Segment #23: Frisco Highline, Wilson Creek Greenway Springfield, MO 7_25_13

Start	Willard, MO	37.304999 -93.42761	NS miles 14.7
End	Battlefield NM	37.09159,-93.40540	Trllgth18.8Ride 21

Ride Hrs 3:23

AVS 9.5

MXS 23

KCAL 908

Temp 86

El1088-1305

*These data are estimates; I rode my black Trek that no longer has a working computer

Trixie was first-rate in shepherding me to the comfort of the Comfort Inn and she splendidly found the trailhead in Willard, MO. Being so close to Springfield, I could not but try to contact one of my top ten residents, Jody Vance. Jody finished his periodontal specialty certification at Nebraska in 1994. Right after Dr. Kaldahl gave him his certificate, Jody jumped into a loaded moving truck with his car in tow. My guess is he drove all night to get to Springfield. This hard working young man jumped into practice feet first. I am so proud of his leadership; support of the dental profession; and dedication to his community. Not only did he blaze the bicycle trail

Jody with his Nebraska College of Dentistry classmate Marlene Feisthamel. These Cornhuskers keep Springfield teeth, gums and implants in excellent condition.

I rode, he was instrumental in organizing the Ozark Huskers. That's saying a lot for guy who grew up in Oklahoma.  His support of the Ozark Multiple Sclerosis Chapter is just another good guy thing this man fits into his busy schedule. Keep it going Jody!
  How impressing it was to see so many people riding the Frisco Highline trail. The trailhead parking lot in Springfield was packed and it wasn't even the weekend!  Unfortunately the Wilson Creek Trail doesn't connect with the Frisco Highline Trail so I had to do some creative peddling along the West Bypass, Republic Road and the streets of Battlefield. I was able to negotiate the traffic without a hitch to get to the Wilson Creek National Battlefield. The Battle of Wilson's Creek, August, 1861, opened the Civil War in Missouri. By the end of the war,

Over my shoulder, up by the lone

tree, is the restored farm home of
John Ray. Ray, his wife and nine
children along with an enslaved
woman and her four children and
a mail carrier all took shelter in
the cellar while the Confederates
used the home as a hospital.

 

Missouri had seen so many battles and skirmishes, it would rank as the third most
fought-over state in the nation. Many soldiers
hid and crawled through cornfields the farmers
in the area had planted. As a farm boy I was impressed that the battlefield was in prime shape with the corn tasseling over six feet---perfect for hide and seek guerrilla warfare. Despite the Union Army being 8,000 troops down to the 12,000 Confederates, the Union forces initially prevailed by using surprise attacks lead by General Nathaniel Lyon. But when Lyon was killed a day later, the Unionists retreated. Not until September, 1864 did the Union Army return. In the biggest battle of west of the Mississippi, the Battle of Westport, October 23rd, The Confederates were driven into Arkansas to never return.


When I was trying to establish my location on the Wilson Creek Trail, I came upon this work

of art, at least that is what I thought. There was no identifying plaque as to the name of the

piece nor the artist but I was intrigued and took this picture. When I ran into a local fellow at

least my age, I thought I would get the story. Well not only did he not know anything about a work of art in the area, he could not remember seeing this wall in the middle of no where next to the trail. Maybe it is left over bricks from Pink Floyd's The Wall? :-)