2014-11-09 Busy Even on Our "Day Off"

After going to Joplin yesterday and realizing they had a major tornado tear through their town a few years ago, we decided to watch Extreme Makeovers last night. 7 families, of the many whose houses were destroyed, got new homes by the ABC crew.

After walking next door to go to church and having some lunch, we headed back over to Joplin to view the houses and the neighborhood.

Here are the seven houses they built.

The crew also create a memorial inside the local park. This is the view south. The grassy knoll was where the hospital sat that was completely destroyed by the tornado.

This is the enlarged park that now exists after it was rebuilt. In the foreground is the memorial to the volunteers that Ty Pennington and the crew built. Gloves, hammer, and hard hat are embedded in the rocks.

The park is really beautiful. As we drove south and east (upper right corner of picture) through the area, there were mostly new homes rebuilt after the devastating tornado.

Afterwards we headed toward a large park where I was to get in 27 holes of disc golfing while Karen walked the park.

2014-11-08 Joplin MO Area Route 66

We are enjoying our time in the Carthage, Missouri area and we are heading out today to explore Webb City and Joplin, west of us on the Route. On the way out of town we pass the Phelps House in the ritzy part of old town Carthage.

Marlin Perkins is from Carthage and a bronze statue is in the park here.

This bridge on Route 66 is called the "Woopee Bridge" for good reason. More than a few cars have bottomed out coming our way as you can see.

Out west of town is a still-operating Drive-In theatre with a great looking ticket booth.

Another CARS Tow Mater wannabee.

Small towns, like Webb City, have embraced Route 66 tourism in various ways. They've added murals to the walls of the old buildings in town.

Praying Hands sculpture in the main park south of downtown.

There were cars coming and going from a parking lot next door to the park so we investigated and found a Farmer's Market going on, so we walked through and found a Christmas gift for someone. No peeking!

Arriving in Joplin we visited their Museum Complex with exhibit rooms on the circus, favorite sons baseball player Mickey Mantle and actor Dennis Weaver (McCloud), and the Cookie Cutter Museum.

Our niece, Jessica, is going to march with her high school band in the Rose Parade at the end of the year (Yes, we're going!). Joplin's band did the same thing in 2001 and created a display case of their experience.

In downtown there was this cool mural. The record is Get Your Kicks on Route 66.

Karen had heard that even their mall had embraced Route 66. Very nice theming Joplin.