First stop was Weldon Springs. In 1940, for the lend-lease program with
Britain, the US claimed over 17,000 acres (eliminating three towns - people
had 3 months from the announcement of the seizure to having to move) for
a TNT-producing munitions plant. After the war, the area was used for
uranium refinement. It became a Superfund site and after a billion dollars
of cleanup, completed in 2001, all that remains of the military complex is
a "disposal cell" where everything (components of TNT, asbestos from pipes,
uranium and uranium refinement byproducts, etc. - about 1.48 million cubic
yards of hazardous waste) is buried. The cell itself is pentagonal in shape
and spans 45 acres, and is the second (or is it third?) highest point in Missouri. Its covered in two shades white rock to prevent plants and animals from degrading it.
You can walk up the stairs and ramp to see several informative plaques and
get a nice view of the area.
Its bigger than it looks. That white car in the center of the pic parked by the
light pole is my Civic.
There is an interpretive center where tour guides explain the process from the
original land seizure to the end of the cleanup.
One of the pics on display. One generally doesn't need to mow grass in a
radiation suit. Things are cleaner now, but the groundwater is still
contaminated by TNT products up to uranium.
We continued on 94 but took a detour to the Daniel Boone house in Defiance. We didn't
plan on stopping and didn't have time to take the hour long tour, but they let us
take pictures of the outside. Here's a carriage house built ca. 1850 which is
now a gift shop.
The remains of the Judgement Tree under which Daniel Boone held court - it
finally succumbed to disease.
His house - the back. The small holes are the reconstructed gun ports -
the Osage never did attack this house, but he was ready if they ever
would have.
The front of the house - houses are built to face transportation routes - this
was built to face the river. The porches are not from the time of Daniel Boone,
but have been there since at least 1903.
A couple of miles from the house is Callaway Fork Rd., one of the many
interesting rural routes in MO. We had to take it for a little bit to see
what it was like.
After the Boone detour we continued on 94 to Hermann for Maifest. To get there
you cross a neat bridge just on the edge of Hermann.
The first stop was the Hermannhof Winery (there are tons of wineries along 94
but I had heard of this one before).
I had a brat with sauerkraut and a potato pancake. It was good.
A spiderweb on the Hermannhof sign.
The sign.
We weren't the only ones who went to the winery.
Hermannhof is across from this. I'm a city boy - I have no idea what this
is.
They offer "Real German-Style Bratwurst" - I guess what Hermannhof makes isn't
genuine.
Several streets were blocked off and booths sold various things. I had
great homemade root beer, for one.
Various activities were going on. Here's a maypole dance.
This woman was playing a pan flute to an instrumental Imagine.
This band was playing German music.
Carriage rides were available.
Jill liked the bonsai horses.
Here's a skill you don't see practiced every day - boat carving.
94 is the Lewis and Clark trail. Interesting that they know they turned
right there.
I don't know what that was doing over there.
An old house - Jill tells me the stars were an old way to cap the second floor
joists.
Next stop was Graham Cave State Park. Here's a little waterfall on the
trail toward the cave.
It was discovered the cave was inhabited 10,000 years ago - here are placed
stones labelled the "council ring". You can look in the cave but can't go
in as it would disturb the artifacts.
The cave.
The route to the next stop took us through Columbia. Here's the U of M stadium.
Our target was Rock Bridge Memorial State Park. We took the trail that leads
to the rock bridge.
The midpoint of the trail overlooks the Devil's Icebox, a non-public cave
system. Here's one of the rocks outside.
On our way back to STL we had dinner at Joe's Crab Shack. Yes, Eat At Joe's.
