Rolling On
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Day 9: May 4, 2016 Rolling On Comment via blog |
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When I drove through Ravenden, Arkansas, on a cloudy day in 2009, I
stopped and took a properly
oriented photo. Today I didn't.
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Remember those dips and curves at the west end of the state? There are
some more to the east. I believe that, overall, US-62 is one of the best
driving roads in the country and Arkansas' contribution has a lot to do
with that impression. I guess those road guys do have to straighten up
once in a while, though.
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I caught this from the corner of my eye in passing and was probably a mile
or so down the road before I convinced myself to turn back. The tall flume
leading to the overshoot wheel was just too intriguing to pass up. I was a
little surprised to learn that the plaque is
not about the mill but about a Civil War battle that began near here.
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I skipped the motel bagel this morning and figured I'd find an inviting
diner along the road. In hindsight there were a couple early on that would
have worked but I held out for something better. I held out too long and
found myself looking for a place for lunch rather than breakfast. I
realized that I would be passing by Lambert's in Sikeston, Missouri, but I didn't intend
to stop. I remembered it as a fun place that served huge quantities of
tolerable food for decent prices. and that didn't interest me when I first
thought about it. Of course, by the time I reached Sikeston at 1:00, that
was exactly what interested me.
I was barely seated when someone came by with okra. Okra is just one of the "Pass Arounds" that roving servers regularly offer. The person who brought my menu asked what I wanted to drink so, before I had even ordered, I had picture #2. The pork cutlet sandwich was one of two specials of the day and that sounded pretty good. Seconds before my meal arrived a roll was "throwed" my way and this time I caught it. (Not so in 2009.) Now I had picture #3. No, I didn't eat it all. In fact, I didn't eat all of anything. I did, however, eat too much of everything. It was pretty much impossible to take pictures of the room I ate in without catching someone looking right at the camera and I feared more than rolls might be thrown my way. Instead I grabbed a picture of the unused adjacent dining room and the momentarily empty entrance (in this case, exit). |
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Nearing Kentucky, US-60 and US-62 share alignments including those narrow
bridges over the Mississippi and Ohio. They are often referred to as the
Cairo Bridges because their adjacent ends rest on a point of Illinois near
the town of Cairo. Today I was struck by the fact that, although I often
use that name myself, I'd never even seen Cairo. Now I have.
Cairo is not the image of prosperity. Here are some signs of better times that caught my eye. Note the Gem Theater beyond the arch. As told here, the statue was erected in 1906 to honor steamboat captain and businessman William Parker Halliday. The Customs House was completed in 1872. Apparently in those days considerable imports made their way this far up the Mississippi before being unloaded and taxed. |
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Heading south out of Wickliffe, Kentucky, I spotted this cross and then
a sign pointing to a scenic overlook. There really is a rather nice view
of the point where the Ohio River disappears into the Mississippi. The
Fort Jefferson Memorial Cross was erected in 1999
using donations and money raised by selling bricks. The land it is on is
owned by the city but is leased out with the stipulation that its use is
"nondenominational and nonsectarian". According to Wickcliffe's
mayor, the 95 foot cross is legit because "People are free to
interpret the cross however they wish." Oy vey!
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