See you there!
Sunday, January 27,
2008,
SLTOA Polar Bear Run Preview
By Karl Schmitt
The St. Louis Triumphs Club annual Polar Bear Rally will be held on Sunday, January 27th, 2008 with members of the MG Club of St Louis and the Healy Club cordially invited, in addition to any one else with an open sports car. The Rally Point will be the parking lot at the intersection of Hwy–21 (Tesson Ferry Rd.) just off Interstate 270, South St. Louis County. The parking lot, which is essentially across the road from St. Anthony’s Hospital, is anchored by Dierberg’s Market, and someplace on this lot we will meet. Your arrival by / before 10:45 AM would be appreciated as we plan on leaving the lot around 11:AM, in two or three groups, depending on the number of participants.
This years rally will be a bit different in that it will include a focal point and a restaurant for the final pit stop. Additionally, we will be traveling in two or three groups, so as to shorten the string of cars, reduce the potential to get lost and to slow down for those trying to catch up. Additionally, detailed driving instructions, similar to what Chris and Kathy started to issue a few years back will be available, along with the route plotted on a County map. Thus, if you just want to meander along, stop and look, or make other deviations, you can do so as you please, for the instructions will be detailed enough to get you there.
After we leave the shopping center we will travel south on New Hwy 21 until we cross the Meramec River. After that, twisty climbing back country roads thru the eastern side of Jefferson County until we reach the broad Sandy Valley, thru which we will drive a bit. Here will be our first “pit stop” and congregation point, The Covered Bridge Park, in Goldman.
Time to regroup and then off we go again continuing south thru The Sandy Valley to the provincial town (?) of Hillsboro. Here we will stop at the Fletcher House, the original home of Missouri’s first native born Governor, and the original Husky Family Cabin, which dates back to the late 1800’s. A few members of the Jefferson County Historical Society will be on hand to greet us and to provide personal tours of the property, along with perhaps a cup of something hot, if the weather is suitably cold. As an aside, the Triumph Club will be making a donation to the Society, in appreciation of the personal tours they will offer us.
After the Fletcher house, back on the road we go again in groups. First we will travel north towards Cedar Hill until we can pick up the old road that leads to House Springs. This we will follow until it ends at Hwy-MM. Here we will deviate, only to drive on some of most twisting roads found in Jefferson County, finally to end at Hwy-30. From this intersection it is but a few miles north to Jilly’s Café & Steak House, with its ample parking lot and a very nice dinning room reserved just for our group. Various hot drinks await you here, along with other beverages of your choice, and a full menu to order from, which ranges from simple fare to really big steaks. Danna, the manager of Jilly’s has made this room available to us and asks only that we purchase a beverage and a meal of your choice. Hopefully, most of the rally participants will do so.
At the present time, we can not predict the weather. As in the past, if it is cloudy or clear, warm or darn cold, with or with out snow on the surrounding landscape, the Rally is a go. But, if it is raining in the area, or if snow of any significance is falling, then the Rally will be canceled!
To keep this simple, you can call me in the morning for the Rally status before 10: AM on my home phone, which is 636-797-4203. At 10: AM I will be leaving my house and then you can try my cell phone, 636-698-4761, which most often I cannot hear ring. Then try Craig Houghtaling at 314-401-7817, which is his cell phone. Craig, if he has the time Sunday morning will try to up-date our web site with a go or no go.
If all else fails, contact our esteemed Club President, Craig Madsen at 636-734-3937.
Thank you,
Karl J. Schmitt
SLTOA-POLAR BEAR RUN.
Sunday, January 27,
2008,
Driving Instructions.
By Karl Schmitt
Welcome to our annual Polar Bear Run. This is meant to be a mid winters drive, with the top down for the hardy folks (And with a heater in ones car!), to help get us over the winter blues. This rally is not meant to be a race, so please drive at a leisurely pace and enjoy the scenery and the day ahead of you. The driving instructions and map are quite inclusive and are modeled after what Chris & Kathy Kresser first made available a few years back. With them, you really do not have to follow the pack, as they are quite sufficient to get you to our final pit stop at Jilly’s Café & Steakhouse.
Beginning at the shopping plaza, anchored by Dierberg’s Market, Hwy 21 and Kennerly Rd, at 11:00am. Exit the plaza and head south on new Hwy 21, 5.7 miles to the “Old Route 21” exit, just south of the Hwy 141 exit.
