Category: Missouri

2023 Fall Adventure Part 3: Wonders of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium and Wild Animal Safari

On By LToddIn Missouri, RV Travel, Travel1 Comment

 It’s all about the animals in part 3 of our 2023 Fall Adventure as we visit the Wonders of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium and Wild Animal Safari.

 Johnny Morris’ Wonders of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium

A popular outing in Springfield, Missouri, is the Wonders of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium. Johnny Morris is the man behind the museum and aquarium. As majority owner of Great American Outdoors Group, he owns Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s sporting goods and outdoor stores.

Located adjacent to the Bass Pro Shops National headquarters and store, Wonders of Wildlife operates as a not-for-profit educational conservation-themed attraction. It definitely should be at the top of any what-to-do-in-Springfield, Missouri list.

Wait a minute. Is that boat Ernest Hemingway’s Pilar? Can’t be. The original resides at the Museo Ernest Hemingway in Finca Vigia, Cuba. And I believe the Pilar sister boat is in the Bass Pro Shops in Islamorada, Florida. The boat in Springfield, Missouri, is a replica.

Massive murals throughout the facility depict various background scenery. It took six years and a dozen artists to paint all the murals.

One of the many hand-painted murals that add context to the displays

The current wildlife museum and aquarium opened to the public on September 22, 2017, after an $80 million expansion to 350,000 square foot facility. The project took a decade to complete.

The wildlife museum includes a Louisiana swamp, an Ozark forest, and an Amazon rainforest. The aquarium holds 1.5 million gallons (5.7 million liters) of water, and 35,000 individual fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals call the museum and aquarium home.

Fishing gear and trophies

Throughout the aquarium are tunnels where kids and kids at heart can pop up and see what it’s like to have fish swimming around their heads.

Looks like fun
There’s Nemo

For guests craving a safe way to have a shark encounter, they can opt for the shark dive or shark dive feeding frenzy for ages 10 and up. There’s also a penguin encounter for ages four and up.

Shark dive pool
The turtles were fun to watch
Brightly-colored fish attract the eye
Graceful movements of jellyfish mesmerize
Sea anemones are always a hit
Sea stars (starfish) cling tight
Japanese spider crab has skinny legs

The Shipwreck Reef exhibit depicts how artificial reefs protect coral and boost tourism for diving and fishing. The Johnny Morris Offshore Angler Reef off the coast of Florida is such a reef. It contains the Sucre, a 237-foot vessel. A placard discusses the benefits the reefs provide to marine life and research opportunities.

Artificial reef exhibit
Albino Aligator sleeps all day

A sign outside the replica of the original Bass Pro Shops Store says the “original doors, cabinetry, lighting, fixtures, roof, ceiling, and aquarium” were used to create the replica. Morris began his bass fishing business at the back of his father’s liquor store in Springfield, Missouri.

Jackson imitates Uncle Buck, who made bass flies from sow bellies to sell in the original Bass Pros Store
Hall of artifact collections
I’d hate to meet up with one of these giants on a hike
Glimpsing Freedom: York’s Journey with the Corps of Discovery by Charles Fritz
One of many quotes throughout the museum
My, what big tusks you have

One section of the museum is dedicated to the various presidents who showed off their trout and bass fish catches.

Bass Pro Shops got its start within 8-square feet inside a liquor store for the first 13 years. For more history about Bass Pro Shops and Johnny Morris, visit https://about.basspro.com/our-founder. As of this writing, there are around 200 Bass Pro Shops in North America, each reflecting the community in which they were built, along with a commitment to community and conservation.

Taxidermy animals stand in for the live animals in the dioramas that depict their natural habitat.

Plan spending an hour or more to see the all the exhibits and displays. Our whole family enjoyed wandering around. And if hunger strikes, take a break and grab a bite to eat.

