On the Road with Jenna Bean

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Thursday, 11 June, 2015



Another trip begins. This year our granddaughter, Jenna, is ten and will be traveling with us.



My cousins, Gena and Bob, arrived at our house yesterday afternoon. We were still trying to get the trailer loaded and it was a hot, sticky day for it. As we were finishing supper, Michael and Jamie came by with Jenna's bicycle, and stayed for a short visit. We all showered and headed for bed early.



Thursday morning we were up early, had a hearty breakfast casserole, and finished packing the camper. David came by and brought us some of his beef jerky for the trip, and helped us hook up the camper to the truck. Kim brought Jenna and we got all her gear loaded before heading out, sweating like mules in the muggy morning heat. We drove west on local roads through McLemoresville, Atwood, Milan, Trezevant and Roellen to Dyersburg, where we picked up the interstate. We drove north on I-55 and then bypassed St. Louis as much as possible. The traffic around St. Louis was awful, even though we were away from the city center and not close to rush hour. Near Hannibal, MO, we drove to Ray Behrens campground on Mark Twain Lake, an ACE campground near the Clarence Cannon Dam. The campground was beautiful and the 18,600 acre lake was, too.



Jenna spent most of the day reading or playing on her iPod, so had plenty of energy after supper to ride her bicycle in the campground.





Friday, 12 June



We had a little rain overnight and this morning was cloudy and warm. We drove to the visitor center by the dam and enjoyed the views from the overlook. The lake is beautiful, created by the damming of the Salt River. The visitor center had wonderful displays of local wildlife and hands-on exhibits explaining hydro-electric power generation.



We drove west on US 36 all the way across Missouri into Kansas. All the creeks and rivers we crossed were muddy and overflowing their banks. At Marysville, KS, we stopped at the Pony Express Barn Museum, but it had just closed. The manager was just leaving and told us we could camp free at the city park down the street. Unfortunately, there was only one site available, so we headed on north into Nebraska.



At Beatrice, NE, we planned to stay at one of their city parks, but found they were both closed due to severe flooding. Two times, no less. So we scrambled for campsites, finally settling on hookups at the back of the truck stop.



It's nice and cool this evening, so no noisy A/C will be necessary. Gena made delicious spaghetti and the shower at the truck stop is decent. So all is well in our little world tonight.



Again, Jenna read in the car and is full of energy, but I won't let her ride her bike around the truck stop, so she's outside, entertaining Bob with her chatter.



More later...

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Photos

Mississippi River
Tow going up river

Clarence Cannon Dam
Mark Twain Lake/Salt River

Big wrenches
At the dam visitor center. How would you like to use these wrenches?

Jenna
at the visitor center

Jenna
At the visitor center

Kansas cornfields
Kansas was so beautiful. Some people think Kansas is just flat, but it isn't, it rolls.

Pony Express Barn
Built 1859

View from our camper
At the truck stop campground in Beatrice, NE

Comments

[Barbara]

trip!!!!!!
not a terribly bad start...................................... enjoy!!!! <3

[Mark Smith]

on the road again
Glad you out on the road again. We won't be in Yellowstone until the 4th of July. Sorry we'll miss you all. Keep the pics coming. Safe travels