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This issue marks one whole month of Backroad Weekly! 🥹 Happy one-month e-anniversary, dear readers. We're having a lot of fun, and we hope you're discovering new local places to explore.
I have all kinds of ideas about where you can celebrate our anniversary this weekend. ❤️🥾🛶🚴
Get Rolling
Hikers, don't be jelly, but we're gonna start with the cool kids with padded shorts.
Cyclists: Start at Fort Massac for this low-difficulty out-and-back trail: Metropolis -> Brookport -> back to Metropolis, IL. It's flat, paved, wide, and well-marked. Round trip, you'll do about 6 miles in the park, under the shade, and another 6 miles on low-traffic residential streets. Great ride for beginners or anyone who just wants a relaxed ride. It's an awesome trail to walk/jog, too.
Photo taken at the annual Fort Massac Encampment, a historical reenactment weekend. Save the date on your calendar this year: Oct. 18 & 19.
There's plenty to do in the area to milk more bang out of your drivin' buck. Enjoy the fort, the visitor's center, the hiking trail, and the view of the Ohio River. Cross the bridge into Paducah for all kinds of eatery options.
On the Water with Midwest Kayak Co
I popped in Midwest Kayak Co in Cape Girardeau last week to pick up a resource for Backroad Weekly (just always thinking of you guys), and I came out a convert.
Why We're Fans:
Significance. There's nothing else like it in the area, even though we have SO MANY GREAT PLACES to paddle and fish.
Guidance. Owner, James Faught, is a kayak angler to the bone. Get guidance on pedal vs. paddle vs motor, rigging, stability, and lakes vs rivers vs saltwater.
Comfort. James never made me feel out of place about my "silly" questions. He's all straight talk and encouragement.
Ongoing service. Unlike your big-box buys, they’ll help you dial in your setup and answer questions once you’re actually on the water.
Community. They’re building a local scene for paddlers & anglers (And really anyone who likes to get outside). Since the moment I told James about the newsletter, he's been supportive. Come in to talk largemouth, smallmouth, salty fish, and everything in between.
Photo courtesy of Midwest Kayak Company
What you’ll find: fishing kayaks (pedal + paddle), paddles, PFDs, crates & mounts, dry storage, river shoes, hammocks, and the small rigging bits that make a boat yours.
*This is a sponsored slot, but it’s also a sincere testimonial. My opinions and experiences are my own. We're really excited to see Midwest Kayak Co in Semo.
Didja know?
If you find nothing else noteworthy about Southeast Missouri, I invite you to channel your inner child and look to the critters. Today, that critter is the Alligator Gar. Only 12 states get the bragging rights to call this ancient behemoth a native species.
Photo courtesy of Dr. Solomon David, aka The Gar Guy! Follow Dr. David and The GarLab on Instagram. The alligator gar pictured was safely released after measurements and tagging. All done with proper permits. Thank you for the photo, Dr. David!
Ol' Gator Gary is a living fossil that has been around for about 2.5 to 5 million years. And its family has been around for more than 100 million years!
Alli-gars reach lengths of over 8 feet and weigh more than 300 pounds, making them the second-largest freshwater fish in North America, and the largest in Missouri. That's longer than Shaq is tall, y'all. And about the same weight.
They can breathe both in water and air. They gulp air into a special lung-like bladder, which helps them survive in low-oxygen waters.
Their scales are so tough that Native Americans once used them for arrowheads and to make armored breastplates.
These apex predators can help restore balance to our rivers, even preying on invasive species like Asian carp.
Despite their badass-ness, alligator gar nearly disappeared from Missouri. Why? Habitat loss and our misconceptions. Two misconceptions are that every gar is an alligator gar and all gars are "trash fish" competing with anglers for the "good fish".
But Missouri has several native gar species—longnose, spotted, shortnose, and alligator—and all play important roles in healthy rivers. None of them are invasive, and none deserve the “trash fish” label. They’re native fish, beneficially tied to our waterways. Today, the Missouri Department of Conservation is working hard to restore the Alligator Gar population in Southeast Missouri.
