In front of Laura Ingalls Wilder's Home
Viajando pelo extremos sul do estado de Missouri, deixamos a Rota 66 e seguimos pela 60, passando por boa parte da Mark Twain National Forest.
Aqui na cidade de Mansfield visitamos a casa em que morou a escritora Laura Ingalls Wilder - que na
realidade comecou a escrever aos 60 anos de idade e seus livros (mais de 25) abordavam sua vida - desde a infancia com suas irmas e seus pais, vida adulta, familiar, casamento e envolvimento comunitario - nas pequenas cidades do interior. Um de seus livros
"Little House on the Prairie" - ficou famoso apos a serie de TV com mesmo nome estrelado por Michael Landon se tornou um grande sucesso. Esta serie passava no Brasil com o nome de "Os Pioneiros" e uma das personagens era Laura Ingalls.
Aqui no Missouri
existem belos rios e lagos e acabamos pernoitando no Big Spring RV Park ao lado do belissimo Current River - onde existe a Big Spring - considerada uma das maiores quedas d'agua dos EUA. Lindo lugar!
Daqui atravessamos a fronteira (Rio Mississipi)
para o Estado de Illinois e percorremos parte de estrada 127 - uma estrada do interior porem muito linda com varias pequenas vinicolas e paisagem encantadora. Aqui resolvemos parar num parque nacional que se chama Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge. Estas
areas nacionais (mais de 550) existem por todo o pais com o objetivo de protegerem a vida selvagem. Em 1903 Presidente Theodore Roosevelt determinou que uma pequena area no Indian River fosse eternamente protegida e preservada. Com este simples ato foi criado
o National Wildlife Refuge System, para protecao do meio ambiente e preservacao para as proximas geracoes.
Acabamos ficando de terca ate domingo no Crab Orchard Park, pois fizemos amizade com o casal Larry e Linda - casal de voluntarios que auxiliam
na manutencao do Parque e que foram maravilhosos na sua recepcao para conosco - acabamos saindo para jantar, conhecer a cidade e os lagos da redondeza, Daniel e Larry foram pescar e a noitinha comemoramos disfrutando do resultado da pesca com um bom vinho
local. Assim alem de boa compania, de um lugar maravilhoso, aproveitamos para recarregar as baterias e tambem tinhamos que "gastar" algum tempo para chegarmos no Kentucky no inicio da semana para o yard sale.
English
Traveling through the
very south of Missouri and leaving Route 66 behind we followed I 60 passing by the Mark Twain National Forest.
Here in the town of Mansfield we visited the home in which writer Laura Ingals Wilder lived with her husband and daughter. She began to write
when she was 60 years old (Daniel told me I still have time, then...) and in her books - over 25 of them - she tells stories about her life - from childhood to adulthood, living with her parents, family life, marriage, motherhood and community commitment in
these small country towns. One of her books - "Little House on the Prairie" - became famous after the TV series with the same name aired with Michael Landon as one of the actors, and the series became a hit. We used to watch it in Brasil with the name of "The
Pioneers" and we loved it.
Here in Missouri there are beautiful lakes and rivers and we ended up staying at the Big Spring RV Park by the gorgeous Current River and where is located the "Big Spring" - considered one of the biggest falls of the US as
far as the water flow goes. Beautiful place...
From here we crossed the border (Mississipi River) into Illinois and traveled part of 127 which is a country road but a very pretty one with several small wineries and an enchanting view. In this area we
decided to stay at a National Park that is called Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge. These National Areas (over 550) exist throughout the whole country with the purpose of protecting the wildlife. In 1903 President Theodore Roosevelt determined that a
small area at Indian River should be protected and preserved. With this simple act the National Wildlife Refuge System was created to protect and preserve the environment for the generations to come.
We ended up staying from Tuesday to Sunday at the
Park because we became good friends with Larry and Linda - voluntary couple who help to maintain the Park functioning - and they were extremely nice and we felt welcome, we went out to eat, they took us on a tour of the town, Larry and Daniel went fishing
and in the evening we commemorated our new friendship with the "product" of their fishing trip and with some good local wine.
So, besides the good company and the gorgeous place we took the opportunity to rest and recharge the "batteries" to get ready
for the World's Longest Yard Sale...