Wandering Wednesday on Tuesday? Yep, we sure did.
Heading south to Tower Rock, an island in the Mississippi River, we took the backroads to enjoy the beautiful changing leaves before they disappeared into smoke or mulch.
As we traveled, we made many twists and turns on the little country roads. We must have traveled the entire alphabet. I don’t think we saw a highway L, Q, or Z, but we saw the rest.
If someone wanted directions to Tower Rock I would have to tell them to use GPS and follow the little blue line. I was lost the whole day.
Perry Lookout Fire Tower
When we turned on to highway J we noticed the Perry Lookout Tower. It called our names as we passed the turnoff, so we backtracked a bit and parked right at the base. It loomed above us, saying we must climb it to see the beauty from on high.
Up we went, above the trees. It was an amazing view, and we were way up there. The wind had to be blowing off a nearby glacier, so we didn’t stay long.
I’m Just Here for the Food
At Perryville we noticed an Arby’s and wanted to try their new rib sandwich that had been lusciously advertised on TV late at night. It made my mouth water every time it ran, but we were a little disappointed. We felt the sandwich was leaning toward the dry side. I may try it again just in case their new sandwich might be tastier at a different Arby’s, but I won’t give it three strikes before it’s out.
Arby’s fries had no seasoning. I hoped this was not a new trend. Sorry, I must be truthful about our meals, because the food is half the fun.
The fall reds, yellows, and oranges were fantastic on the drive down, but the tree limbs were beginning to look a little bit naked. If you wanted to see the beautiful leaves this year, it’s time to hit the road.
Tower Rock in the Mississippi River
We had never been to Tower Rock, but it was something to see sitting stately beside the river. The waters were extremely low due to little rain in the area.
Upon approaching the area we chose to climb down the hillside at a spot with heavy boulders. We were a little afraid we might turn an ankle or break a leg. If we had known there was a better choice, we would have accessed the river by a gently sloping path at the far end of the parking lot. Be sure to look for the path.
It was fun to walk across the rock bed where the river should have been flowing and try to imagine how much water was missing from the mighty Mississippi. It was quite a unique experience.
Of course, Dan, my rock climbing man, had to do what he does best. He didn’t go to the top of Tower Rock because he had common sense and knew when the climb was too dangerous. He did find an equally high cliff and yes, he did make it up and down safely.
Explorers Lewis and Clark
A placard on the banks of the river described Tower Rock as a “Grand Vision”. That was a perfect description. It stated three famous travelers had passed through this area and mentioned in their writings about the Mississippi Rock. Lewis and Clark saw the grand vision about 200 years ago as did Jacques Marquette in 1673.
As I read on I learned of dangerous whirlpools and violent currents which formed when the river was at flood stage. I liked the following statement so I quote the placard. “Those who passed for the first time would celebrate grandly or be dunked in the river.” I’m sure many people were dunked and possibly lost their lives trying to navigate this enormous rock.
It was getting pretty chilly so we jumped back in the truck for warmth and headed to Ste. Genevieve to the Ferry Crossing to see what we could discover.
Mississippi River at Ste. Genevieve
The wind seemed to be gusting off the same glacier, but once again, we got to walk where the Mississippi River fish used to swim. We were amazed at how many people were at both river sites.
The waters were so low we could see the old piers and railroad tracks which were usually submerged.
Although the area was rustic with the broken piers, tow ropes and gray planks sticking out of the river, it had its own unique beauty as the Mississippi continued to flow southward.
Sirros Restaurant
We were almost popsicles, so we drove back into Ste. Genevieve to Sirros Restaurant for a nice all-meat pizza and salads. Sitting at the table near the front window was quite cozy and fun to people-watch as they came and went about their evening tasks. We even witnessed a geo-cashing find. It was hidden within feet of Sirros front door.
Sirros never disappointed us to top off fun Wandering Wednesdays on Tuesday with my favorite Dan, the rock climbing man.