I kind of wished I had started this at the start of the year. I've been to Oklahoma and Kansas via Route 66 just last week. I have also explored Picher, Oklahoma for the second time in as many months earlier in the week. And to add one more, the tri-state corner marker of Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma.
But it's time I move forward.
Yesterday, my wife and I took a afternoon trip to the Lake of the Ozarks to do some hiking at Ha Ha Tonka State Park. I have been there hundreds of times. No really, I have! I used to go 2 to 3 times a week to hike and take pictures when I lived just 20 miles away years ago. Sadly, I don't get to go as often as I want to, but it's always nice when the opportunity arises.
Ha Ha Tonka is one of my favorite places in the state of Missouri. And I'm not the only one who feels the same way. Back in 2015, the park was voted as a top 10 state park in the country via readers of USA Today.
http://www.10best.com/awards/travel/best-state-park/
When I went to college many years ago, the last paper I was to write was of a location with a lot of history, and Ha Ha Tonka SP was my choice. I won't bore you with what was written on the paper, but I did get a A on it. So yeah, I really really like this park.
With the afternoon being in the upper 60s, it seemed as if half the citizens of Missouri was also there to enjoy the nice weather. We parked near the post office, and took the trail that winds around the Whispering Dell, past the stone water tower, and onward towards the castle. The trail was quite busy with hikers getting exercise, or new comers in awe with the park. As we neared the castle, dozens of people was at the castle looking inside from the many open windows. For those who have never been, the castle isn't really a castle, but a stone mansion that's just in ruins now. A fire in 1942 gutted the entire interior when sparks from a chimney ignited the roof. The nearby carriage house burned that same day and in 1976, the stone water tower was burned by vandals.
When you're at the castle ruins, there is also look out areas that overlooks the Lake of the Ozarks, but also a spot to look down upon the spring and water tower.
We spent about thirty minutes around the castle before making our way back around to the car. The hoards of people there kind of takes the enjoyment out of it for us. Before getting back to our car, I took a few pictures of the post office that served the area up until 1937.
The parking lot was full down below near the spring, so we took off to Osage Beach/ Lake Ozark instead to get a bite to eat, and stop at the Bagnell Dam Strip.
The strip was created along side Bagnell Dam back in the early 1930s. Today, the strip (Business Hwy 54) has shops of all types, restaurants and bars, arcades, and hotels. Along side one of the old arcades is one of two iconic muffler men. One being a recently refurbished Indian, and the other a Hillbilly, who I believe is still being refurbished elsewhere, and will soon return.
Before heading back home, we stopped at The Golden Door Motel in Osage Beach to take a few pictures of the cool rotating door the sign for the motel has. I have always loved seeing the sign since I was a kid, and never took the time to photograph it until yesterday.
Tuesday, I'm off work, and the weather is supposed to be in the upper 60s once again, so another road trip somewhere is in the works, as well as a new blog post.
