The New Madrid, Missouri Museum

At New Madrid, Missouri, The Mississippi River rolls by, while across the wide meander one views Kentucky. Islands are above and below and one such island is famous in its own way. It was called Island Number Ten, during the civil war, and was the site of a Confederate Fort, but that’s not why we are here.

I taught high school and college geology, for thirty years, and whenever we get near something I taught about we always stop and visit. New Madrid is the site of one of the most powerful earthquakes to hit the United States. In 1811 a magnitude 7.5 earthquake shook the ground with such force that the ground liquefied and erupted in sand geysers.

The Mississippi river was reported to flow backwards and at least two waterfalls formed during the subsidence. Church bells were reported to have rung in Charleston, South Carolina. Luckily the area was sparsely populated and the only reported fatalities were from barges and boats on the river.

Its looks so peaceful now, the streets are bordered by flowering crab apple trees and many of the houses and stores are built of brick, (which happen to be about the worst type house to own in an active earthquake zone).

Our first stop was the New Madrid Museum, where they have displays on the Mississippian Indians, the Mound builders, with many artifacts dug from some of the nearby sites. Many skeletons were unearthed and hopefully they have been reburied and are not sitting in storage.

Another display is an actual sword that displays Spanish markings, perhaps from DeSoto’s expedition in the sixteenth century!

The next room is filled with displays about the earthquake, and you can listen to recordings made from written statements of the people that live there during the disaster. One display lets you build a structure and then dial up different magnitude earthquakes. Of course, your building is destroyed.

The next room contains artifacts dug from the battle sites and from a Union camp. One of the locals was a famous Confederate and many here joined the Confederate army. A replica of an 1841 mountain howitzer stands silently next to the filled display cases.

The second floor is filled with dresses, sewing machines, and something we have never seen before, a family’s hair wreath from 1861. The flowers are all made from actual hair of family members. That to me at least, was macabre as I prefer memories and images instead of fragments of dead people.

Now I can check another off another lesson plan from my checklist of places I have taught about. The fault zone is still very active, and another major earthquake could happen at any time. The day before a 2.5 magnitude earthquake had shook but that’s too mild for anyone to have felt it.

Our next stop is Springfield, Illinois, where we will visit family and tour the Lincoln Memorial, Lincoln’s Tomb, and the Lincoln Library and House. From there we will turn west and head for Iowa making stops in Keosauqua, Waterloo, and Cresco/Decorah.  Clear skies

From Branson to Tallahassee, Miles and Miles

We left Branson, Mo and drove some of the hardest miles. Taking US Highway 65 south, the road turned bad, in Arkansas, from four lanes to two. Further it narrowed and old style high curbs threatened our new tires.

Pushing on into Little Rock the road seemed to be an endless series of peaks and valleys and on one I misjudged the gradient and the truck heated up. Stopping near the top of the hill I admired the view but decided I would cross Arkansas off in my new road atlas.

Arriving at Little Rock Renita found a beautiful place to camp, at Maremelle Park. It was on the Arkansas River, and being a Corp of Engineers, (COE) campground it only cost us twelve dollars a night. Sitting for two nights we rethought our route and took Interstate 40, crossing the Mississippi River and driving to Tupelo, Mississippi.

At Tupelo, I noticed that the truck was making a noise and that the alternator seemed to be struggling to keep the batteries charged. Making an unscheduled appointment at the Chevy garage we found out that the noise was in our transmission, at low gear, and that the batteries needed replacing.

After this we had them check everything else, and getting the all clear we drove to Montgomery, Alabama. There we got lucky, it being a weekend, and got the last spot at Gunter Hill COE. It’s one of the best campgrounds we have stayed in and rested for three days before continuing our cross county oddessy.

From Montgomery, we drove south and east and finally reached Tallahassee, Florida. Here we have stopped to visit some friends Bob and Sue. We had met them eight years ago, when we started our full time rving adventures. When we met them they were also full timer rvers, but have since settled back into a house, along with their four dogs.

It’s one of the best things about being a full time rver, meeting new friends from all over the USA.  The plan from here is to rest and then stopping at Crystal River and then St Petersburg. There we will spend two months before heading back west. Clear skies.

From York to Branson.

We left York with our fingers crossed and, hoping for clear skies and no more truck problems, headed for Keosauqua, Iowa. There Renita’s sister and brother were taking part in the Fall Festival. The campground was full when we arrived at Lacey Keosauqua Sate Park, but waiting patiently for people to leave, we found a spot with water and electricity. 

The park is such a beautiful spot and it always brings me into focus. There are few places as quiet and peaceful. Parking the rig we drove into Keosauqua and met Pam at their vender tables in the Firehouse. Roy was working at their artist coop in Bentonsport, talk about busy retired people.

Returning to the camper we watched as the campground emptied and the park returned to normal. The next day, driving to town we had to stop as a flock of turkeys blocked the road. A tom turkey paused to show off his beard and it was the longest beard I have ever seen.

That evening deer moved back into the campground and it was as it should be. We did spend the days visiting and of course sampling the pork tenderloins, of which Iowa is famous. Our favorite was at a place called Misty’s, but they were all good.

From Iowa we drove south to Lake of the Ozarks.. We are taking our time as we cross the country and using the, "2,2,2", rule we are enjoying our stops,(the rule is that you drive 200 miles, stop by two pm, and stay for two days).  The movie “Deep Water Horizon” was playing at the local theater. As we were camping at Grand Isle, Louisiana, when the rig exploded we needed to see the film, Suffice it to say that we both cried as we watched the films story as to how the disaster unfolded.

After the film was over Renita told me she had had the same image in her mind. That was of the crosses commemorating those lost. So I am reposting our feelings from 2013.

“We stopped to read the crosses, with the names of those lost during the Deepwater Horizon oil disaster. Three years ago, almost to the day and we were here as the smoky clouds covered our camper at the state park. Gary told me we had passed the deadline to file a health claim and I told him I would probably never live long enough before BP would ever pay a cent,(right now the trial to place the blame has just begin and the judge will now determine who is/was responsible).”

Oh and the charges were dropped. Companies and people with money are rarely held responsible for their actions! Now we are sitting in Bronson, Mo and the plan is to head to Montgomery, Alabama before continuing to Florida and our usual stop in St Petersburg. Clear skies