Wild Animal Safari Springfield/Strafford

Board a bus for a tour of the park and learn about the animals and their habits, or drive your vehicle through the park. Food is available for purchase to feed the animals. But watch out for the camels. They have no qualms about sticking their big heads in the window and stealing bags of food from the passengers. They are fast, as Jackson can attest to, as he was a victim of one of their attacks.

Our driver and guide regaled us with stories about the various animals

The safari contains sixty-five animal species along a five-mile trail within 350 acres of land. The animals have learned that food is on the way whenever the bus comes through. Some of them come running as if they hadn’t eaten for days, while others take their time ambling along to reach the bus. The bus driver always accommodated the slow pokes.

Don’t those eyes say, “please, feed me.”

For an additional fee, guests can arrange for an up close encounter with the animals, under the watchful supervision of a zookeeper, of course. These encounters allow small groups to learn about the animal’s habitat, feeding, and conservation efforts.

Animals taking their time to reach the bus. Note the drive-through vehicles. We thought it best to leave the driving to the bus driver.
Nice rack you got there

Be sure to read the safety considerations listed on the website to avoid any situations that might put the animals or people in danger.

Showing off the antlers
Don’t forget me.
I’ll have some, too.
Move along. I don’t want any of those little pellets.
Don’t mind me. I’ll just nibble on this fine grass here.
Too hot and tired to eat
We’ll take a pass and enjoy this here grass.
Mr. Stripey knows who butters his toast
Ponds keep the animals hydrated
Watch out for those teeth
Those are some long horns you’ve got there.
I’m a comin’

The safari also included a walkabout zoo. It was hard to take photos through the cages.

What did I do to deserve this?
Jackson and Maya say hello to the giraffe.

As we compared our experience at Wild Animal Safari to Safari West in Santa Rosa, California (see the Safari West post), we much preferred the one in California. Safari West comes out on top for its larger acreage, safari-like vehicles, and knowledgeable guides. They also had a better walk-around portion with more animals, birds, and vegetation. Although we still had fun at Wild Animal Safari.

Up Next: From Marshfield, Missouri, we take a side trip to Little Rock, Arkansas, and check out the Clinton Museum.

Safe Travels

2023 Fall Adventure Part 2: Around the Homestead and Local Area

On By LToddIn Missouri, RV Travel, Travel5 Comments

Continuing with our travels in the fall of 2023, we shine a spotlight on Laura, our daughter, her family, and their homestead.

Jackson, Laura, Chris, Maya, and the chicks

Around the homestead

Their land is home to a variety of animals, from deer to frogs, mountain lions to turtles, various snakes, and other critters too many to mention. Other than hearing the frogs at night and seeing armadillo roadkill on the roadside, we saw a turtle outside our kitchen window one morning and waking up to chirping birds was also a treat.

Come out, little turtle.

During our visit, we could find Laura making bread, driving the tractor, shoveling dirt in her garden, tending to the chicks, or engaged in other household chores. She even removed a tick from my neck. I guess the beauty and the benefits of living off the land have chased away her fear of spiders, which once induced blood-curdling screams when she was a child. We’re proud of what she’s accomplished and how she’s carved out her space in the world.

Is the bread ready yet?
Seedlings are planted. Now we wait.
Beep, beep
Chris does most of the mowing
Waiting for birdies to make a home

The baby chicks not only fascinated us, they entertained us. We laughed as the baby chicks scratched around in the dirt, climbed over each other, ate their meals, and flicked dirt on themselves when taking dust baths.

Maya bonds with the chicks
Laura does her own bonding
Chicks in their brooder

Chris was under pressure to complete the chicken coop on wheels in time for the brood to move in. Fortunately, he made it on time.

Chicken coop frame
Ahh! More room in their new home.
Natty just wanted to nap
Jackson and Maya taking a break in the shade

We also enjoyed goofing around while grabbing a meal at Cafe Cusco on C-Street in Springfield, Missouri.

Great lunch at The Little Clay House Tea Room

Although there was plenty of work to do around the house, we managed to take time to explore a few sights while there.

