A reluctant admission: This is my third article in a row to document various travels. Such wasn’t the intent. Where the prior two articles outlined adventures in new places, this one is remarkably different.
How so? I could have made this trip with my eyes closed. It is a trip I have made, with some variation in route, more than any other over the last thirty years.
This trip took me from Jefferson City to Cape Girardeau, both of which are in Missouri and neither of which are prime tourist destinations. However, that doesn’t mean there is nothing new to see and learn.
Google shows three primary routes for this trip – for those who seek expediency. There are countless ways to travel between those two points, but none of them are overly direct. Wishing to avoid interstate highways, and also – more importantly – with my task oriented demeanor needing to chill a bit, I took other routes. My chosen path completely avoided any interstate for this trip…well, for the way down, anyway.
Here’s how I went. The difference in time was less than forty-five minutes and it was infinitely more stimulating.
A macroscopic view of the locations might be beneficial.
US 50 cuts through Jefferson City, which is somewhere near the mid-point of the 3,019 miles it runs from West Sacramento, California, to Ocean City, Maryland. Heading east on 50 the first town I traversed was Linn.
A moment about my steed. It’s my 2000 Ford E-150, a vehicle I have owned for thirteen years and fifty-thousand miles, a conveyance which has endured the abundant pejoratives I have hurled at it over the years. A conversion van, a true dinosaur of the automotive kingdom, it was converted by Osage Industries in Linn. Osage is currently making ambulances.
While Linn has one of the best signs I’ve ever seen for an antique mall (located in a former school building), they do currently have another claim to fame.
State Technical College of Missouri is experiencing profound growth as reflected with the dozens of apartment buildings springing up in a town having a full-time population of only 1,350.
The school started in 1961 and split off from the local Osage County School District in 1995. In 2018 Forbes magazine ranked State Tech as the third best two-year technical school in the nation.
In making trips, one can encounter all manner of unique items. One is the 1955 Ford Thunderbird I met on US 50 east of Linn. Of course I have no pictures, so I suppose you’ll have to take my word about having seen it. But I did.
That’s the downside of traveling alone; taking pictures isn’t always an easy proposition.
Turning south onto MO 19 began another leg of my journey.
The town of Owensville was about ten miles down the road. At 2,700 residents it has twice the population of Linn although this still is not the first place one would expect to find a Plymouth Prowler.
Here’s the front. It sits even lower than I remember…then again, I was sitting up high.
Owensville is the type of town in which finding a 1956 Chevrolet is more expected. This house has had several interesting chariots parked out front over the years.
Life in rural Missouri undoubtedly has similarities to life in other rural areas around the world. People tend to know each other or, if they don’t, they often know somebody you know. That’s just how it works.
It also makes for a small world at times, which is both good and bad. At work recently I called somebody for a reference check about a prospective new employee. Her location was near Owensville, thus about sixty miles away from me. The lady’s last name was not common yet was one I recognized. Upon the conclusion of our conversation I asked her if she knew so-and-so having the same last name. It was her husband.
My recent post about traveling to Fort Worth (here) touched upon Old Route 66. Chalk this up as another such reference as I ventured through Cuba where this series of sculptures (statues?) greet those exiting westbound I-44. While there are no Castro’s in Cuba, there is a lot of Route 66, such as the Wagon Wheel Motel which served as inspiration for the Wheel Well Motel in the movie Cars.
There was also this early to mid-1980s Ford F-150 parked at a commuter lot where I turned around to get a better angle on the sculpture above.
Turn the white to silver and this would be a scary close approximation of the ’84 F-150 my father had years ago.
I have wanted to share this mural for a while. The ’59 Ford is a personal favorite and the ’59 Dodge patrol car is undoubtedly based upon this Dodge I wrote about several years ago.
When stopping to take these pictures, a lady approached me asking about the murals due west of us and along the Old 66 alignment. We chatted a bit with my learning she lives in Tucson and was touring Cuba as part of her trip.
Continuing south, I realized my attempt to chill wasn’t working out so well. I looked down only to see this. It seems I have about one speed regardless of road type, a speed that has increased considerably the last twenty years or so.
It’s been said driving a slow car fast is a great fun. Driving my glacial slow, 2.3 liter powered 1989 Ford Mustang many times along this same hilly, curvy journey certainly gave me opportunity.
