`We left our hotel in Independence, MO (a suburb of Kansas City, MO) headed to Branson, MO to spend a week with Joyce and Gordy Young. Since the drive is only about 3 hours, we decided we would stop in Springfield, MO and get our first ride in Missouri. The drive to Springfield can best be described as COLORFUL! Sue commented that the scenery was like looking into a big box of crayons. As we drove down the highway, we saw dark evergreens and trees covered in numerous shades of green leaves. Some trees still had bare gray or black branches waiting for spring foliage to emerge. Yellow wildflowers and purple and pink bushes lined the side of the highway. Black, brown, and white cattle and calves grazed in fields where straw colored round bales of hay were stacked in fields. We passed red barns, rust colored silos, green and yellow farm equipment, bright red pick-up trucks, and yellow school buses parked for the weekend. The beautiful blue sky was filled with fluffy white clouds.
At one point we came upon a roadside sign with a picture of a horse and buggy on it reminding us to “share the road.” We learned there was an Amish population in the area who still use the horse drawn buggies for their primary transportation. We looked but never saw any buggies on the road as we drove through the area.
The towns of Peculiar and Humansville prompted us to speculate on other unusual names for communities.
We arrived in Springfield and found the parking lot at the beginning of the Frisco Highline Trail where we planned to ride the 19 miles needed to complete our 50 miles in Missouri. The Frisco Highline Trail is the second longest Rail-Trail in Missouri. In 1948, Harry Truman rode the Frisco Railroad train from Springfield to Bolivar and back in his private railroad car, warming up for his famous “whistlestop” campaign that would get him re-elected as President. The tracks are gone now, the stations have been torn down, and the steam whistle has been replaced by silence or bird songs. The trail winds through woods and pastures, crossing 16 railroad bridges as it passes across two counties in Missouri. We enjoyed every moment of our 20 mile ride on this historic trail!!
We continued on to Branson and the Still Waters Resort, located on Table Rock Lake.
Luckily, we had time to get settled and clean up from our ride before Joyce and Gordy arrived. We were excited to learn we have a condo with a beautiful view of the lake. Bill and Gordy played cornhole, and we enjoyed a pizza dinner from an on-site restaurant.
Checking the weather forecast for the week, we have decided to spend tomorrow exploring the lake on a pontoon boat. We can’t wait to be on the water!!
50-in-50 Challenge 