And Southeast Missourians, you get to share your home with this dinosaur fish. How cool is that?
🎶Alright, stop, excavate, and listen.🎶 🎶Bones are back with a mastodon edition.🎶
Mastodon State Historic Site was nationally significant for providing the first solid evidence in North America that humans and mastodons coexisted.
Do you think that 12,000 years ago, as the first nomadic hunter-gatherers moved through modern-day Missouri's beautiful lands, they thought, "One day...all of this will be covered in Dollar Generals"?
Probably.
Here's what I'd do:
Visit the museum and stand by the full-size replica of a mastodon. And just imagine one crossing I-55.
After you’ve had your fill of tusks and artifacts, hit the trails. A couple are short, shady, and family-friendly. I recommend the Spring Branch Trail because it's creekside. Great for barefoot wading and cooling off.
No day trip is complete without local eats. Kimmswick is just a few minutes away, and we've heard good things about The Blue Owl Restaurant & Bakery - Home of the Levee High Apple Pie. How freakin' clever is that slogan?
While you're in Kimmswick...(*slowly starts to chant)...Cute shops...Cute shops...(*Starts banging fists on the table)...Cute shops, Cute shops. (*Chant grows louder and faster)...CUTE SHOPS CUTE SHOPS CUTE SHOPS. What I'm trying to say is that Kimmswick offers artisan goods and handmade items from local designers.
Not a cute-artisan-goods kind of guy/gal? You're 30 minutes away from St. Louis. Go window-shop your fave outdoor recreation shops. Which one is it? REI? Bass Pro? Top Tier Outdoors? Alpine Shop? Cabelas? North Face St. Louis?
I know it's dangerous to make assumptions, but the last ice age probably isn't something you think about much. I'm gonna try to blow your minds with some of the varmints that once partied with mastodons in the show-me state: the giant ground sloth (also known as Sid from Ice Age. About 9ft long), mammoths (also known as Manny from Ice Age), giant beavers (about 6ft long), peccaries, a camel that was 7ft tall at the shoulders, an even biggerbison, dire wolves, saber-toothed cats, short-faced bears, Pleistocene-era horses, and lots of other fascinating furballs. I'm a little relieved some of these didn't have the same staying power as the alligator gar.
Second-Hand Scores
If you've got some shopping to do for babies and kids, save some dough, kick fast fashion in the crotch, and go to Once Upon a Child in Cape Girardeau. They tediously hand-select gently used clothes and organize the store so it's easy to find the sizes you need.
OR finally sell the baby/kids' clothes stacked up in totes in your basement. C'mon, buddy, you know you're not going to have that yard sale.
Want your second-hand scores in Backroad Weekly? Calling all local thrift stores, antique stores...yard sale royalty, flea market vendors...and even the average Joe(lene) whose camper has been stuck on Facebook Marketplace for weeks. Sell it on Backroad Weekly.
Try This
A lot of times, any old chain pizza works. But sometimes, you want a pizza. You know? One whose crust wasn't shipped from a 'central dough facility.'
Let me paint a picture: You're already in Cape Girardeau. You just sold your kids' clothes for some extra kayak cash. You know what else is downtown with Midwest Kayaks? Real pizza. Woodfire pizza. The owner of Speck Pizza is a Missourian who grew up in Milan. The thought of a central dough facility probably makes him want to vomit in Italian.
Find Your People
Join the Hiking Club at Sallie Logan Public Library on the last Wednesday of every month. Murphysboro is about an hour from the Cape Girardeau region. But no self-respecting Midwesterner backs down because of the drive! Especially not when it's just once a month.
OR, new proposal, somebody go get the intel and get it started over here.
Help Out & Pitch In
Trash Blast | Iron Mountain, Cobden, IL - Love the Shawnee Forest as much as we do? If you're not starting to, I need to step up my persuasion skills. Volunteer to help collect litter from selected sites. Join this group in their mission to help restore the area to its natural state. There will be three clean-up dates.
For each event, you’ll find more info at the link. *Because these events are upcoming, they have not been vetted. That would require a time machine, and we don't have the funds. Party at your own discretion.
