College of the Ozarks...

Also known as Hard Work U.

When we're in Branson, one of our "must do" lunch stops is at the College of the Ozarks.  The restaurant is staffed by students.  In fact, the students here all do 15 hours of work each week, plus a 2-week 40 hour per week stint during breaks.  In return, they graduate with no student debt; no tuition is charged.  They can work more during their break to cover room and board.  Seems like a great premise to me, especially with college costs these days.  College of the Ozarks offers BA and BS degrees in over 30 areas; has an enrollment of 1,500.

Our waitress today was from Tennessee - and obviously well-trained.  Listening to other wait staff in the very nice dining area, that was a definite theme.

Where the restaurant is located...

Both before and after lunch, we were out exploring on the scooters.  The roads in and around Branson are hilly and curvy - just what we like.  Nice views from an overlook...

Riding through downtown and the "Red, Green, and Yellow" routes, you pass all the theaters and attractions... and there are a bunch.  We eventually made our way to the Branson Landing shopping area... couldn't pass up a visit to Bass Pro Shop.  And a nice walk along Lake Taneycomo...

A gorgeous day today: high in the low 70s.  Just right for a light jacket on the scoots.  This is our first time here in the spring (we have done autumn) - the crowds are lighter.  The traffic on the in-town main roads isn't bumper-to-bumper.  Nice.