Further, I submit it is equal to greater fun to make a poorly handling vehicle dance like a ballerina. That Ford van handles like a drunk hippopotamus on roller skates, so tackling hilly, curvy roads keeps one on their game. Plus, I made far better time in this poor handling Econoline than I ever did in that infuriatingly pokey, nosebleed Mustang.
Yes, I am sometimes on the Struggle Bus when it comes to relaxation.
In my lifetime I have driven hundreds of different cars, pickups, and vans. Of them all, this Ford van is the toughest to maintain a consistent speed in any type of hilly terrain – unless traveling at the speeds shown in the above picture. It gains considerable speed going downhill although climbing hills requires little additional throttle input. If it does downshift, it will quickly regain momentum even if backing off the throttle.
Even at such speeds, one is able to still take in the scenery.
The speedy fun temporarily halted when going through Steelville.
Proclaiming itself as the Floating Capital of Missouri, these decorated canoe halves can be found throughout Steelville, but primarily on Route 8. The speed limit was about 30 mph and in town is about the only place you have to be worried about getting tagged for speeding in that country.
Floating on the nearby Meramec River, either by canoe or inner tube, is a definite part of Steelville’s economy. The Huzzah Valley is east of Steelville and does, so I hear, a tremendous business on the weekends. This can be corroborated by the 25 or so retired school buses parked on their lot, all used to ferry floaters around every weekend during the summer.
Also, from what I have heard, the Huzzah Valley campground has two areas – the family area and the party area. I can only imagine which one buys more beer.
The thirty-five mile stretch from Steelville east to Potosi is the longest segment I traveled not having any towns. This stretch is also the most desolate as one can go for most of that distance without cell phone reception. If you hit one of those pretty little deer you will likely see, just sit and wait. Somebody will be along soon enough.
If one watches the national news within the United States, they may have heard of Potosi. It’s the home to the most maximum security prison within the state where the really bad boys go to chill.
Several years ago I toured the prison. The abundance of jagged wire circling the place drove the point home about things being serious. A day or two prior a turkey had flown into the wiring which has several thousand volts of electricity running through it. Naturally that poor turkey exploded, with his remains being flung all around the complex. There were still feathers blowing everywhere outside.
The two guards for our group of eight warned us we could see anything. While we saw plenty, one humorous thing stands out. Walking through the gymnasium while full of inmates on their free time, a huge, phenomenally ripped and shirtless inmate walked out of the weight room toward one of our guards. Being at the end of our group, I heard the inmate whisper “hey, boss, need me to scare the shit out of these guys?”.
The guard’s answer was “no, not today. These are big boys, they get it”. The prisoner smiled, said thanks, and went back to his weight set.
The prison in Potosi also has a very successful program which trains guide dogs for the blind. It was said the program acquires many of their dogs from the Humane Society in Cape Girardeau.
While I didn’t get pictures of the prison (for obvious reasons, plus they are a few miles north of Route 8), I pondered that prison tour all the way to Park Hills.
Park Hills is the name chosen for a group of four towns that consolidated in 1994. Prior, this house was in the section of town formerly known as Flat River. While I picked this house at random, it was along this stretch of road where my paternal grandparents lived after getting married in 1942.
Remember the Al-Queda attack on the USS Cole in October 2000? That ship entered service in 1995 and…
…was named for Medal of Honor recipient Sgt. Darrel Cole of the United States Marines. Cole won the medal for having conducted a highly successful one-man assault on enemy forces during the Battle of Iwo Jima, although he ultimately lost his life. Sgt. Cole was born and grew up in what is now Park Hills.
Also from Park Hills was country-western singer Ferlin Husky who attained peak popularity in the 1960s.
Finding this video is the first time I have knowingly heard Husky sing. He does have a distinctive voice.
My father and grandfather in 1948.
My grandparents lived in the Flat River section of Park Hills for only a short time. They were gone by the time my father was born in late 1943.
While that grandfather died long before I was born, and my grandmother would never talk about such things, I’ve often wondered if my father was conceived here. I suspect so as they moved back to familiar territory on the Illinois side of Cape Girardeau shortly before my father was born.
Again heading in a southern direction, Farmington was the most populated town I traveled between Jefferson City and Cape Girardeau, with a population of just under 20,000.
