Two weeks to go!

Well, I have done a little more walking since the last post.
On Friday, Aug. 18, I did about 14.5 miles from Rocheport to Boonville.

I left Rocheport at about 6:50 a.m., so the heat wasn't too bad when I started out. One of the things I have learned since I've started training for this hike is that I have to work in rest breaks. At first, I would pound out six to seven miles, and then basically be spent for the rest of the walk. Now I make myself stop every three miles or so, and it seems to really help in the long run.

Anyways, here are a few pix that I snapped on the walk...


This is the approach to the famous tunnel in Rocheport. oooooh.... Ominous!



... and out the other side.

After a few more miles, I was taking the first of my self-imposed breaks. I had just finished eating my banana and, after sitting on my backpack in the middle of the trail, start to get put back together and get moving on down the trail. About that time, a youngish coyote comes bumping out of one of the cornfields about 50 yards or so away from me. I tried to get his picture, but at about the time I got the camera turned on, he jerked around, caught sight of me, and took off again. Oh, well. At least I got this pic of this snake in the weeds.


The next highlight was the Pearson tile elevator. According to the guidebooks, it is a fairly rare sight. It was sorta cool looking, especially after walking about six miles with nothing but cornfields on one side, and soybeans on the other. I would have loved to explored it, but I needed to get on down the trail.


I ran into a kid as I walked into New Franklin who was walking up the trail carrying a .22 rifle. He told me he was just "shootin' stuff in the ditches." After that, I ran into two guys from Kansas City who didn't know they were heading west. They thought they were heading east and asked me where to see the petraglyphs that are painted on the bluffs. I told them it was about 14 miles in the direction they had already come from. They were somewhat dismayed.

The kid with the rifle told me that the trail from New Franklin into Boonville was called the "Sahara Desert" - no shade whatsoever. I took that with a grain of salt. Well ... the kid knew what he was talking about. It was hot, humid and sunny all the rest of the way into Boonville. And that damn bridge is steep!


The last few pictures are of the Frederick Hotel and the soon to be open Glen's Cafe. The hotel is at the foot of the Boonville bridge on old Highway 40. From what my brother tells me, he should be up and running by Labor Day weekend. To all of you who have been to the old Glen's in Columbia, you know that is good news. Many of the old favorite dishes are making a return. To any of you who haven't, get ready to eat!




Until next time...