TWO COVERED BRIDGES, A LONG WINDING TRAIL AND A LITTLE RANDOMNESS...VACATION PART 2!!!

Howdy!  How's y'alls week been going?  Mine? good! Though I wish vacation didn't have to end I'm kinda glad to be back at work and that life is back in full swing. Can't wait for church tonight.  I have missed it!

Speaking of vacation, I have just a few more things to share with you today from our week trip to Mark Twain Lake in Perry, Missouri...well, it's really things to share from the surrounding area since we weren't able to do much on the lake. You can read about Part 1 of our vacation HERE...

Anyway, not far from the lake are two of Missouri's remaining four covered bridges.  As you know I have made it my summer mission to visit all four of them.  I have now seen three.  YAY!!! We visited Sandy Creek covered bridge a few months ago and you can read all about it HERE.  This past week we visited Union covered bridge near Paris, Missouri....

and Locust Creek covered bridge in Brookfield, Missouri.

 This bridge was a 1/4 trek through muddy, dense rain foresty type woods. The hubs led the way...

You can't see it very well in this picture, but the roof of this bridge is caving in...so sad!

I have to say that both of these bridges were somewhat of a disappointment.  Not because they weren't great (or beautiful) bridges...and I LOVED every minute of it...but because they were both in dire need of repair. Written to say, I was too SCEEEERED to walk across either of them...hehehe, and there was a lack of recreation/picnicking areas around them...well, all except for the ONE picnic table located in the parking lot 1/4 mile from Locust Creek covered bridge, there was no place to sit, relax and just enjoy their beauty...

Not quite what I consider recreation.

It seems that even the State, the entity who set out to esteem, revere and preserve these lovely bridges, has forgotten they exist or just don't care to maintain them the way they deserve.  So sad really!  I think I am going to write the State of Missouri and inquire about getting these treasures fixed up. I hope they will listen. With all that said, I am looking forward to seeing the fourth and final bridge located in Cape Girardeau, Missouri in the fall, whether it's in good shape or not! Of course, as always, you know I will share it with you here.


Located a few miles from Locust Creek covered bridge is Pershing State Park. There were plenty of places to sit and relax there but what we really enjoyed was the 1 1/2 mile trek into the wetlands of Missouri along this very cool bridge...

and long and winding boardwalk trail...

We didn't really see any wildlife, which I'm kinda glad about since it was just me and the kiddos on this lost in the woods kind of adventure...but it was a beautiful (and LONG) walk nonetheless.

Whew! Glad to be back to the parking lot!!!

While in the area we also discovered a very beautiful conservation lake...Long Branch Lake and State Park...which had not suffered the flooding, muddiness and debris Mark Twain Lake had, so we took advantage of a little day trip there as well.

We arrived early in the morning and enjoyed swimming and boating before anyone else arrived. The bubs and I swam while hubs and sis went fishing. It was a fabulous day!

While there, the bubs and I tried a little Pinterest inspired photo op when the sun was straight overhead...

Not sure ours looks quite as good as Pinterests but not a complete fail...hehehe.

While there we toured the prairie lands at the State Park area where we did see some wildlife...in the form of BUNNIES...

LOTS of bunnies!!!

Awwww, so cute!

Well, I was going to try to finish up with sharing our vacationing escapades today but there's just way too much left to share and this post is getting WAY too long so I guess I will just have to do another post later this week. SOOO, with that said, I hope I haven't bored you to tears and you come back...hahaha!

Have a fabulous day, friend!