The east side of town presented me with this worn but presentable Dodge Aries. Yes, these K-cars used to be as common as dirt, but when was the last time you saw one?
Seeing this Aries made me wonder how many of its derivatives are now extinct. It isn’t like any of them are a common sight.
The setting for this Aries was somehow appropriate.
In the best of VFW traditions, a tank was on display nearby.
It was somewhere around Fredricktown, about fifteen miles south of Farmington, when I realized I had been in complete solitude the entire trip. Yes, I was alone but I had also never turned on the radio. It was blissful. The only sounds I had were wind noise, the occasional downshifting of the van’s 5.4 liter engine, and my tinnitus.
Such quiet trips are highly rejuvenating.
My picture taking grew less intense as I made my way closer to Cape Girardeau.
A while back I saw a book outlining the author’s experiences traveling to visit every courthouse in each of the 114 counties within Missouri. I should have looked at it closer, particularly about the counties in which I have lived. I mention this as Jackson is the county seat of Cape Girardeau County, and it is another one of the many small towns I drove through.
Jackson has grown considerably in my lifetime and it reflects a longterm trend as growth has ranged from 12.5% to 32.8% every decade since 1930. The population is currently still modest at 15,500, just a few thousand less than Farmington.
The Cape Girardeau Metropolitan statistical area, as defined by the US Census Bureau, consists of Cape Girardeau County and adjacent Bollinger County is Missouri, along with Alexander County in Illinois. The area’s population is nudging 100,000.
Part of this growth is reflected in US 61 between Jackson and Cape Girardeau. I can remember the days when this section was a two-lane road with little to no business development. These two towns have now grown into each other.
One of the few developments in this area at that time (which would have been the late 1970s and early 1980s) was Johannes (pronounced Jo-Han-Us) Auto Sales. The Rolls-Royce is how I remember their location so well.
Here is the Rolls in 1982. Johannes has touted themselves as the “Rolls Royce of salvage yards”.
Just east of Johannes is the interchange for I-55 and US 61. If this all looks odd (and this picture is admittedly limited in scope) it’s because this interchange was recently upgraded to what has been dubbed a “diverging diamond”.
Here’s a better graphic of it. There are currently 202 of them worldwide with most being in the United States. The first one built anywhere in the world was in Springfield, Missouri, in 2009.
These greatly reduce delay and eliminate the inherent risks of making left-hand turns. It takes only one trip through to figure them out.
The reason for my trip was to see my parents. This square body Chevrolet sits down the street from them.
When running errands, I made use of my parent’s 1998 Dodge Ram. They purchased it new and have driven it to Alaska plus every province in Canada while it packed a slide-in camper. Comparing the oil change sticker to the odometer revealed this Dodge has traveled very little since May 2021.
Despite being amazingly filthy, it does not act its age at all. Maybe it’s that prophylactic film of funk that has kept it so youthful. It’s 360 (5.9 liter) V8 pulls like a train and is a throwback to the V8 days of yore – low revving with abundant torque at idle. Getting on the throttle with gusto winds the engine out to a lofty 2,500 rpm before it upshifts. Really sticking the spurs to it on an entrance ramp got it up to about 3,700 rpm before upshifting.
Like all things, my journey had to conclude. I did acquiesce to prudence by taking I-55 for part of my trip back home.
Since I didn’t take many pictures on the way back (due to fatigue, rain, and darkness), let’s still go full-circle by stopping by 1701 Lacey Street. This takes me back to the beginning. It’s just a different beginning as this is the hospital where I was born. Naturally, it looks different as hospitals are always being remodeled and there have been fifty years of remodels since I made my grand appearance.
One of the few pictures I took on the way back was upon entering I-44 and a reminder of why I took alternate routes on the way down. This was just west of Fenton, home of the former Chrysler assembly plant.
Perhaps this picture is more descriptive.
I also discovered I don’t drive much faster on desolate sections of interstate than on two-lane roads. Those trucks scrubbed 15 mph from this and forced me to chill in the right lane for miles.
Maybe that’s how I achieved 18.9 mpg on the way back – after 15.0 on the way down.
The journey was between 7 am and 11 am Monday, July 24, 2023.
I still admire that somewhat upright stance of the Dodge Aries. It gave the car a certain air of confidence in itself.