Hidden Waters Nature Park

Nearby is Hidden Waters Nature Park, a segment of the Trail of Tears. Through journals, it was determined that in 1837 the B. B. Cannon group, composed of Cherokee Nation people, passed through the Hidden Waters acreage and used the spring to replenish their water supply.

The 11.3-acre park includes walking trails, ponds, gardens, and plenty more. The Callaway Cabin survived the devastating 1880 tornado and 170 years of development. The cabin stands as a reminder of the modest living pioneers carved out for themselves as they settled in Missouri.

The park is where fourteen springs provide a constant flow of water to the headwaters of the West Fork of the Niangua. After combining with several rivers and tributaries, the water flows into the Gulf of Mexico.

Planning for the park began in 1998 when Dan and Zoann Beckner purchased three acres of land in the center of Marshfield. The couple had something besides a planned housing development in mind for the property. They added a trail, built three bridges to cross the streams, and enlarged three of the natural ponds. Jack Watters, a city alderman, persuaded the city to establish the acreage as a park in 2003.

Come armed to repel mosquitoes. I was not prepared, and the pesky mosquitoes feasted on my legs and arms.

Downtown Marshfield

Our visit coincided with Marshfield’s Harvest Festival, which gave us a chance to check out the town square surrounding the Webster County courthouse. The town of approximately 7,600 had a good turnout, with vendors lining the sidewalk selling their wares, along with food and drink trucks offering refreshments. The music and singing added a lively energy to the atmosphere.

The entertainment

Memorials for those who lost lives during war times are a common site in any town, and Marshfield is not an exception.

War memorial

What’s that? The Hubble Space Telescope? How is it related to Marshfield, Missouri? A quick search revealed the telescope was named after Edwin Hubble who was born in Marshfield, Missouri, in 1889. It was his discovery and study of the Andromeda Nebula that led to the knowledge that the galaxy in which we live is but one galaxy among millions in the universe. Hubble also has a road named after him in Marshfield.

This Replica of the Hubble Telescope honors Edwin Hubble who was born in Marshfield, Missouri and is 1/4 the size of the actual Hubble still in space

And here are a couple shots of the downtown buildings.

Round Hay Bales

On our way back from the harvest festival, I saw something I’ve waited years to learn more about: round hay bales. I know, it’s silly, but all I ever saw were the cylinder-shaped boulders of hay in fields. I wanted to know how the farmers created those huge round bales. So we drove back to the farm where we saw the men and equipment working.

This piece of equipment rakes the cut hay into a long row.

Then another piece of equipment comes by and vacuums up the hay until it’s full. The equipment wraps a netting around the bale and . . .

Tractor pulling a round hay baler

Voila! Out pops a round hay bale.

Tractor pulling a hay baler

The bales can range from 1.2 to 1.8 meters wide and weigh up to 2,200 pounds (1,000 kg). One large round bale is equivalent to 10 – 15 square bales. Finally, my curiosity satisfied.

Beyond Marshfield

Fair Grove Heritage Reunion

A trip to Fair Grove Heritage Days sounded like a fun outing. The exhibits featured a demonstration of a McCormick threshing machine, a lineup of historic tractors, and another tractor with a pulley that might be a log splitter. I’m not sure.

Jon lends a hand

As with most community celebrations, vendors displayed their items for sale under canopies while others sold food or drinks. And the few stores that occupied the buildings had their doors open for business.

Something for everyone
Tractor row

The Duke School is named after the first teacher, Chatham Duke, who was known to use the rod a time or two during his tenure. The original schoolhouse was built in 1846.

Replica Duke School

The replica school building was reconstructed in 1979 from a log building once owned by Mr. Duke.

A peek inside the schoolhouse

I think the antique tractor with the pulley in the photo below had something to do with wood, perhaps log splitting? I noticed a bunch of split wood piled up in stacks.

Log splitter?

