Fall 2025
I am looking forward to fall! It is my favorite of all the seasons for many reasons. As I write this, summer is winding down, but it is still hot. At church this morning (it is a Sunday), my pastor remarked that summer is ending soon and school will begin in a matter of weeks. I already knew that I had this column to work on after my lunch today. Time really does fly by, especially as we accumulate birthdays. I remember when summer seemed endless, and now it is over before we know it.
When you receive this issue of Show-Me Missouri, the weather will be cooler in the day and a bit crisp at night. Leaves will be changing into their fall colors, and our attention will turn from baseball to football. For some of us, hayrides, cider and thoughts of Halloween will fill our days.
Fall is a great time to explore the wonders of Missouri. A short trip is a welcome respite from the busy demands of daily life. Those trips are great fun IRL, but our computers make it possible to travel from home, even if we only have a little time to spare. They also let us plan for the next IRL trip.
In order to help you plan some trips, either IRL or through your computer screen, I have searched out a few internet sites for your cyber travel visits.
Fall is a great time to camp out in Missouri. Temperatures are just cool enough to appreciate a small campfire at night and hiking, fishing and relaxing are great daytime activities. I have camped solo and with friends many times at Sam A. Baker State Park (MoStateParks.com/park/sam-baker-state-park) near Poplar Bluff. After deer season, it is never too crowded. Sometimes, it was just me and the occasional visiting skunk in the campground.
Another camp that is very close to Sam A. Baker is my favorite Scouting USA Camp. I have spent of a lot of days and nights at Camp Lewallen, beginning when my son was a new scout and continuing to the present day nearly 50 years later. I am a Vigil Member of the Order of the Arrow (oa-scouting.org) and try to visit Lewallen at least once a year. Scouting is a great experience for boys and girls. Girls are in separate troops and camp sites with female leaders. Even non-scouters see a little bit of this great camp at CampLewallen36.wixsite.com/cl36 .
A pretty town to visit on historic Route 66 is Carthage (CarthageMo.gov). There were two civil war battles there, and the city was completely rebuilt after being burned down in the second one. Carthage is known as the Maple Leaf City because it has thousands of maple trees. Each October, the city hosts the Maple Leaf Festival: (CarthageChamber.com/maple-leaf). It is also home to the Precious Moments Chapel (PreciousMomentsChapel.org). Our publisher, Gary Figgins, and his wife are big fans of these porcelain figurines.
I must admit that the last time I visited Carthage was in 1966. My fraternity brother, Art Kaul, and I were there to be in the wedding of another fraternity brother. That evening we were exploring the town on foot, and the local police thought it was too late to be out on the streets. We were almost arrested, but luckily when I knew Mary Kay’s parent’s names, we avoided that embarrassment. There is more to that story, but you will have to see me in person to hear it all. We were not doing anything bad, I promise.
Enjoy your Missouri fall, and if we should cross paths on our travels at a campground or exploring the streets of Carthage, say hello. Meeting friends is one of the greatest pleasures that Missouri can offer.
When you receive this issue of Show-Me Missouri, the weather will be cooler in the day and a bit crisp at night. Leaves will be changing into their fall colors, and our attention will turn from baseball to football. For some of us, hayrides, cider and thoughts of Halloween will fill our days.
Fall is a great time to explore the wonders of Missouri. A short trip is a welcome respite from the busy demands of daily life. Those trips are great fun IRL, but our computers make it possible to travel from home, even if we only have a little time to spare. They also let us plan for the next IRL trip.
In order to help you plan some trips, either IRL or through your computer screen, I have searched out a few internet sites for your cyber travel visits.
Fall is a great time to camp out in Missouri. Temperatures are just cool enough to appreciate a small campfire at night and hiking, fishing and relaxing are great daytime activities. I have camped solo and with friends many times at Sam A. Baker State Park (MoStateParks.com/park/sam-baker-state-park) near Poplar Bluff. After deer season, it is never too crowded. Sometimes, it was just me and the occasional visiting skunk in the campground.
Another camp that is very close to Sam A. Baker is my favorite Scouting USA Camp. I have spent of a lot of days and nights at Camp Lewallen, beginning when my son was a new scout and continuing to the present day nearly 50 years later. I am a Vigil Member of the Order of the Arrow (oa-scouting.org) and try to visit Lewallen at least once a year. Scouting is a great experience for boys and girls. Girls are in separate troops and camp sites with female leaders. Even non-scouters see a little bit of this great camp at CampLewallen36.wixsite.com/cl36 .
A pretty town to visit on historic Route 66 is Carthage (CarthageMo.gov). There were two civil war battles there, and the city was completely rebuilt after being burned down in the second one. Carthage is known as the Maple Leaf City because it has thousands of maple trees. Each October, the city hosts the Maple Leaf Festival: (CarthageChamber.com/maple-leaf). It is also home to the Precious Moments Chapel (PreciousMomentsChapel.org). Our publisher, Gary Figgins, and his wife are big fans of these porcelain figurines.
I must admit that the last time I visited Carthage was in 1966. My fraternity brother, Art Kaul, and I were there to be in the wedding of another fraternity brother. That evening we were exploring the town on foot, and the local police thought it was too late to be out on the streets. We were almost arrested, but luckily when I knew Mary Kay’s parent’s names, we avoided that embarrassment. There is more to that story, but you will have to see me in person to hear it all. We were not doing anything bad, I promise.
Enjoy your Missouri fall, and if we should cross paths on our travels at a campground or exploring the streets of Carthage, say hello. Meeting friends is one of the greatest pleasures that Missouri can offer.