I don’t get the diverging diamond. It seems like an opportunity for red light runners to cause head on collisions, going by that photo of the intersection. What is its purpose?
At first glance the diverging diamond is a head-scratcher. However, with all turns being right turns, traffic keeps moving. This format also reduces the risk for t-bone collisions since there are no left turn movements.
Getting past the initial “I’m on the wrong side of the road” is the biggest hurdle.
While I have not seen any statistics about collision rates with a DD, eliminating the left turns and delays are huge. If they weren’t safe, or were otherwise problematic in use, their implementation rate would have been curtailed. The one pictured has been there less than six months and traffic flows much better than previously.
I came across one of those Diverging Diamond interchanges here in Virginia recently. At first, I thought “what the heck?” – but I can see the benefits in some locations where traffic chronically backs up.
As far as being a head-scratcher, I think signage is key. With big, intuitive, overhead signs, drivers who are new to the intersection are less likely to be confused. The interchange I drove through was OK (but could be better) in that regard.
Regarding the “I’m on the wrong side of the road” shock, that didn’t strike me as too shocking since the median between the two directions was wide, and the actual intersections were angled at a way that made it obvious which direction you were expected to go.
Overall, it seemed better than a traffic circle, which I loathe.
We’re starting to implement weird interchanges like this here and there in Indiana as well. Heed the signs and pay attention to what lane you’re in, and you’ll always be fine.
Very interesting travel guide. Lots of times these little know stories are pretty interesting (usually more interesting to me than fiction, it seems no matter how good people’s imagination, to me real life comes up with more unexpected and interesting stuff.
I live in central Texas, when I bought my house (38 years ago) I used to ride my bicycle on a major road that now is so congested I don’t dare it, there was a building I used to pass pretty close to my home (I’ve walked it several times since) that I wondered about ….turns out it was the “Skyliner Club” that had its heyday in the 40’s and 50’s. I’m not into country music myself, but it seems it was the last place that Hank Williams (Sr) played before he died…his widow married Johnny Horton, and 8 years later he also played his last at the same club (driving back he was in an auto accident). The place has long since been torn down, a CVS and a datacenter now sit where it was, and most people who’ve arrived here since probably have little or no idea what was there. But things change quickly here so much so that the place I used to work (for 27 years) has now been similarly taken over by a hotel/shopping complex I don’t frequent much but go there sometimes to pick up a former co-worker to take out to lunch (he still works there) and he has to tell me where to go to pick him up as the roads keep changing (they built a 25 story building right in the middle of what used to be the main road to the front door of the building I used to go to work in every day for instance).
One odd (to me) thing about Texas roads is that parallel to most major highways we have “frontage roads”…..nothing to remarkable about them they are just commercial roads that (in built-up areas) contain lots of businesses….to me they are a bit less efficient than what they do in other states (like California) in that the frontage road directly abuts the major highway, so only one side can contain commercial businesses….what they seem to do in other states makes more sense to me, in that instead of a frontage road that directly abuts the major highway, they just have another parallel (to the major highway) business road but it doesn’t directly abut the major highway, so that it can contain businesses on 2 sides of the road instead of just 1 side as is done on frontage roads (which to me seems more efficient, but that’s just one thing they do different here I guess).
The reason I’m mentioning frontage roads is that we have them in conjunction with the diverging diamond traffic patterns on several interchanges that contain frontage roads. The problem (to me) that I have yet to figure out is how to go “straight ahead” on the frontage road when you encounter a diverging diamond traffic pattern. I should mention that before diverging diamond we had more normal interchanges that worked with frontage roads, the diverging diamonds were retrofitted to existing interchanges, but that part I’m still trying to figure out. The diverging diamond diagram you show doesn’t show a frontage road (maybe you don’t have them or they’re different than what we have in Texas) or maybe I haven’t gotten used to the traffic pattern since they are still pretty new to my area.
I’m embarrassed to say despite being only 2 states away, I’ve not driven a lot in Missouri…primarily been in the southeast corner (and then mostly on interstates 55 or 57) or the northwest corner (and then mostly driving through on the way to Iowa where my sister lived for a few years but 20 years ago…she now lives in Texas too with us). Spent a little time in Kansas City and that’s about it…so your stories are interesting despite my neglect of spending much time in your state.
