Across the Mississippi and traveling East

June 24 2008
Kathy got up earl and made a few loops around the large parking lot of the South Fork Access to the Mark Twain Lake. The area is sponsored by the Civil Corp of Engineer and a ranger stopped Kathy as she returned to the Roadtrek. Ranger Alex was very polite as he informed her that there is no overnight parking, pulled out a brochure and showed her where we could park for the night. He suggested we go to the State Park for the morning rather than stay in the lot. Ranger Alex said the Mississippi River bridges are closed due to high water; the Hannibal bridge is open. Will got up and we readied the Roadtrek and drove over to the Mark Twain State Park and Historic Site. It was now sprinkling. We checked it out, but then continued north changing our route to cross at Hannibal. We did a drive-by of the Mark Twain Memorial Shrine built near the birthplace. The sky was getting dark. Then we drove to the actual site, a two-story frame house. In Monroe City we walked into Peggy Sue’s Café and had breakfast; eggs over easy, hash browns and MO fresh ham. Yum. The pastor and his wife were there having breakfast and we chatted about the advantages of small town America. The rain drops are pounding down bouncing off the pavement as we drive off. We departed on US24 east to the Mississippi. We reach Hannable. The sky is black and roiling. The sky has opened and it pouring down and we can see the front just ahead of us; we will try to out run it. The Mississippi has overflowed her banks; all levee gates are locked up to keep the water from flooding the city. We cross the bridge and look down, everything is flooded up to the levee wall and the water is only a few feet below. Hope it holds for them. We reached US54 and the rain finally stopped and we had white skies ahead. Interstate travel is okay; Will can use the cruise control, but there is not so much to look at: trees, grass, signs, bridges and long lines of gray. We are in Illinois. Big excitement was passing the 90th longitude; we are ¼ way around the world!

Henson Roberson Zoo


Edwards Trace Springfield,IL


Peggy Sue's in Monroe City
Mississippi River at Hannibal,MO

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