Old Route 21 south, 2.3 miles to Lions Den Rd., at the bottom of a hill, and turn left, east.
Follow Lions Den Rd. till it tee’s with Old Lemay Ferry Rd., some 2.9 miles. (Phillips 66 on N.E. corner). Please drive slowly and let the others catch up!
Turn right on Old Lemay Ferry Rd, south, and stay on it for a long distance, some 7.8 miles. Make a note of your odometer setting, as you will need to know the distance traveled when you get to Rice Rd..
Lemay Ferry Rd. is named after the ferry crossing the Meramec River, which dates back to the 1800’s, and was the original road or “highway”, which carried travelers down south to Arkansas. It was substantially improved in the early 1900’s, again after WW-2, and today again.
At first it follows a valley and then climbs up over Frisco Hill, site of an old swimming park which dates back to the “sixties” and College Parties of my youth. Then it meanders down into the hamlet of Antonio, referred to as “bull town” because of the local slaughter house. Here you will cross Hwy-M, and then pass under the new, and controversial Hwy-M overpass. Again you will be traveling south thru a fertile valley, which was farmed when I first moved to Jefferson County back in 67’ Then, you could buy this land for substantially less than $500 per acre!
At the southern end of this valley, (you are watching your odometer, yes?), you will pass Klable Rd on your right, named after one of the early area settlers, and then climb a twisting, steep hill, and as it levels out you will reach Rice Rd. on your left.
Turn left, east on Rice Road and go slow, 0.5 miles to a fork, (also a stop sign) bear right and continue on Rice Road 1.4 miles to Hensley Rd.
As you slowly drive along Rice Rd, you will note the rugged terrain on your right into which Governor Callahan’s plane crashed a few years back. Perhaps now you can understand why they had such a difficult time finding it in the dark (and ice storm), and then getting the remains’ out. Also, here and there you will get a glimpse of the Sandy Valley, at one time a beautiful and most fertile farming area, along with being a well know site for glass quality sand, (PPG), centered on the now defunct town of Silica.
Turn right on Hensley Rd, south down into the Sandy Valley, 1.0 miles to where it tees with Goldman Rd East.
As you drive down Hensley Rd you will note a farmstead on your left with lots of timber logs lying around. Those of you that dabble in wood work would enjoy meeting the man who lives here. Besides being blind in one eye since birth, he harvests the trees, planks them on his saw mill, dries them in his kiln, and then makes beautiful cabinets for ones home. Presently for a local Lady, he harvested white oak from her child hood farm and is building a rather extensive set of cabinets for the old warehouse she is re-furbishing out in Washington. And all at a very reasonable price! (He will also be building Barbara’s new cabinets.)
Need fire wood, now and then he has it at $50 per rank, you pick it up, which is cheap!
Turn right on Goldman East, (you will be traveling west), 0.5 miles to the tee and stop sign at Sandy Church Rd. Note that some people like a windmill for a lawn ornament, an presently adding a windmill like structure to the west end!
Follow Sandy Church Rd, (later to become Goldman Rd.) thru the valley till you reach the Goldman Fire House at the intersection of Old Lemay Ferry road, again. Drive slowly thru the valley and as you traverse the series of tight curves thru the farmstead, inhale deeply to savor the aroma of one of the last remaining dairy herds in Jefferson County.
Left at the Fire House and go a short distance to the Covered Bridge Park. Note that just to your right of this intersection; you will see the “Old Curiosity Shop”, which if open is just loaded with old trinkets, treasures to some, junk to others. If interested, take the time to visit as you have plenty of time to complete this Polar Bear Run.
The Covered Bridge was in use when we moved to this area back in the late sixties. Then we made it a Park, troublesome at first, but now controlled by a local Deputy Sheriff, Mr. Butch Myers. Butch loves this park, personally maintains it, and I think you will agree that he keeps it neat and orderly. Also, he has promised me that if he can get “round to it”, he will install the seat warmers in the Lady’s john, for those of you with a sensitive fanny! We will rest here a bit as this is a “rally catch up point”.