My brother-in-law used to have an E350 conversion van (when he moved to Texas) which came in handy when we had our combined family travelling, per person even with fuel mileage it is economical. He had trouble getting the rear air conditioner serviced as those parts apparently are part of the conversion and weren’t standard Ford. Eventually he had trouble with the mount of the body to the frame and got rid of it, and we seldom travel anymore as a big group (as family ages and splinters) so probably had it at a good time for us, especially since they aren’t made anymore.
I have run across 2 of these interchanges here in Wisconsin. The first one was in Janesville and I was on my motorcycle. Totally freaked me out, until I thought about it later and it started to make sense.
A couple weeks ago I found another one in Appleton. Zipped right through that one.
I’ve encountered 2 of them now, one in MI & one in OH. Took a minute to see the logic, but I can see where they make a lot of sense, but only in spots where left turns make up a very high percentage of the traffic. I suspect that most of them involve freeway interchanges?
That was a fun read! Missouri strikes me as a very interesting and “roadtrippable” state. From the varied terrain and interesting sights, it feels the like epitome of Americana.
Thank you! And, while biased (nor do I work for any departments of tourism) I would agree with the distinctly varied terrain, more so than most states. Prairie, swamps, forests, (old) mountain ranges – we have it all.
Thanks for the overview of what’s a routine trip for you. One person’s routine is another person’s discovery. A few random comments:
US-50: I’ve driven on mostly all of US-50, with the exception of the very eastern stretch, a 150-mi. segment in West Virginia, and a 100-mi. stretch in Colorado. Overall, much better than the paralleling Interstates, if one has the time.
Prowlers: I haven’t seen one in years, but your picture has me wondering: What happens to old Prowlers? I’m having a hard time figuring who would be a likely candidate to buy a used one, and I doubt many are driven to high mileage, so there’s got to be a bunch of low-mileage Prowlers out there somewhere.
Ferlin Husky: I never realized he was from Missouri, but looking up his Wikipedia entry now, I see he once recorded a song called “Flat River, Missouri.”
Aries: That photo of the Aries at the VFW is a great shot, in many ways. First, it’s symbolic of folks who’ve hung on to their K-cars over the decades, but also that the K-cars’ first mission was to battle the imports. This one is a grizzled veteran of that fight.
Johannes Auto Sales: I guess we’ve just answered the question of what happens when a random, old Rolls-Royce pops up for sale in a small town.
Ram: I didn’t realize your parents drove to Alaska in their Ram – that’s a long-term goal of mine (the Alaska trip… not necessarily the Ram). Also, your folks’ Ram reminds me of the similar vintage silver standard-cab F-150 that my in-laws bought in the 1990s. At this point, that truck has a similar film of funk, though it’s a great truck and I enjoy driving it.
I have driven the entire length of 50 several times this year – both ways. But only in one state. Not sure if that’s any real accomplishment or not.
There have been a couple of Prowler sightings in this part of the state. A few years ago I saw a Prowler parked for sale in front of a defunct gas station. As I stopped to look at it somebody in a Viper drove by…this was around Lake of the Ozarks, where such isn’t unusual. I would agree about most being low mileage.
Long ago I heard a (now very dim in the details) story about the Rolls at Johannes, but I could find nothing to verify it.
That Dodge of my parents…my mother wants that thing gone so bad she can’t see straight. My father, on the other hand…long story. There is a twisted part of me that would enjoy cleaning that thing up but I’m afraid a haz-mat suit may be required. The exterior color is good about camouflaging the grime. The interior is tan and isn’t good with disguising anything.
So many good connections here.
First, I do think that Missouri is indeed one of the best states for road tripping. So many small towns, each with their own history that with a little scratching of the surface proceed to connect to things and events well outside of their initial context.
My Grandmother loved Ferlin Husky, and so my mom grew up listening to Ferlin, and therefore so did I.
Speaking of grandparents, I love the photo of your father and grandfather. There’s something about your grandfather’s expression that calls back to something I see in contemporary photos of many American men of his time. It’s a kind of determined weariness with a dash of bewilderment. In the few photos I’ve seen of my mom’s dad, he has a similar expression (and seems to be a similar age of your grandfather in that picture). My personal feeling is that it’s an expression that came from living through the 1930s Depression. You can see it in many of the Walker Evans photos from around that time.
