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| Looking down the Meramec River MS |
Up early we say good bye to our new camp buddies Judy and Howard before we packed up and hit the road . Even before "breaky" we started traveling north to Missouri via Pocahontas, AR. This spur of our trip we cover some miles. As we traverse through the back roads up and down on the rolling hills we got to the Missouri Border and flew on state road 2. I mean flew, this part of state road 2 north is one camel back after another. As you crest the hill gravity leaves you and you're heading back down another hill. You feel weightless as you catch air at every hump. This went on for miles and miles. Climbing the winding hills was a change from rocks and ravines. You could sure tell you were in a different state.
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| Showerhouse 1 |
Then came the long uphill winding oiled gravel roads. Can you say flying rock, chipped windshield? Thank you-on coming white pick-up!! Once on top the road changed again to switch back after switch, back up and down til we made it to our destination Meramec Caverns State Park. This park was huge, beautifully wooded amid a rugged landscape on the northeastern edge of the Ozarks . We picked a quiet, shaded site with electric near the VT (vault toilet). The bath house was about 100 yards away close to all the families with kids camping, not so quiet!
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| Inside Fisher Cave |
Set up was quick and the next day we had plans to tour
Fisher Cave just a short walk from our campsite. The next morning we had a welcome breeze that kept the temp very comfortable. While Trixie caught up on our laundry duties, I took advantage of the down time and relaxed. We chose the 3:00 tour unfortunately so did two other families with 6 small children and one infant... Really!! Our Ranger tour guide was well versed and you could tell she enjoyed her job. The cave was pretty amazing. (Side note)- Even though it was
Meramec Caverns it was not the same cave entrance as my family visited, when I was 8. Our tour was hosted by the state parks service and was more on the organic side. When I went many moons ago we went to the more commercial touristy edition with colored lights and grand stories of Jessie James and his band of men using the cave as their hideout.
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| Flow-stones Fisher Cave |
I really did enjoy the ancient feel of Fisher cave and it's timeless formations as an adult. Although, I couldn't help think about how cool it all was when I was a kid,with colored lights and Jessie James. After the hour and half cave tour we relaxed with a beer, wine and grilled Rib Eye steaks with steamed broccoli....... Nice!!
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| On the Bridge Hamilton Hollow Road |
We pulled up stakes after the second night to do some off-roading on the back wood trails. Just out of the park we turned on Sleepy Hollow road wound around and connected with Hamilton Hollow Road. The scenery was fantastic.
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| Meramec River |
Hamilton Creek to
Hamilton Springs over the
Meramec River, below us the river looked very inviting as we saw kayaks floating down. The road ended at a little town called
Bourbon just in time for "Breaky."
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| Old Willys, Sleepy Hollow Road |
After some biscuits and gravy we connected with the old historic Route 66. It wound through small towns like
Leasburg and
Cuba where we got on state road 49 south and headed back to
Arkansas. 49 soon turned into 19 as we entered the
Mark Twain National Forest.
What a ride, left, right, left, right, up, down then the camel-backs a real roller coaster of a ride. Cutting through
Missouri and
Arkansas we arrived in
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| Clinton, AR. RV Park |
Clinton AR. just before sundown and found a little RV Park. We check our
TAT maps before turning in to get an early start on the trail the next morning..
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| Checking the TAT Maps |
Heading on the
TAT in AR. we rode across the border to
Oklahoma.
See Y'all on the Trail!!
🚙.....
