Tag Archives: roadside attractions

Fit and Healthy on Route 66: Queeny County Park

Outdoor Fun, Route 66, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Originally published on February 27, 2012

Winter Hike at Queeny Park
Winter Hike at Queeny Park

Queeny Park is just a few minutes north of the Manchester Road alignment of Route 66 as it traverses West St. Louis County. The park has two entrances. If you are traveling West on Manchester, turn right on Mason Road and look for the entrance that says “Dog Museum”. If you are traveling East on Manchester, turn left on Weidman Road to access the park. There is no way to drive from one entrance to the other without leaving the park, but you can walk between the two entrances.

Queeny Park in Summer
Queeny Park in Summer

When I was young, I used to love to go to Queeny Park to play on the very advanced and unusual playground equipment for the time. Lately I’ve used the park for biking and hiking. There are some paved trails and some gravel surfaced trails. The park is hilly so either way you’ll get a good workout – it’s especially good in my opinion for practicing hill climbing if you’re new to mountain biking. You’ll get enough of a challenge to give you something to work toward but most of the hills are not so difficult that you’ll be overly discouraged. The park is large and there are enough trails to enjoy a moderately long or short excursion depending on what you are looking for.

Yes you read the first paragraph correctly – at the Mason Road entrance there is indeed a Museum of the Dog. I remember the controversy surrounding this Museum when it was first proposed. A lot of people thought it sounded ridiculous – I haven’t visited it myself. It consists of a collection of artwork devoted dogs in an historic circa 1853 house. I’ve had very enjoyable visits to a barbed wire museum and a vacuum cleaner museum which probably sound like very odd attractions to most, so who knows, it might be good – perhaps it’s worthy of the tradition of eccentric attractions on Route 66. There are lots of dog walkers in the park so there does appear to be a large built-in audience! If you’re traveling Route 66 with canine companions this might be an especially good stop to make – dogs are allowed in the museum and you can give your pets and yourself a workout on the trails.

Photos of Queeny Park

Queeny Park Web Site

Fit and Healthy on Route 66 – Floating the Meramec River

Outdoor Fun, Route 66, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Originally published April 15, 2012

Meramec River Float
Meramec River Float

On Saturday, April 7, 2012, I joined members of the St. Louis Adventure Group (SLAG) for a float on the Meramec River. The Meramec is a prominent feature of the Route 66 corridor from Phelps County to St. Louis County, where it makes it’s way toward the Mississippi River. It is visible from Route 66 in St. Louis County and crosses paths at Valley Park and Route 66 State Park. Once you leave St. Louis County you will have to travel a little way off of Route 66 to see the Meramec River at spots such as Onondaga Cave State Park, Meramec State Park or Robertsville State Park. In between the parks are additional points where you can put in and take out boats.

The Missouri Department of Conservation has provided maps to show where the put-in points are. On our April 7 float, we put in at Pacific Palisades Conservation Area (147.3 on the map below) and Allenton Access (154.2).

Meramec River Access Points
Meramec River Access Points

This was a fairly short float. We stretched it into about three hours by really taking our time. It was also easy – there are only a few spots where you really have to pay attention to navigate around snags that always seem to be right where the current is swiftest! Our group was made up of experienced paddlers but the Meramec River should always be respected regardless of experience level – it is deep and fast enough to drown people, so if you are going to float it please be sober, make sure you can swim, and use a personal floatation device. You might consider carrying a knife on your person to cut yourself free in case you get tangled in anything. Read here for more safety tips and legal guidelines.

After the float, several members of our group headed to Super Smokers (a Route 66 Association of Missouri Business Member) for a delicious BBQ dinner. We were very impressed by the swiftness at which they served our large group. The food was fantastic!

If you would like to try one of Missouri’s many beautiful float streams but don’t own a boat or need a shuttle, check out our list of Business Members – there are a couple of outfitters on there who will happy to tell you about their offerings.

See photos of our float:

Carolyn’s photos

SLAG member photos

Fit and Healthy on Route 66: River Des Peres Greenway

Outdoor Fun, Route 66, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Originally published March 15, 2009.

Let’s face it, Route 66 trips have the potential to be hazardous to one’s waistline. We sit in a car for hours a day and when we stop, it’s often for delicious road food – fried chicken, BBQ, burgers, fries, shakes, mashed potatoes, pie, biscuits and gravy, omelettes, hash browns, onion rings, bratwurst, Cozy Dogs, Mexican food, pizza, breakfast burritos, Ted Drewes concretes, mmmmm! I’m not one to deny myself a treat when I’m on a trip. I’ve also been on a fitness kick for the last couple of months and have been trying to work in some kind of exercise every day. Since I live close to Route 66, a lot of the places I go are convenient to people who might be looking for a place to get some exercise while on a Route 66 journey. This is the first of what I hope will be an ongoing series on places to take a walk or a bike ride to work off a little of that road food.

River Des Peres Greenway Trail
River Des Peres Greenway Trail, looking south just after crossing over Chippewa.

I had an excellent bike ride yesterday on the River Des Peres Greenway in St. Louis, which is also suitable for walkers. A good place to park is the Metrolink Station at Landsdowne and River Des Peres Boulevard. It’s easily accessible from Route 66. As you’re heading west on Chippewa, shorty after you leave Ted Drewes after having your concrete, you will cross the River Des Peres and come to an intersection with River Des Peres Boulevard. To get to the Metrolink Station, turn right. Park, cross Landsdowne Ave., and start off in a southerly direction on the paved trail that is to the right of River Des Peres Blvd. You will shortly come to a bridge with a sidewalk that crosses over Chippewa where you can get a good view of Route 66 in either direction. Depending on your time and inclination you can keep following the trail for several miles.

Along the way you will see the historic River des Peres Sewerage and Drainage Works, a designated National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark. Don’t let the name scare you. Although the portion of the river you will see is not in a natural state, it is not ugly or smelly. (Having said that, if anyone asks you to join the River Des Peres Yacht Club, decline.) The river channel itself, rocked in with limestone by WPA workers in the 1930s, is an impressive sight and the small rustic buildings you see here and there are quite attractive. New structures such as entrance gates and bridges have been constructed in a harmonious style. The trail runs parallel to River Des Peres Boulevard in a wide grassy area with scattered trees between the road and suburban neighborhoods. I found the trail to be smooth and suitable for either mountain or road bikes. Enjoy!

Links:

Metrolink Station

My photos from my ride