Ok, out the Park and go back to the Fire House then right again on Goldman Rd, cross the small bridge, and look for the pet donkey in his/her lovely meadow with a spring fed pond, on your right. Go about 0.4 miles to the fork and bear right staying on Goldman Rd. some 2.7 miles till it tees with North outer Rd “A”, which is a service road for Hwy A. Note the new huge brick house being built on a 20 acre “lot”, with an indoor pool. Believe me; the Jefferson County Tax Assessor just loves this guy!
Turn right, west on the service road, a short distance to the stop sign, and then left to Hwy A, where you turn right, or west. Follow Hwy A 1.7 miles to the stop light, which is old Hwy 21. Here you will turn left towards Hillsboro.
Please really watch your speed as you pass thru Hillsboro as the traffic fines are a major source of the towns’ income. You will be going south for about 1.2 miles, and at the second stop light, Eagle Bank on your left, turn right on to Hwy BB. Follow BB just past the Court House and on your left you will find the Fletcher House and the Husky Family Log Cabin. Look around and find a place to park, but you may have to walk a bit.
The staff of the Fletcher House will welcome us and provide a guided tour. Also, you can walk around the grounds at your leisure. If you have a deep interest in the local history, and or the artifacts, be sure to ask your guide about them. The guides are all long time local folks and they just love to talk about the area history, so be sure to ask and stay as long as you like. As an aside, SLTOA will be making a donation to their restoration fund.
And now on with the Polar Bear Run. Exit the Fletcher house on Hwy BB, left, or West and drive 2.6 miles to Red Bird Lane on your right. Along the way you will drive past the Little League fields on your left.
Right on Red Bird, north, 0.9 miles till it tees with Hillsboro House Springs Rd. You will follow this road some 11 miles till you reach the stop light at Hwy MM. Along the way you will pass the entrance to Lake Tishomingo, and shortly afterwards, Ems Road will come in on your right and try to confuse you. Bear left and stay on Hillsboro House Springs Road. Ignore Local Hillsboro road when you come to it on your left. Just keep going north, past the buffalo farm till you reach the stop light at Hwy MM.
Turn right, east on MM and go about 2 miles till you reach Miller Rd on your left.
Turn left on Miller and go north some 1.6 miles to where it tees with West Four Ridge Road. As you first turn on Miller Rd., note the mobile home park on your right, memorable only for its length, a bit over one half mile long. Also, note how vacant Miller Rd is, which is unusual being so close to the populated areas. I attribute this to the rough terrain and that some forty years back, people owned large tracts of land in this area. Back then I considered several 400 acre tracts in this area, which were quite cheap even back then. But I declined in favor of a smaller, but far better parcel. Just last year, and just a bit further east on MM, there was a 1400 acre tract for sale with an asking price around $1500 per acre. But the ground was really rough and it would be hard to develop affordably, along as better ground is still available.
Caution, caution & more caution! The next two sections are very twisty with many sharp, blind curves and with limited sight distance. One of the first curves you will come to has a 15mph. speed limit, and they mean it, for on your left as you go thru the curve is a sharp drop. This is not a race!
Turn left on West Four Ridge Rock Road and go about 2.9 miles to where it tees with West Rock Ridge road. Then left, north-west, and go a bit over one mile till you reach Hwy 30. Look at the map for reference, as we did the trial run in the dark, and note the crooked line.
Right on 30, north, back towards Fenton to Little Brennan Rd., with a stop light, about 3.5 miles. For those that are desperate there is a “White Castle” on the corner!!!
Right on Little Brennan Rd, up the short hill, sharp left and the an immediate right into the confusing parking lot entrance on your right, then down the hill to Jillys on your left for our final pit stop of this rally.
Here at Jilly’s, Dana has made available to our Club a nice warm room in which to relax . All she ask’s is that we purchase a beverage of our choice and perhaps a meal. The restaurant offers meals which can include a simple sandwich or a steak dinner. So, now is the time to relax with your friends, enjoy a beverage and a meal and stay as long as you like.
To continue on, north on Hwy 30 to Fenton where you can intersect I-270 and on to home you go.
A few necessary phone numbers for use during the rally; Karl Schmitt @636-698-4761 (which I seldom hear ring); Craig Houghtaling @314-401-7817; Craig Madsen @314-734-3937, or John Lamberg at 314-496-4278
Thank and enjoy our SLTOA Polar Bear Run!
Karl J. Schmitt