http://www.visitmo.com Archives - Jim Murty’s TravelTravelTravel

They’re literature’s ragtag rascals who stole our hearts and The Huck stops here 150 years on in Missouri.

Big reveal, I was cynical about Tom Sawyer and his outlaw friend Huckleberry Finn.

When I was introduced him to as an English Lit student in Aberdeen where I was a bit of a rascal myself.

Thinking the raggedy-arsed boys from Ol’ Mississippi a childish yarn and the racial language provocative.

To the Britain of my time, the Eighties.

Hannibal lecture

Only to have my eyes opened to the nuance in Mark Twain’s writings.

And piquing an interest in the Deep South which I have been able to explore later in life in Mississippi.

All of which naturally draws me to Hannibal in Missouri in a landmark year in 2026, 150 years since Twain introduced the bad lads to the world.

As part of the new self-drive from The Internet Traveller following in the footsteps of iconoclastic Americans.

St Lou too

Tom and Huck, Jesse James and the picture-book town that became the model for Disney’s Main Street USA.

All on the new ‘Missouri’s Legendary Trail’ 11-night self-drive trip.

Flying into St Louis, travellers can experience the iconic Gateway Arch.

And the city’s rich Blues history, and remember St Lou is the birthplace of Chuck Berry.

Before heading to Hannibal, the boyhood home of author Mark Twain.

And which inspired the fictional Mississippi river town of St Petersburg in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.

Then continue west on Highway 36 – known as the ‘Way of American Genius’.

The best thing since…

To Marceline, the cherished hometown of Walt Disney who based his theme-park vision of Main Street USA.

On the beautiful real-life Main Street he knew so well.

Other stops along the Way include Chillicothe, the birthplace of sliced bread in 1928, the best thing since…

And the town of St Joseph which is steeped in Wild West lore as the eastern terminus of the Pony Express mail service.

While visitors can also visit the Jesse James Home Museum.

In the building where the outlaw was killed in 1882.

Continue to Kansas City for a final night, taking in the city’s rich jazz and barbecue scenes, before flying home.

Deal us in

The itinerary is priced from £1,739pps, including return flights, 11 nights’ accommodation and nine days’ inclusive car hire.

If you ever travel out west you’ll get your kicks through Missouri, which is worth spelling out in big neon letters and singing about.

And that is exactly what Missourians have been doing, lighting up the night sky in the heart of the Show-Me state.

Ahead of the 100^th anniversary of the historic Mother Road next year.

And it’ll be nearly 80 years too since one of the great standards of the American Song Book was penned.

When most of us who had never even heard of Saint Looey or Joplin first had our interests piqued.

To travel out west and find out for ourselves.

Sign of the times

Of course, the big draw of The Mother Road is the trip and meeting her offspring.

Such as the small city of Saint Robert, around 130 miles south-west of Saint Louis, in Pulaski County, Ozarks territory.

Where you’ll come across Route 66 Neon Park.

Which features nearly a dozen restored neon signs.

That once stood along the 300-plus-mile.

All of which pay tribute to the Missouri portion of Route 66 in its prime.

And the roadside stops that once lined America’s most famous highway.

The Route 66 story

All the signs have been collected and refurbished by private collectors.

Which we all know Americans do better than anyone as we discovered ourselves at Neon Vegas.

Under the guiding hand of one of Liberace’s Ladies.

Now where Vegas signs promoted the grandiose Missouri’s pointed us to homespun Middle America from St. Louis to Joplin.

Which you can learn for yourself from the storyboards which provide the signs’ backstories.

Since 1926, no other roadway in American history has evoked a sense of reverence, nostalgia, and wanderlust quite like Route 66.

Back to the start

Now as with much in my life’s travels my Route 66 journey is back to front.

Having set out from its terminus, Santa Monica pier a few years back.

And looking to complete the trip at its starting point some day in the Windy City.

That day is honing into view after a few false starts in the Windy City next month.

Where I’ll make for the starting point of the Great Road of America, Route 66.

That winds from Chicago to LA, more than two thousand miles all the way.

Tag: http://www.visitmo.com

The Huck stops here 150 years on in Missouri