This Weekend’s Happenings
Fri, Sept 5
Downtown Sculpture Exhibition, Cape Girardeau, MO - Six large sculptures will be positioned along Broadway for you to conduct your own Rorschach test.
Semo District Fair, Cape Girardeau, MO - The fair kicks off in Cape. Be there by 9:30am to catch the parade. Demolition Derby in the Grandstand at 6pm.
Authentic Arts Grand Opening Exhibition, Dexter, MO. - Art, music, food, and book signings to celebrate! But this is just the beginning. We're excited Dexter has this and look forward to sharing their events and classes.
Battle of the Bulls, Poplar Bluff, MO - Rodeo! Hope you haven't put your belt buckle away just yet.
Perryville Elks Lodge UTV & Jeep Ride 4 Life, Perryville, MO - My UTV & Jeep people are so engaged with the newsletter. I feel accomplished when I can finally deliver on their interests.
Cruise In, Perryville MO - Antique cars, trucks, and motorcycles. And live music, of course. We keep these local musicians BUSY. I think I should start a band.
Cache River Days, Ullin, IL - Flea market, parade, 5K, canoe trip... so much going on, you should probably just click the link to read the event list and get excited.
Southern Illinois Honey Festival, Makanda, IL - Honey tasting contest, honey vendors, and crafts. It's going to BEE delicious, honey. Don't unsubscribe.😂
Mysterious Stone Fort of Giant City State Park - I'm going to rip off the Facebook Events description because it's perfect: "Join local Historian Mark Motsinger as he ventures to the mysterious stone fort in Giant City State Park. This on-site lecture will discuss the history and mystery that surrounds one of the 11 stone forts located in southern Illinois."
Sun, Sept 7
Semo District Fair, Cape Girardeau, MO - Latino Day at the fair! Salsa dancers, mariachi music, Fair Queen pageants, and tractor pulls.
Doggy Swim Day, Cape Girardeau, MO - Before shutting its doors for the season, Cape Splash Family Aquatic Center offers doggies their day at the waterpark.
Introduction to Wild Caving, Perryville, MO - I'm constantly amazed at the neat stuff going on around here. Even if the limited space fills up, we can flood their phone and request a waiting list, so they'll open another session.
Arcadia Academy Haunted Tours, Arcadia, Missouri - Built in 1846, this beautiful building has been a high school, a Civil War hospital, and a Catholic girls' boarding school. Can't imagine why they think it's haunted. Many of the events at the link have multiple dates.
Women Outdoors: Knots and Fire, Eminence, MO - Ladies, learn how to start a fire without matches or a lighter. And then burn down the patriarchy...I might lose subscribers with that joke. It's a mic test. Check check. Is this thing on?
Grown-up Book Fair, Cape Girardeau, MO - R U going 2 go? Circle yes or no.
River Hills Run, Altenburg, MO - Sorry! I keep coming across these so late that I don't give you much time to train. What are the odds that you're all spontaneous runners? I think this run is around 4.3 miles based on Facebook comments.
Tour de Cape 2025, Cape Girardeau, MO - Who doesn't love a charity bike ride? No pressure to compete, and it's for a good cause! 15, 30, and 60-mile routes for road bikers. AND 22 & 32-mile gravel routes. Woot woot.
Rocky Ledges Trail Fun Run, Makanda, IL - For some people, "fun" and "run" never belong in the same sentence. Luckily, you're not one of them. 5 & 10K run/walk.
Fat Tire Fest 2025 - Annual, family-friendly, weekend-long, mountain biking event in the Shawnee Forest. Trails, guided rides, races, games, a vendor expo, and swag.
*With so much going on, we can’t include everything. We hand-select picks that match the mission, and include events from all over the area to encourage you to explore towns you don’t usually visit. If you’re looking for more in Cape or Carbondale, here are some more sources: The Southeast Missourian, the Missouri Department of Conservation, The Scout, KFVS12, Southern Illinois Tourism, Illinois Department of Natural Resources, and Southernmostillinois.com.
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