~Get Your Kicks On Route 66~

Announcement:

I’m making some changes, here at the Back Porch.  In the process, my blog list evaporated!!  I am in the midst of visiting all of you, my wonderful readers, through your comments, trying to restore my list.

Please bear with me, through this transition! I hope you continue to visit, while I take care of this little dilemma!

***The follower list has been in and out, the past couple of days. I think it will be okay.

It’s my regular blog list that has disappeared. It needed some editing, so this is a good time to update.

Thanks, everyone!

Friday was a beautiful day, in the Ozarks; perfect for a day trip.

We packed a picnic lunch, then drove to Bennett Spring State Park.

This was the view from our table.

Bennett Spring is a place of many happy childhood memories, for me.

After lunch, we continued our day trip exploring, with a drive to a new rest stop, between Lebanon and Springfield.

I smile, as I type, because who in the world would turn a stop at a rest area into day trip exploration? J and Pat, that’s who!

As many of you know, I grew up in a small town along Rte 66, the Mother Road. If you travel through Lebanon, Missouri, located on I-44, be sure to stop by the Library and take a tour of the Rte 66 museum.

I traveled old Rte 66, between Illinois and California, as a child. Trips to visit my grandparents, in Texas, began on the old highway.

We travel I-44, from St Clair, to Springfield, quite often; always looking for the old road that still meanders through the countryside.

There are historic markers, along the way. Once in awhile we rediscover an ancient, long abandoned, filling station or cabin.

One of several picnic table shelters, built to resemble long ago structures along Rte 66.

The floor, inside the welcome center.

I don’t have a memory of where we turned south, from Rte 66, toward our Dallas destination, during childhood travels. I was asleep in the back seat, because we always started our trips to Texas in the wee small hours of the morning.

We might have to stop back, after dark, to see this sign all lit up.

All of the above and Burma Shave, too! Do you remember Burma Shave signs, along the highway?

Before returning east, on I-44, we stopped at Marshfield for limeades, at a drive-in.

Approaching Lebanon, from the west.

Remember the sign, outside the welcome center? This is the original, in Lebanon. That’s old Rte 66 to the left. The motel opened way back when Rte 66 ran through my old home town, before I-44.

For a history of Munger Moss and great photos, click HERE. It’s a website I think you will enjoy; I know I did!

As long as we were feeling nostalgic, we took a different, than usual, route back to the lake. We drove the road to Eldridge and Hwy D, which took us past Ha Ha Tonka State Park to Hwy 54. This is the way we drove to the lake, from Lebanon, when I was a youngster.

Here we are, back at the lake. This photo was taken, while crossing Grand Glaize Bridge, at Lake of the Ozarks.

Get Your Kicks on Rte 66

Chorus

Mister . . . may I . . . recommend a royal route?
It starts in Illinois, let me tell you boy!
If you ever plan to motor west,
Travel my way, take the highway, that's the best!
Get your kicks . . . on Route 66!

Lyrics by Bobby Troup

(I’m old enough to remember who Bobby Troup was!)

Stop by Susan’s A Southern Day Dreamer, for  Outdoor Wednesday, each week.

Dogwood, Redbud and a Castle in the Ozarks

Redbud and Dogwood in bloom at Ha Ha Tonka State Park, Missouri
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We visited Ha Ha Tonka State Park, near Camdenton Missouri, Saturday. Although the sky was overcast, the temperature was ideal for walking the trails.

Construction of this castle in the Ozarks, began in 1905. Unfortunately, the owner Robert M. Snyder, never saw his dream home completed. He died in an automobile accident in 1906. His sons completed the construction. The castle and gate house were destroyed by fire in 1942.

It's interesting to walk around the ruins, imagining what it might have been like living there during the early 20th Century and wondering about the tragedy that seemed to surround the castle.

Other photos within the grid are views from overlooks on the castle grounds.

The state of Missouri purchased the property in 1978 and opened it to the public.

These photos were taken at Lake of the Ozarks State Park. We drive through this park on our way to our condo at the lake. A drive through the park is beautiful in any season. Thursday evening, when we drove into the park entrance we discovered Redbud trees and Dogwood trees in bloom. The last photo in the bottom row, shows a Redbud tree with Dogwood in the background. Other views are from around the park. Several views of the lake, a pond along the road to our condo and split rail fence at a shelter house.

Missouri State Parks are open to the public, at no charge. Of course, we love them all! We are very proud of our state's park system.

This last grid consists of photos taken at our "weekend retreat".

Over the weekend we visited an antiques shop or two. I made a couple purchases. I'll be writing about them later this week. One of my finds had a mishap...or rather I had a mishap!! More about that and other "news" later.

Happy first week of April 2007!