By the time we got the tow bar to lock up, and then stopped at a Wal-Mart in Jasper, Indiana to buy some groceries, it was already time for lunch so we just grabbed a quick sandwich, a banana, and some cottage cheese while we were still in the parking lot.
But then the trip onward to St. Louis, although mostly uneventful, given the already late hour (1pm) just wasn’t going to allow us the luxury of stopping in St. Louis to ride the arch. There was freeway construction through downtown St. Louis and an accident as well, so by the time we drive past the arch (that guy is HUGE!) we managed to pull in to our camp site at Onondaga Cave State Park just about 7pm. A nice level concrete pull-through site with fresh water and 50 amp electric located only about 30 feet from the stream.
We were greeted by our friendly camp hosts Mike and Luann who came and sat with us for a bit at our picnic table while I got the charcoal going for our dinner. Mike is a retired school superintendent while Luann is still working as a public health nurse.
They enjoy camping so much, that Luann is willing to drive 1-1/2 hours each way to work each day. They get a free site at the park in exchange for their work as camp hosts.
Mike told us the cave doesn’t open until April 9th, because they need to give “ample time for the bats to sleep” and the nearby Meramec Caverns are also closed for some work going on that has been ordered by the EPA?
So, we’ll do a little housekeeping in the morning, check out the Visitor Center on our way out, and head on down the road moving toward Tulsa, Oklahoma City and then on to San Antonio.
COOL!