And your comment about the prophylactic film of funk 🙂 I’ve heard that one before. I’m not quite sure I buy it, but it is one of the better excuses for keeping a dirty vehicle.
Excellent article, Jason!
Thank you.
You got me to thinking about my grandfather…not sure if he looks it or not, but he was born in December 1919 so he would have been 28 for most of 1948 when this picture was taken. A minor heart condition kept him out of WWII. He only lived to be 47.
Yet you are correct about the weary bewilderment appearance. Of course my grandmother was not an easy person to be around, so that could be a factor also. 🙂
While biased, Missouri is a cornucopia of variety in towns, experience, terrain, and sights.
I know much of that route. Have old college friends who live in Linn. The stretch form Cuba down Hwy 19 to Steeleville and then * to Potosi and finally Park Hills is most familiar. Our old farm, 300 acres along the Cortuois near Butts Mo. was accessed along 8 just a few miles east of Steeleville. It is beautiful country. I remember when Park Hilles was Flat river, Leadindton, and Doe Run. My friend, Jim Cross, was from Flat River. A shade tree mechanic of considerable talent. He had my 73 GP running smooth as silk. As for 44, I feel the worst of Missouri interstates is 70. doesn’t matter where in Mo. its an overloaded stretch of old interstate. Being as the first stretch of interstate paved in the entire country is the stretch in St, Charles County just West of St, Charles. The first stretch of Interstate contract let was 44 near Lebanon. Thank you for this tour through my state of birth and home for half my life.
Thanks. While a semi-routine trip for me (I am regularly in every town mentioned along the route to Potosi) this is new territory for the vast majority of those who will be reading it. I also think it helps overcome any perception of Missouri being St. Louis, Kansas City, or row crops.
70 and 44 are both a pill. 70 for traffic in general and 44 for truck traffic. The section between St. James and Rolla is now being rebuilt and both directions are using the westbound lanes.
My sister totaled out her 1992 Tempo on 8 east of Steelville. Makes me wonder how close it was to your old family farm.
If you know “Butts Rd” The road to Bass River Resort, (Knew it when it was just Bass Canoe rental.) Then you were close, “The Farm” was opposite the Cortuois River from the Resort as it stands, today. Used to be a “Hog Trough” bridge into the property. It was washed out in the late 70s. the only alternatives was low water crossing just downstream (My Friend, Danny. crossed it in his 65 Comet, water washing up the “The eyebrows”, or using a stretch of the Berryman trail. One turned left at the Baptist church. A good friend and compatriot in Shenanigans is buried in the little church graveyard, there, as was his wish. He loved that area.
There’s an area I’ll probably never have to visit again, thanks to the miracle of mergers, acquisitions and divestment I no longer work for the same company that sent me to the bootheel for months on end.
We have one diverging diamond interchange in Ontario (Lee, it’s at Glendale Ave and QEW) and I’ve been through it a few times, seems odd to drive through. Maybe I’ll stand on the sidewalk and observe it closely sometime.
And Jason, I thought your van IS the struggle bus! No wonder you’re having trouble relaxing.
Yes, that van has been the struggle bus. Now that it’s taken over a decade to reach a detente with it, age has crept in. Several months ago the front stabilizer bar popped out on the driver’s side as the bushing had shrunk with age (or became brittle) or some other malady to prompt it. It made quite the thump when driving it.
No fleet additions yet?
Not at this time. We’ve been to several lots looking at what’s available but that’s about it right now. That fact that nothing excites us isn’t helping.
I’ll have to check that out Doug, next time in St. Catharines or on the way to the Falls.
I think I’ll vote for the 1980 Squarebody. I like the color combo. It’s also the only year they used square headlamps with the old front sheetmetal… on certain models. They were optional on other models that came standard with round lamps
That color combination is what catches my eye every time!
Understandable. Cars aren’t what they used to be. Too much on superficialities and intotainment. I could see myself keeping my vehicle until I hit the grave.
Thank you for this fascinating travelogue. I agree that it’s much more rewarding to travel off the interstate if you have the time and patience. So much more to see!
Your map of Route 50 across the US reminds me that this was our primary way back east to Virginia after we picked up our younger son in Los Angeles in December 2005. (We used US 6 out of Bishop, California to join up with Route 50 in Ely, Nevada.)
