Road Trip To Joplin

On the western edge of Missouri, Joplin sits just beyond the reach of the Ozark Mountains, or Mozarks as they’re called out here.

   * * * * * * * * * * * 

We traveled by car for a day and a half to Joplin, a long drive from home. Stopped overnight in the little town of Mountain View.

Only one restaurant was open that evening in Mountain View – a family run Mexican place. The owner apologized the electricity was due to be shut off at 6:00 pm. He was right. We were soon dining in the dark.

You may have heard of Joplin. It barely survived a Cat 5 tornado about 15 years ago. The twister cut a mile-wide swath through the center, wiping out about one-third of town. Hundreds were killed or injured. The top floor of the hospital was blown off and whole blocks of homes were destroyed. Today the city has healed from this terrible tragedy, but some scars are still visible. There’s big patches of open land where the tornado laid bare the landscape.

On the edge of town, we stayed in an old caboose refitted as a cozy hotel room.

What brought us to Joplin was the annual Photo Spiva National Photographic Competition. I had two images selected for exhibition. I didn’t win any awards, but it was an honor just to be included in the show.

In between art show events we had a few hours to explore Joplin. The Record Barn was a big hit. Inside were all things vinyl, and, yes, we’re collecting records again.

After a quick day and a half, it was time to turn around and go home, back through the Mozarks.

We stopped for the night just over the border in Grand Rivers, Kentucky. Stayed in a cute enclave of cabins. But shortly after we got settled, the sky turned ominous and tornado sirens started to wail. Loudest thunder I’ve ever heard.

Yep. A whirlwind trip!