The heat finally got the best of us, so we didn’t stay too long. A few days later, Laura and I returned to Fair Grove to pick up a dresser she saw, and I spent a few minutes taking photos of the place without the crowds.

Old Mill Flea Market
Historical Society Museum
Womack Mill
Side view of the Womack Mill
Historic bank building

I wish the museum would have been open. I can only imagine what treasures hide behind the barn doors.

Askinosie Chocolate Candy Factory

It doesn’t matter how large or small a factory is; we are suckers for a tour of the facilities. The Askinosie Chocolate micro factory did not disappoint. They’re on the famous Commercial Street (also known as C Street) in Springfield, Missouri.

Chocolate time

Our guide led the way to where the cocoa beans arrive from around the world. They only use beans from small cocoa farmers who prioritize sustainability, following a Direct Trade approach.

Our guide explained the different types of chocolate and beans

We donned our hair nets before entering the processing section, where our guide detailed the purpose of each machine’s role.

We look mavalous!

On to the lab, where all the magic happens.

Guide explains the process
Magician at work
Waiting to taste samples

Although I had fun during the tour and found the information interesting, I don’t remember much about the process and that’s okay. I do remember how the chocolate felt on my tongue as it melted in my mouth. Oh, no. Now I have a craving. I better take a break from typing and order a supply of Askinosie chocolate bars.

After our tour, we checked out a couple of buildings nearby on C Street where visitors will find galleries, shops, dining, and regular events to explore.

Culture C-Street and Eurasia Coffee Co.
Cafe Cusco

Up Next: Wonders of Wildlife Museum & Aquarium, Wild Animal Safari, then a trip to the Clinton Presidential Library in Little Rock, Arkansas

Safe Travels

2023 Fall Adventure Part I: Travel to Marshfield, Missouri

On By LToddIn Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Nevada, RV Travel, States, Travel, Utah7 Comments

The first destination on our 2023 Fall Adventure was Marshfield, Missouri, where our daughter, Laura, and her family had settled into their new home. Her hope chest didn’t fit in their moving pod when her husband, Chris, loaded up their belongings, so we volunteered to deliver it. We’d figure out where to go and what to see after the delivery once we made the 7-day trek.

We hit the road on Friday, September 8, 2023. After our awful experience with Interstate 40 during the spring, we opted for highways 50 and 70, also referred to as the Loneliest Road in America.

First stop Fallon Nevada. Thank goodness we missed the deluge that disrupted the Burning Man event 120 miles to the north of us. Then on to Ely Nevada. The wide shoulder outside Austin, Nevada, was a perfect place to take a break. I would have preferred to walk over and explore the gravesites and monuments at the nearby Austin Cemetery. Instead, I snapped a shot from afar. The cemetery earned distinction on the National Register of Historic Places in 2003.

Jon bundled the hope chest inside blankets, covered it with a tarp,
and secured it to the rear hitch rack.
Austin Cemetery

We stopped in Eureka, Nevada, and ate delicious giant burgers at the Owl Club Bar and Steakhouse for lunch. I noticed a recurring theme of red paint with white trim on buildings around town. I imagined a group of people with ladders, brushes, and rollers roaming around, painting the town red.

Owl Club Bar and Steakhouse
Eureka historic buildings
Closed sign on the tourist information door.
1879 Court House

The beautiful canyon we drove through from Ely to Green River nearly made me cry. The painted cliffs in rust and orange and yellow were every bit as majestic from the passenger seat as it would have been up close.

On the way to our next stop, we encountered a contrast to the terrain from what we saw in Utah. The Utah rock gave way to cliffs clothed in grasses, bushes, and trees.

And then we gawked at the architectural genius that skirted the cliff like a tutu. Was it really westbound Interstate 70 up there?

Whoa, is that the interstate?

