MEANDERINGS
JOURNEYS AND MEMORIES
OF AN
INCURABLE VAGABOUND
Volume 1
By Ray Speckman
The Author
For decades Ray Speckman has been traveling, experiencing and remembering places once visited and discovering new venues. He shared his meanderings on the radio, television and in many publications.
This first volume of his places visited and places remembered reaches to more than the places themselves but their heartbeats.
Contents
Chapter 1 - The Beginnings
Chapter 2 – Vittles at Missouri’s Lake of the Ozarks
Chapter 3 – Hannibal and the Whorehouse B&B
Chapter 4 – Mound City, Missouri
Chapter 5 – Returning Home
Chapter 6 – The Eisenhower Center, Abilene Kansas
Chapter 7 – Spencer Creek
Chapter 8 – Bennett’s Spring, Missouri
Chapter 9 – Nauvoo, Illinois
Chapter 10 – Missouri State Capital
Chapter 11 – Omaha’s Old Market
Chapter 12 – Mexico, Missouri
Chapter 13 – Hartsburg, Missouri
Chapter 1,
The Beginnings
For more than two decades, I visited the people, places and things in and around Missouri’s Ozarks from my Lake of the Ozarks home. Most of that time I shared those experiences in my Ozark Daze column or by the television and radio show of the same name.
Yes, I ventured from the Ozarks, but I justified that by the fact that I was in a daze and therefore my wanderings should not be limited exclusively to the picturesque, story-rich, and tantalizing Ozarks region.
In the future I want to share the experiences of those day-trips. Some of the spots you will have heard of and others will be new to your palate, but I hope you will enjoy our meanderings that we will share with you each week.
Our own experiences have led us to many wonderful, unique and interesting places. There will be the traditional story of a trip to Arrow Rock. We will tell you stories of places that you might not thought of visiting; Farmington, for example. We’ll hopefully paint you a word picture of Independence, the home of Missouri’s only president (opps….what about David Rice Atchison of Clinton County?) Harry S Truman. (That’s right, the S doesn’t stand for anything.)
We’ll hope you enjoy the wonder of some of Missouri’s State Parks as well as what it is like to take a grandchild to the Science Center in either Kansas City or St. Louis.
We’ll drive through the changing leaves of autumn and the emerging redbuds and dogwoods of the spring, smelling the freshness of a season ending and the beginning of beauty renewed.
We’ll take you to Clarksburg and hopefully tell you about our nation’s symbol, the American eagle as they flock to the bluffs overlooking the Mississippi.
The Northwest Missouri towns of Weston, Savannah and Rock Port all have a lure that is special. Mound City is unique and scenic, especially when the waterfowl migrate.
To Warsaw we will travel. Warsaw? It is amazing what we can find there and look up a fella there that runs a camp for wayward juveniles and who actually forges knives from car springs, and also forges new lives for those at his camp.
We’ll investigate the growing number of families who stay in their hometown and check into a local hotel. Of course it must have a pool, video games and a pizza place that delivers nearby.
One of our most exciting trips will be to again share the experiences of a Snipe Hunt in the Ozark hills near Tuscumbia and the yearly selection and crowning of the “Snipe Queen.” In Hermann we’ll not only go so far as to taste the wine but also tell you about the town’s founder who died in disgrace and was buried backwards.
We’ll even find places we haven’t heard of before. We’ll go and share. We will probe, look, talk and listen. We want to share the bountiful.
We hope you enjoy.
Chapter 2
Best of Vittles and Drinks at Lake of the Ozarks
This past week when driving back to Columbia after visiting my mother who is a resident of a retirement center in Camdenton, I came up with an idea I wanted to share. Why not list my personal preferences for food and drink at the Lake of the Ozarks? After all, I lived there for over twenty years and as my son has told me on many occasions, “Dad if I had all the bucks you have spent on food in your life, I would be a rich person.”
So with apologies to those whom I ignored, forget about, or just plain didn’t like, here is my list. Most of these places are also open in the “off” season so what better time to take an hour’s drive and sample the fare and libations while there are no crowds.
Hamburger: Believe it or not it is in a “Biker Bar” on the Bagnell Dam Strip, the Rock Island Line. Sometimes they are a bit cranky about fixing a burger for you on their little George Foreman type grill, but if you catch them in the cookin’ mood, they are delicious.
Veal: Bentley’s, without a doubt. Their veal chop just invites raves in its presentation, aroma and succulence.
Tenderloin: About ten minutes north of Eldon in the hamlet of Olean. It’s the only restaurant in town. That darned hand-breaded tenderloin hangs off the bun.
Specialty Steak: At Dominicos, a wonderful steak topped with a bit of crab, asparagus and secret succulent sauce. Hmmmm.
Lobster: The Potted Steer and Blue Heron Restaurants (closed in the winter). An immigrant from Holland, owner Joe Boer has created the standard for deep fried lobster. Somehow it retains its flavor and moisture when deep-fried in a very light batter.
Drink Value: Dewey’s Lounge. A big bang for your buck in Dewey’s drinks. For example, to order a screwdriver and get the drink, one would think that there is a shortage on orange juice.
Coldest Beer: In Greenview at the Glory Hole. And while you are there, try some:
Ham and Beans: Just like my mommy used to make with homemade cornbread on the side. Scrumptious.
Breakfast: Bear Creek Country Club!!!! A small, friendly place, with a pleasing view of the golf course with GREAT breakfasts (Eggs Benedict is my favorite) and Mimosas.
Fish: It’s down at old Bagnell, on the Osage River, about four miles before you get to the dam. The place is Bagnell Fish and Steak House. Golden brown filets or whole catfish, take your choice. Either is good. After the fish, football potatoes (ask about them), and fritters, you will be ready for one of their homemade desserts. Before the meal, try a bowl of Jack’s famous French Onion Soup. There is none better.
Spaghetti and Meatballs: At a Sports Bar, no less, Eddies in the Stone Crest Mall. Absolutely delicious and most take some home for later. And, while there, try their house salad. Probably the best dressing and fresh fixings with their own special dressing at the lake. (opps, they prospered and sold this great watering hole. Alas)
Crab: Docknockers! Hands down. You order from the kitchen and pick up the bucket of steaming cluster crabs and chow down. Wear old clothes or take a bib. It’s that kind of place.
Pork Chop: J Bruners creates thick, melt in your mouth, pork chops that will satisfy the most discriminating palate.
Frozen Custard: Randys!!!! (Closed in the winter) The best testament to Randy’s is the hoards of people that gather around every season to scoop up the calories.