We took some diversions from 50 in various places, including one on State Route 100 east of Jefferson City, Missouri. As you undoubtedly know, Route 100 runs parallel to the Missouri River for some length along its floodplain.
We stopped in the small town of Chamois and came across a fascinating building now known as the Old School on the Hill Bed and Breakfast. If I remember correctly, it was a community center at the time. This building (pictured below) was one of two that our younger son, who works in the field of historic preservation, regarded as the most significant NOT to have been included in a guidebook of historic buildings along our journey. (The other was a streamline moderne house in Salida, Colorado.)
From a viewpoint at the top of the hill, we saw a cooling tower to the north on the other side of the river. Googling just now, I discovered that this tower is part of the Callaway nuclear power plant in Portland, MO.
Knowing that you have traveled extensively through your home state, I was wondering if you have ever been on this stretch of Route 100.
Thank you.
Yes, I have been on this stretch of 100 (between Linn and Hermann) many times and have seen the building you have pictured. Amtrak also has the “River Runner” line that runs near 100 in many locations and along the river near Chamois.
I grew up in a big suburb of Atlanta, and in my youth to drive outside the Perimeter (I-285) into the wide open spaces was like traveling back in time. I usually find myself on US and state highways when the interstates are bottle-necked from recurring road construction and motor-vehicle crashes. If it weren’t so costly in time, I’d do the back roads a little more often. And like you, it’s just me and the faint sounds of wind, road and engine, and my tinnitus. Unless there’s baseball I don’t bother with any radio sound at all.
There is a lot to like about small town USA. The quiet and the calm, the space and clearer skies, much less man-made ambient noise and less light pollution. The one thing that most cities have is more advanced health care.
The Double-Ds are popping up around Atlanta, and they are most often found on main roads crossing Interstate 285. It looked puzzling at first, but it wasn’t hard to see the advantages. During rush hour when about 2/3rd of the traffic going in one direction wants to turn left after crossing the bridge onto the interstate, no matter how many left lanes there are, traffic will back up like a clogged drain (the poorly timed traffic lights only add to the confusion and the back up). Now the left turn is made into a straight shot with one light to get through instead of two-or three-or four … and someone getting caught in the intersection and blocking all directions.
You took a picture of your speedometer and dash and it took me a moment, and it dawned on me that you were still briskly moving. About 5 years ago I did the same thing, noting that I just reached 275,000 miles on my Nissan Frontier (next month makes 23 years), and posted it. While most marveled that I still had that truck, my first gf from long ago (also on FB) harangued me for distracted driving (the needle was at 75, not zero). Well she had a point–Girls have a very different idea of risk-assessment.
Small town America does have many virtues but, like anywhere else, there are compromises. However, being more on the introverted side, the smallness helps play to that.
Had Mrs. Jason and/or Mrs. Jason Jr been with me, there would have been no picture taking at speed. Yet on a quiet two-lane road when I discovered by comfort speed was, once again, pushing 75 I chuckled and had to capture it.
Yes, well, in all deference to the very wise Mrs.’s out there, sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do. 🙂
Exactly. We should all embrace our inner five-year old.
Yeah in my minivan review of last year I got called out on this site for photog’ing the instrument panel while on I-70 in MO. Point and shoot is not hard with phones today.
I took a photo just a few weeks ago when my DD hit 222,222 kms.
@Jason Shafer -I’m quite impressed at your 18.9mpg. Geez! A conversion van is a pretty comfortable place to be on a road trip, too. The Tilt-A-Wobble effect is probably less in effect when doddering along at 60mph, though I’d probably have a hard time holding it that slow unless traffic forced me as well.
I had a part time job with some friends in my early 20’s, deadheading rental cars for an agency in Montana, which often included trips that were 250+ miles. For some reason, I usually ended up with AWD Astro vans on those longest trips over the Continental Divide; they felt much like a full size van, but ultimately would go where you pointed them. Once I got used to the body roll, pitching, and bobbing, I pushed these things with a lot more confidence (stupidity) than I’d probably be able to muster today. In the wide open eastern part of the state, I found that they were electronically limited to 97-98mph. On a couple winter trips over the Divide, I found that you could mitigate understeer by mashing harder on the gas pedal… that combination of full time 4wd and fairly grippy packed snow at very low temps.
