09-17-2010 Henderson KY to Johnson Shut-ins, MO

Indiana Farmlands

Today was a traveling day, leaving Indiana, crossing the Ohio River into Illinois, and the Mississippi River into Missouri.  Again we took the side roads, but navigation in Illinois is considerably better than Ohio.  The skies were clear, with full sunshine most of the day, but the haze on the horizon belied the humidity of the landscape we crossed. 

We stopped for a break in a small town along the route, and enjoyed the Midwest country crafts in the booths before continuing.  I bought a great gourd painted like a witch to add to my Halloween stash. 

As we approached the Mississippi Valley, the fields broadened, and wide terraces planted with soybeans ripened in the late summer sun.  In the midst of navigating, I checked out the SoilWeb app on the phone and discovered the Drury soil series, mapped all along these river terraces.  Just about every soil scientist who has mapped soils will know Drury, it’s a soil often used to define soil development in big river systems.

Crossing the Mississippi River

The landscape changed almost immediately when we entered Missouri, broad valleys breaking into the complex hills and winding roads of the Ozarks. The heat was increasing with each mile, and by the time we reached Johnson Shut-ins State Park it was 94 degrees and the humidity was high. 

With the park completely reserved for the weekend, the attendant sent us to the equestrian area, lots of space, no shade, but water and electric.  Good enough for a hot day!  Setup, turn on the air conditioner, and watch a movie! 

 

Late evening was cooler, and we went for a bike ride to explore the campground before settling in.  You haven’t heard night songs until you have heard the bugs in the Missouri woods. I recognized the crickets, but all the other deafening sounds were who knows what.  It was perfectly dark and the moon is just about half full.  With the windows opened, the air conditioner off, and the Fantastic Fan going full blast we slept just great.