We're Not in Kansas Anymore

We leave Marysville on the Pony Express Hwy and head into Missouri. We stop in St. Joseph, MO to feed Andy’s girlfriend. While filling up at a Conoco station a man in a truck pulls up and asks us what part of Oregon we are from. Turns out he is from Forest Grove – same area as we are. He moved his family here 2 years ago. It's a small world after all. (Disney reference for our dinner club!)

Back on the road – Andy is interrupted by so many phone calls from work that he needs to pull over and take care of some business. He works for a Design Build/Engineering firm based in Lexington, KY. He's been with them for a long time and now gets to work from home ... or ... RV. The downside is he has to travel ... alot. All he needs is a desk to read plans, phone, internet and easy access to an international airport. We know and appreciate what a unique situation we have.

On the road again for awhile and then BAM! We hit a wild turkey - or a wild turkey hits us. Andy sees this bird out of the corner of his eye – it's headed right at us. There is nothing he can do but yell at the turkey to 'pull up pull up!' -  but then BOOM -  it was so LOUD! That turkey hit us smack in the side of the RV.  We pull over to inspect the girlfriend. I feel so bad for the bird - it didn't make it. Andy wants me to write RV 1 , turkey 0. Poor turkey.

We pull into our destination for the night – Hannibal, Missouri - the birthplace of Mark Twain. The Mark Twain RV Park is a beautiful park with lots of big trees and plenty of space. We unpack and take Henry for a walk. It's slightly humid here - a nice change from the scorched and dry State of Kansas. There are quite a few travellers here & lots of activity. The park is a bit of a tourist trap -  a rock shop , a winery (no local wine?) a candle shop (I watched a girl dip and carve a beautiful handmade candle) - and yes - I bought it.

We unhook and make a trip into town. This is an old, old town - and it looks it. Very run down.There is a Mark Twain paddle boat docked in the mighty Mississippi River. We visit the boyhood home of Twain - see the whitewashed fence in Huck Finn - and the home of Becky Thatcher. The whole town is themed in Twain - but in a very sorry state of disrepair. Makes us kind of sad. 

     

We googled the Hannibal park maps and head up to Lover's Leap. There is a 9/11 memorial here and we pay our respects. It's a beautiful park on a rock outcropping overlooking the Mississippi River. What a view! The legend of the park is that an Indian Princess and a young warrior from an opposing tribe fell in love and were chased to the top of this rock by the girl's tribe. Her father offered an otter skin to anyone who would kill the warrior. Realizing their fate - the lovers held hands and jumped to their death.



                                                                                                 

                                                         

We head back to the park and I throw together a quick  curry for dinner.

It's nice outside - warm and a little muggy - so we decide to eat outside. Our neighbors across the way begin playing one of my favorite Christmas songs, 'Mary did you know". They had a mandolin, guitar, autoharp, bass, harmonica and fiddle. Can't begin to express how enjoyable they were to listen to. They played us a mini concert of traditional country, bluegrass and gospel music and had quite a crowd gathered around them by the time they finished. They are the Jacob Austin Band and are based in College Station, Texas. It's Jacob & his Mom & Dad and they travel in an RV and play churches and festivals across the US. So happy to have met them - they made our stay in Hannibal so memorable!