Hannibal, Missouri to Bloomington, Indiana bicycle trip 2008

Hannibal Missouri to Bloomington Indiana bicycle trip 2008

Shelly and I drove to Hannibal, Missouri to visit Mark Twain’s early home and do the sites. I had my bicycle strapped to the luggage rack on top. Mark Twain has always been one of my favorite authors. Ernest Hemingway said that American literature began with Mark Twain. Throw in Edgar Allen Poe, and I agree.

On the way we drove along the Mississippi and saw the flood damage. Many of the roads and bridges were still out. We saw many homes built 10 feet above flood stage that were thoroughly destroyed. They called the 1993 floods a ‘once-in-500-year’ event. Some people were calling the 2008 floods ‘another once-in-500-year’ event. Looks like they have now used up a 1000 years. But maybe they should consider recalibrating their 500 year events. Read the rest of this entry »