Blogs from Saint Joseph, Missouri, United States, North America

Last night, we decided to check out the East Hills Mall near where we're staying. They had a free traveling planetarium show there, and there's a carousel in the mall as well. The planetarium show was OK. I think the kids liked seeing the constellations, and I know they liked the preview for the total solar eclipse that's tomorrow! Now we have this day in Saint Joseph that we don't know what to do with! A friend recommended the Trails West! festival, but, as it costs money and it's hot out, we've opted to skip. Instead, we headed to the visitor's center that's attached to the East Hills Visitor's Center. They had a few photo ops set up as well as lots of merchandise to purchase. We chatted a bit about the forecast for tomorrow because ... read more

Day 28 - Elkhart to Maysville Today we mostly tried to make up some of the time lost to car repairs. Before leaving, Tony tried to reproduce a check engine light and code we have been seeing since leaving Grand Island. Alas, no luck without the trailer hooked up. However, he did accidentally drive by the main offices for two of the biggest RV manufacturers in the US: Forest River and Heartland. Note that Heartland is the company that made our travel trailer, so it was like a homecoming. Since we were behind, we didn't try to visit the factory. Will's place is less than a quarter mile from the Michigan border so we drove a bit north and spent some time taking in the very picturesque towns in Michigan as we worked our way west ... read more

The Visiting Wanderer Sometimes we are so concerned with traveling to far off exotic lands to have something exciting to write about, but sometimes there are interesting places within a short drive of where we live. Before I go someplace I always try to find the history of the place to include in what I write. Saint Joseph, Missouriis no different. The Buchanan County Courthouse is a great example of late 1800’s architecture. It is located at 411 Jules St. and has its own claim to historical fame. The Ford brothers, Robert and Charlie, were tried here for the shooting of Jesse James on April 3, 1882. In just a single day the url=http://en.wikip... read more

Rochester Falls & Krug Park - St. Joseph, MO Finally, a warm day is upon us. After a cold and snow filled winter, the sunshine feels exhilarating and the green grass is a welcome sight. We decide to take the kids to Rochester Falls, about ten miles northeast of St. Joseph, MO. The grass along the Platte River is only beginning to show hints of green. Dried brown leaves still cover most of the ground. There is no sign of the small purple and yellow flowers that warmer weather usually brings quickly and the yellowish brown of limestone dominated the riverbank and the small island that split the river in two. Today a father spends time with his two young children, showing one how to send rocks splashing into the surely still cold water while the ... read more

http://visitingwanderer2011.blogspot.com/2011/02/remington-nature-center-of-st-joseph.html Despite the unyielding, brisk wind blowing down the Ole Missouri River, I had the pleasure of visiting the Remington Nature Center. Upon stepping through the entrance, I was immediately confronted with a life-size mammoth standing guard at the front desk. It was obvious that the long, reddish-brown fur was grown to protect the mammal from the cold of the ice age. Its tusks extending out and looked monstrous as I stood there dwarfed by the sheer size of this creature. After a moment of marveling at this wonder I noticed that peering out from behind it’s mother’s leg was a small calf. Further observation showed that the bones that lay near the mammoth were actually from a real mammoth found here in Buchanan County, MO. After introducing myself, I was greeted in a very friendly ... read more