On paper, Denver West/City Center KOA seemed an easy side trip to avoid afternoon traffic in the big city. If I’d only known about the altitude, I might have chosen another location. While Denver sits at an elevation of 5,280 feet, the KOA is nearly 8,500 feet. Although we both had trouble navigating the hill from and to the fifth wheel and the store, it was the hot steamy shower that did me in. The combination of the steam and altitude had me gasping for breath. Note to self, don’t take a steamy hot shower in high altitude.

The hill to the store was steeper than it looks here

On September 12, 2023, we selected Wakeeney, Kansas, for our next stop, halfway between Denver and Kansas City.

We cut it close—I was driving, so I should say I cut it close—the next day when we (I) pulled into the fuel station with only 1.12 gallons of diesel left in the tank. Yikes!

While eating a late breakfast, at Cracker Barrel of course, we discussed finding a spot to stay the night or continue on to Marshfield, Missouri. The back-to-back long drives had worn me down, so I voted to press forward and make our trip six days instead of seven. Jon preferred to park and start off early in the morning. Trading off driving duty made it possible for us to make it all the way through. We won’t do that again soon. Seven hours on the map usually means eight or nine hours after stopping for food and fuel.

As the sun dropped below the horizon, we pulled into C&L Homestead and placed the trailer beside Chris’ workshop. I was so thankful we pushed through because we had two weeks ahead of us without packing and moving down the highway.

Finally, C & L Homestead

Up Next: A look around the homestead and the local area.

Safe Travels

Spring 2023 Adventure Episode 13: Lake of the Ozarks

On By LToddIn Missouri, RV Travel, Travel10 Comments

After our visit to Springfield, Illinois, we headed back to Missouri to spend time at Lake of the Ozarks and meet up with our daughter Laura and her family. On the way, we stopped in Warrenton, Missouri, for a bite to eat. Social House 227 looked promising with parking for the rig nearby.

Social House 227’s décor caught my attention as I walked through the door. The framed boxes and crates with plants added a hint of comfort and coziness.

And then I saw a contraption hanging on the wall. What the heck? Ahh. A modern-day jukebox. That’s the source of the background music. It reminded me of cafes back in the day when jukeboxes sat against a wall or little ones sat at each table. We would select the song we wanted to hear, put coins in the slot, and wait for our song to play. Modern times call for modern ways to select music and pay. TouchTunes has an app for that to go along with their jukeboxes.

“Smash” burgers seem to be the foodie fad of the moment, so I tried one at Social House 227. The word “smash” refers to the patties being smashed by hand. Although, I submit it also means having to smash the two 4-oz patties topped with lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, peppers, bacon, cheese, onion rings, and a fried egg in order to stuff the thing in my mouth. I’m glad I tried it, although I’m not sure I’ll order another one anytime soon. It was the kind of messy where I had to hang on to the thing with both hands until the last bite as the juices and sauce dripped off my chin.

Here are few places we visited while in the Ozarks:

Bagnell Dam Strip

Bagnell Dam Strip seems the place to be for food and shopping in Lake Ozark, Missouri. There we saw Marty Byrde’s Gastropub. I wondered which Marty Byrde came first, the gastropub or the Netflix TV series Ozark? It turns out Jason Bateman’s character on Ozark was the inspiration for the name of the restaurant. I understand a few drinks are named after other characters in the series.

Marty Byrde’s Gastropub

There are several other restaurants on the strip, some with nighttime entertainment, waiting to cater to every hungry mob’s desire. Shoppers will also find stores where they can scratch their itch to find the perfect gift for someone special.

Willmore Lodge

The Willmore Lodge contains the visitor center for the Bagnall Dam. The Adirondack-styled 6,500 square foot building contained twenty-nine rooms when completed in 1930 for Union Electric.

Willmore Lodge

I thought it fascinating to learn the entire building was cut and assembled in Oregon. Then it was marked, disassembled, and transported by train to Missouri. It took three months to reassemble the structure using square wooden pegs and “overlapping corner-saddle notching” to hold it together. I’m not a woodworker and have no idea what notching is, but “overlapping corner-saddle notching” sounds extra sturdy to me.

