cheese, Please

Of the many entertaining things to do while driving through the state of Missouri (a full list of which can be made available on request), one of our favorites is stopping at Osceola Cheese, about midway between Springfield and Kansas City:

One might ask:  Why would a simple thing like cheese hold such fascination?   For starters, both preceding and following Osceola on Highway 13 are vast swathes of somewhat monotonous scenery. And, no matter how pretty natural scenery may be, mile after mile of the same such scenery can cause the eyes to droop, often to the detriment of keeping a vehicle between the painted lines on the road.  

But also... truthfully, who doesn't love cheese? Especially when it comes in over 150 different varieties with free, unlimited tasting.   Onion and chive, Apricot and ginger, Smooth and sharp, Black pepper jack, and so on and so forth.   All these enticing tastes, remembered clearly from last year's trek across the country, brought forth some pleasant memories that caused us to risk life, limb, and Osceola delay devices (aka the Missouri State Police) to speed through Missouri and across the Osage river into Osceola Cheese just before closing time:

After eating far too much cheese and deliberating far too long over which three to purchase and take along with us, we left, with much regret, for Kansas City.  But, the cheese will live on.  Despite getting smaller and smaller with each passing day, there will still be enough cheese to share once we finally arrive back on our very favorite island in the Pacific Northwest.