Lewis & Clark State Park - Rushville, MO

Tuesday we left Arrow Rock and headed west on I-70 to Kansas City (singing Chuck Berry's "Goin to Kansas City"), and then north on I-29 for a few miles, then off on Hwy 273 northwest to Lewis & Clark State Park near Rushville, MO. We've been to this park before on some of our previous trips. It is on an ox-bow lake just off of the Missouri River. An ox-box lake is a U-shaped body of water that is formed when a river or other big stream takes a short cut (usually during flooding) and changes it's course leaving what once was a curve in the river cut off from the new river path.

We have a nice campsite with our back to the rest of the campground. We're facing a big field and have a couple of big Sycamore trees to provide shade. As you can see, the campground wasn't too crowded when we arrived. There were a lot of folks that came in over the next two days getting ready for the weekend.

 

Lot's of birds - Baltimore Orioles, American Goldfinches, English Sparrows, Robins, and several others.

 

Baltimore Oriole

 

Immature Baltimore Oriole 

 

American Goldfinch 

 

He brought the Missus! 

 

Yesterday (Wednesday) we had a relaxing day and just hung out around the park. It doesn't take much to entertain us -- first thing in the morning a guy comes with a big tractor and a huge set of harrows and commenced to plow the field.

 

We just sat outside and watched him. The plow is about 32 feet wide, so it didn't take him too long - maybe an hour and a half. LaVerne said I should have asked him to let me plow a round or two, but I didn't.

Glad he didn't plow our satellite dish!

 

While the guy was plowing the field, a lady from the park maintenance decided to mow the grass. All kinds of noise going on there for a little while!

 

Up in the day we drove over to the Day Use area of the park beside the lake. Saw a big flock of Canada Geese, plus a few Snow Geese and Ross's Geese. The Ross's Geese are very similar to Snow Geese, but a little smaller.

Ross's Goose

 

An immature Ross's Goose 

 

This place is one of the sites along the Lewis & Clark Trail that we followed back in 2006. Since the last time we were here, they have built a nice monument with benches in a circle that have all the names of the members of the L&C expedition.

 

We noticed a really bad smell when were were close to the water, and spotted the source. The whole bank was lined with dead carp. The host here at the park said they died over the winter from lack of oxygen in the lake.  Whoooeee, what a stench!

 

Next to the park in a small community called Lewis & Clark Village.  Nothing really ritzy, - mostly lake houses. Thought this one was interesting.

 

There was a big thunderstorm that came through before daylight this morning (Thursday) and then it was cooler and windy. We had to make a WalMart run, so we drove over to Atchison, KS.   It's only 5 miles or so west across the Missouri River. They have a very nice Veterans Memorial Park and a concrete walk about a mile alongside the river.

Veterans Memorial Park with Missouri River and new bridge in background.

 

Walking path along river 

 

Tomorrow is moving day again - we're headed on up the Missouri River about 60 miles to another state park. We hope we can get a site -- it is Memorial Day weekend. The park we're going to has been closed for awhile because of flood damage and tomorrow is supposed to be the day they re-open. They're not taking reservations - first come, first served. We are going to leave early and hope for the best!