Road Trip! Highway 19

                Saturday, all of my boxes were unpacked, the sun was out, and my motorcycle, Thumper, was feeling abandoned in the parking garage.  So, I put on my gear, put some air in Thumper’s tires, and took off into the unknown wilds of Missouri’s country roads.  For my first trek, I picked a triangle of roads: I-64 to Route 19 to I-44 and back home.  Highway 19 was the road I looked forward to.  On the map, it promised to be a quiet country road, with easy riding and, hopefully, pretty scenery.  In my experience of Missouri, as long as you are off the Interstates, pretty scenery is generally guaranteed.

                Coming off of I-64, Highway 19 was everything I hoped for.  The redbuds were still in bloom, but green leaves were quickly replacing the pink flowers.  The dogwoods stole the show.  It was as if there were snow covered trees dotted throughout the woods.

                At one point about fifteen minutes south of I-64, I saw this enormous house next to a barn.  I distinctly remember thinking to myself- “Wow! That is an enormous farm house – it is big enough for a country club.”  I then noticed a dozen golf carts out behind the house, and the large sign for the Loutre Shore Country Club.  I guess that explained that.

                A few miles later, I crossed the Missouri River into the town of Hermann.  One day when I’m not on my bike, with a helmet and gear to lug around, I’m going to spend a few hours wandering around Hermann.  It's an old river town that transformed itself into a historic district.  There is a beautiful river front with a boat ramp and easy access to the water.  In town, a variety of stores beckon including antique shops and a guy who builds tire swings. These swings aren’t just tires on a rope, they are hobby horses gone wild.  When I get a tree to hang one in, I can see one in my own personal backyard playground.

                Leaving behind the beautiful brick buildings of Hermann, I headed toward Cuba.  No, I’m not hoping to foment a democratic revolution in a small Caribbean nation; there really is a town in Missouri called Cuba.  I haven’t driven around it yet to figure out if it has an unusually large population of polydactyl cats.

                Until this ride, I hadn’t really realized that Missouri had working vineyards.  However between Hermann and Cuba, there is a vineyard around almost every curve.  It is like corn fields in Kansas- well, perhaps not that prevalent.  I think that there are four wineries in the area; at least of one of which prominently offers tours of its “cool cellars” knowing that in the summer time air conditioning is a big draw for any attraction.

The ride down Highway 19 was a beautiful, easy trip, which whether done on two wheels or four offers beautiful scenery and a lovely side trip through the charming town of Hermann.

www.hermannmissouri.com