Jon waits patiently to go inside

Union Electric sold the property at some point, setting off an exchange of owners over the years. In 1996, Union Electric repurchased it with the purpose of retaining it as a National Historical site and housing the history of the region.

Inside, the massive fireplace and open beam ceiling should have given off a cavernous vibe. Instead, the warmth of the wood, the comfy-looking furniture, and the natural light made me want to curl up on one of the chairs, pull out a book, and settle in for a cozy reading session.

The lobby was the perfect spot to visit with our daughter and her family when they came to visit us.
Check out the carving on this chair
Reception area
Jon checks out the view from the window

A hallway on the fireplace side of the lobby leads to a museum. The museum contains artifacts, photos, and descriptions of the area before the dam was built, how the dam works, and the local wildlife visitors might see in the area.

A few Bagnell Dam facts:

  • Named after William Bagnell, a railroad man who founded a town on June 30, 1883
  • The dam was completed in 1931
  • To make way for the dam, houses and farm buildings in 22 communities were moved or destroyed.
  • The dam is one-half mile long and 148 feet high from bedrock (equivalent to a 12-story building seven blocks long)
  • It holds back 600 billion gallons of water in the Lake of the Ozarks (the largest man-made lake in the world covering 86 square miles)
  • The current owners, Ameren Missouri, upgraded the dam in 2017 and 2018 at a cost of $53 million.
  • Osage Energy Center produces more than 500 million kilowatt hours (equivalent to the needs of 42,000 average households)
  • Ameren Missouri’s goal is to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Outside, is a walkway around the building with views of the shoreline across the lake.

And a path leads to a garden, a huge fireplace with a grill, a gazebo, dogwood trees, and expansive views of Lake of the Ozarks.

Condo buildings next door to Willmore Lodge

Ha Ha Tonka State Park

In need of stretching our legs, we found Ha Ha Tonka State Park. With 31 miles of trails, we were confident of finding something interesting. The park displays the karst geological formations for which Missouri is known. The dissolving action of water on bedrock is what created the caves (approximately 7,500 are known), sinkholes, springs, and natural bridges throughout the state.

Natural bridge
From under the bridge
Lakeshore park

The something interesting we found was the ruins of a European-style castle. The castle was the vision of Robert M. Snyder, a wealthy Kansas City businessman. Construction began in 1905, but one year later, Mr. Snyder died in one of the state’s first automobile accidents.

Jon, Laura, Chris, and Maya check out the ruins
Hey, Papa. Wait up.
The structure is unstable so stay behind the fence

It wasn’t until 1922 that the structure was completed under the direction of Snyder’s sons. The Bagnell Dam divided the property in the 1930s, much to the dismay of the Snyders. Eventually, the property was used as a hotel. In 1942, a fire broke out, gutting the castle, and destroying the carriage house.

Then in 1976, vandals burned the water tower. In 1978, the property was included in the newly created Ha Ha Tonka State Park.

Don’t step on the prairie ring-necked snake
Lake of the Ozarks sprawls out into arms and fingers looking a lot like a tentacled serpent

From the castle ruins we saw heavy equipment at the water level and gravel haulers driving in and out along the sandbar. Apparently for years, gravel had washed from Dry Hollow Road into the underground karst system and deposited into the Ha Ha Tonka Spring. This created gravel bars in Trout Glen Pool. Besides dredging the pool and spring to remove 10,000 cubic yards of gravel, a paving project along Dry Hollow Road will prevent further problems.

Ha Ha Tonka Spring dredging project

.

This brightly colored restaurant stood out among the green and blah

Although there was plenty more for us to do and see while at Lake of the Ozarks, we took advantage of down time before hitting the road toward home. Neither of us were looking forward to a week of back-to-back driving days, so I built in a few extra days along the way.

Next Up: Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Museum and Home in Abilene, Kansas

Safe Travels