My memory is remembering 17.0mpg displayed on the trip computer, but I think that was actually the *maximum* I could achieve if I really tried. We probably got 15 or a bit under at the ~80-85mph we tried to maintain. I have no real idea of what vehicles and scenery existed, as they always went by in a blur.
Oh, and yeah… One speeding ticket near the tiny town of Valier, MT.
The 18.9 is an absolute rarity. The trip to Fort Worth in late June yielded around 16 mpg – although there was a blast up to about 90 in the old thing. It was a bit frightful at that speed.
That tank at the VFW – an M60 perhaps? Anyhow the turret looks cocked, is that because it has turned or is something more sinister going on?
That caught my eye also and it’s a good question. This malady could be the reason the tank is more toward the rear of the building, somewhat making it less on display.
Someday, someone here on CC needs to do an article about all of the military vehicles/equipment that winds up at VFWs. (not me because while fascinated, I know nothing about that stuff)
I have seen so many pieces of equipment at so many VFWs.
Great idea I bet there are many very knowledgeable military vehicle collectors out there plus all the vets that used them regularly.
That photo of US-61 reminds me of the time when PQ-220 between Sherbrooke and St-Élie d’Orford(amalgated now to Sherbrooke) didn’t got lots of commercial development.
It would be cool to see Missouri French gaining some popularity.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missouri_French
I had forgotten the Missouri French existed. But it does make sense as this location referred to in your link isn’t overly far from Ste. Genevieve, which is the oldest settlement in the state and was founded by the French.
You missed the pointless-but-fun side trip to Frankenstein, MO on your way east out of town.
I have two nephews who recently graduated from (the former) Linn State and slid straight into jobs weeks after getting their certificates/degrees that pay better than my mid-career professional salary.
Also, speaking of tanks on display, and Jackson, MO – there is a doc at the Jackson Medical Center west of town on 72 that has a whole host of cold war military hardware posted up around the clinic – at one point there were a T-34 and T-72, self-propelled howitzers, a Korean War era helicopter and a Nike missile, haven’t been by lately to see if the collection has expanded.
That part of the state also hosts the 100-Acre Woods Pro-Rally every winter, a great way to freeze in the woods for a couple exciting days!
Thanks for another fabulous travelogue. Your van’s gas mileage has always been a source of amazement. My 94 with the 5.8 (and a 3:55 axle) never, ever broke 16 mpg on the high side (and never even got there in the last 2 or 3 years we owned it).
The K-Car sighting reminds me that I saw an early version locally for sale. I thought for about 5 minutes of actually going to look at it, but decided that no good could come from such a trip. Just now, I am wondering – did K cars have K cup holders?
I was talking with a fellow recently and he observed that while you see heavily used Mustangs, every old (modern) Camaro you see is in like-new condition. Now you want to make me add that on the rare occasion you see a Prowler, they are the same way.
Thank you. Would it be safe to chalk our fuel mileage experience up to the differences in engines? Mine has a 3.55:1 rear axle, also. The fuel difference on the way down vs back is undoubtedly due to terrain. Fewer steep hills on my route back and I didn’t traverse quite so many towns. The 18.9 shocked me, also. Since having the fuel pump replaced a few years ago, the routine mileage never was as good as previously.
Seeing this K-car reminded how from some angles that car looks good; from a few others, particularly side-view, not so much. Plus, I am wondering if I can even remember a cup holder in a K-car!
My ’94 F-150 with the 5.0 and 3.55 gears was gutless and I blame the poor gas mileage on the fact that it needed second gear to climb grades at altitude. OD was mostly worthless out here in the West, except on completely level roads. 16mpg was definitely tops.
What a great travelog .
Secondary roads are always fun, even when they meander way the hell and gone through nowhere .
-Nate
What a great travelog .
Secondary roads are always fun, even when they meander way the hell and gone through nowhere .
If that van isn’t rusty I see no reason not to fix it up .
-Nate
Late here, but another great read Jason, thank you! Never heard of the diverging diamond interchanges, but they almost make sense. Actually, scrub that, I just read the DDI history which notes the French invented the idea in the 1970s, and that makes total sense!
Another great read. I had not heard of the diverging diamond, but upon a bit of investigation it seems we now have some in southern Ontario. We have been adding many traffic circles and I thought that that was enough of a change. Several of my relatives find them intimidating. I don’t know how they would handle this.