Days 3, 4, and 5 My oh My

“Across another state line, you never know what you’re going to find. You got different trees, new people to meet”- Abi Tapia, Another State Line

Kayce here…

This excursion has had many twists and turns.  From where we left you last, we headed to Falls River, KS.  After much confusion and back tracking, we finally made it to the state park.

Day 3 Map

Since it was dark & the mosquitoes were out with a vengeance, we quickly set up camp and fell asleep under a blanket of stars. 

While we were in our tent, we saw a bunch of green lights randomly blinking in the sky. Lightning Bugs!  It was Brock’s first encounter with lightning bugs (fireflies), a bug so closely tied to my childhood summer nights.  Ahh! A tell tale sign that we were getting closer and closer to the East.

 

 We woke up to birds conversing above us.  I rolled out of the tent to find we were camped right on a beautiful, picturesque lake.  A crane swooped overhead and landed right in front of us.  Already ecstatic with my findings, the day got even better when I turned around and there was a puppy! Her name was Bella and she was funnnnnyy! She would stalk us, then run run run away in circles!

We packed up camp and drove around the lake.  What do we happen to find? Horse Shoe Pits of course! And since we obviously had shoes, (I mean it’s a necessity on a cross country trek right?) we played a quick game and Brock completely dominated.  I think the final score was 11-2?!  After the complete beating, we headed out on the open road.

I’ve always enjoyed Kansas, and the Midwest as a whole.  I don’t know if it is the idea of a simple life, or the vast, open land, the people, but something about it makes me feel calm.  I know (and I am sure all of you do too) I am not really cut out for farm life but the picture perfect scenery makes me think otherwise… maybe…in another life… possibly? I definitely picture myself drinkin’ sweet tea on my wraparound porch!

The Show Me State

We then headed into Joplin, MO, where the tornado hit over 14 miles on May 22.  We ate a yummy local diner, The Red Onion Café, where we got a glimpse of what that day was truly like for the locals. People were talking all over the restaurant. A man who lost his business, a group of ladies relaying where they each were at the time of the storm, and a man in a neck brace sipping on some sweet tea, talking with his wife.  

We decided to drive through the center of the destruction, only to be left completely shocked and speechless.  The devastation was incredible.  Walmart destroyed, large metal signs bent in half, strip malls taken out.

This sign was huge!

We headed to Lake Wappapello State Park in SE Missouri to camp and spend the night. The aroma of sweet honeysuckle filled the air and mosquitoes buzzed around our head.  A man informed us that the lake had just receded enough to be open to the public again….well bonus for us I guess. We shrugged off the comment and went to bed. 

Day 4 Map

The next morning we woke up at bird thirty!  They were squawking like crazy! Squirrels and Raccoons falling out of trees and chasing each other on the ground.  A bright red Cardinal visited us for awhile as we ate breakfast and packed up the car.  Brock had never seen a Cardinal in person, another creature I’m used to seeing every day in Pittsburgh.

We headed east on the 60 and south on the 77. “Road Closed 5 miles ahead, local traffic only??” Oh no! We decided to risk it and keep driving.  The further and further we drove the more and more dirt and debris on the road. A house here and there pretty much destroyed. Was there another tornado in this area?  

All of a sudden, water on both sides of the road….were we driving in the middle of a lake? Then we noticed half of trees under water, homes destroyed, siding on barns completely gone, farms under water. What in the world happened?

 

 Then it hit me like a ton of bricks, the major floods of the MidWest! 

Crazy High Water Levels!

We arrived at the end of the road and at the bank of the Mississippi River, where we met some locals waiting for a ferry.  We talked with them for a long while and found out this was the area they blew up the levees. Two Insurance guys joined the conversation, informing us everything was destroyed, and most farmers did not have flood insurance.    Today was the first day the roads had been open and the ferry operational since the flood.

 
While on the Ferry, one of the Insurance guys, Jeremy noticed Alice’s PA plates and of course questioned why we were clear down there.  He was a really big guy, one of those guys who’s sheer presence commands attention.  He had a deep Southern draw and a big ole’ dip in his mouth.  After telling our tale and where we were from, he told us he loved to ski! What? Yeah, he and a group of friends go to Lake Tahoe each year, where they “rip it” down the mountain.  You can never judge a book by its cover.

Yeah...that's a Propane Tank....

After we crossed the river into Kentucky, we headed to Tennessee! Aww hell fire! It was so hot you could pull a baked potato right out of the ground! 

We arrived in Lynchburg, TN, home of the Jack Daniels Distillery. We didn’t make it in time for the actual tour… which means we have to go back now doesn’t it?

 

We ate at a local joint for BBQ sandwiches. Brock’s face below basically sums up our experience.

Headed into Chattanooga, TN and found an awesome hotel room. Ahh, clean sheets, hot shower, private bathroom, WIFI.  I was in hog heaven!

 

Day 5 Map

Below are some more pics of the past few days!

Falls River, KS

Cow Friends!

Morning Shave

Brock's Throw Verusus

My Throw

Wonder why I lost...

Too Early For Me

Shout Out to Noni! Wee Ride!

We Saved the Turtle's Life!

That's A Lot of Jack!

Brock wanted to kill the woman behind him

so HE started saying inappropriate things

Car in Joplin

Road to Ferry

Just painting my toes while we wait

Like Where's Waldo.. Where's Brock??

Pittsburg, KS... the H makes all the difference

 

Old black water, keep on rollin'
Mississippi moon, won't you keep on shinin' on me
Yeah, keep on shinin' your light
Gonna make everything, pretty mama
Gonna make everything all right
And I ain't got no worries
'Cause I ain't in no hurry at all

  

The Doobie Brothers, Black Water