Who's ready to wander this weekend? Fill up your tanks and get your walkin stick ready, 'cause we're gettin outta the house.

Too hot? I made this edition excuse-proof by including a tour you can do from the comfort of your car.

Get Outside

Since all the cool kids will be at Chaffee German Days this weekend, we're featuring a nearby conservation area where you can take a walk and digest your delicious fair food - Tywappity Community Lake.

If your Chaffenese (pronounced like Japanese) friends have kept this spot from you, make them buy their own funnel cake. You've been missing out. With the trail clocking in at around 2.5 to 3 miles, this is a nice little hike around the lake. That means lake views and lake birdies, boo. This is a moderately difficult hike due to uneven terrain and some hills. But you've got a walking stick and a can-do attitude! I recommend water, a trail snack, and bug spray for when the attitude runs out. And maybe some nose plugs and hand sanitizer in case you have to use the vault toilet. But hey, at least there is a toilet! AmIright?

For my fisher wo/men, no boat, no problem. Fish from the dock.

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App-venture Time

My backroads buffs, I know sometimes you feel like adventurin', but you're tired of your regular spots. You might Google something like "places to hike near me", but Google just gives you the middle finger and sends you to Elephant Rocks again.
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If this sounds familiar, I NEED to remind you that the MO Outdoors app exists. This app lets you select filters for the activities you want to do (biking, birdwatching, camping, horseback riding, hiking, fishing, picnicking, rock climbing, and shooting). You can even filter for wheelchair accessible infrastructure and creature comforts, like a dock, boat ramp, parking lot, and a john.🚽

The app will not only provide you with a list of places where you can do the things you wanna do, but it will list them in order of proximity. SWOON.

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Local Hiking Extraordinaire

Everyone knows I am in a loving relationship with Southeast Missouri. It's Facebook official. But even a woman in a relationship can recognize a good-looking region. Southern Illinois is amazing, and it's within driving distance. Get ready to hear about it. Because I think we should be exploring it.

But you don't have to wait for me to talk about SOILL. If you don't already follow the OG, go follow Hiking with Shawn. His trail guides will knock your moisture-wicking socks right off. He's on YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram.

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UTV Rides - READER REQUEST

I've had a few readers request places to ride their UTV. (Thank you for reading and interacting! xoxo). If we trust the internet, St. Joe State Park looks like a good place to get started in the wonderful world of SXS off-roading in Southeast Missouri. Looks like a fun place to camp and spend the whole weekend, even. But if it's too far fer yuh, I've snuck a UTV event into the events section. *full disclosure, I have not personally visited this location to give it Backroad Weekly's full endorsement. Someone volunteer to be our scout.

Is this KFVS12 star still on the show or retired? Who do you think it is? Answer at the bottom of the newsletter. Jeff Cunningham Brian Alworth Bob Reeves Jim Burns

Day Tripping

Last week, we threw out suggestions for mead, lodge lunch, and ziplining. So this week, let's go into budget mode. How does $3 per vehicle + gas sound?

Destination: MINGO NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE. It’s more than that place you went once on a second-grade field trip. Though right now, you should know the marshes and wetlands are running low (summer heat’ll do that).

Let's assume you don't hike, bike, paddle, birdwatch, fish, hunt, forage, or ride horses (all of which Mingo offers), you can STILL spend a neat day outside the house. How? Visitor center, auto tour, overlooks, picnic dinner, and snapping pics.

Here's what I'd do:

• 7-9am (ish) - Ozark Highlands Auto Tour (17 miles) - Snake along the gravel roads of the refuge's forested uplands at 25mph max with the comfort of your car's AC. The earlier the better if you want wildlife: sunrise is prime time before the heat sends everything into hiding. Entry to the refuge is permitted as early as 30 minutes before sunrise. Live your Nat Geo photographer fantasy. I don’t care if you don’t have a PrOfEsSiOnAl camera. Take your phone and a pair of binoculars. The point is to have fun. Even if you don't see any critters, you'll enjoy pulling off at the signed detours to overlooks and lakes.
• Visitor Center - *Wednesdays and Fridays ONLY - It's small but mighty. If you come on an open day, pop in for the exhibits, shop, and a toilet that flushes. FANCY. Man, I'm talking about toilets a lot in this issue. 🤔
• Picnic - If you haven't already eaten your sandwich, there's a shaded picnic spot at the visitors center parking lot.
• Nature walk...if you dare - Not quite ready to call it a day? Mingo offers multiple trails of varying lengths, ranging from short strolls to longer loops. Just know, I've seen a snake every single visit, and I definitely wasn't looking for one. This is one place that is a little too snake-y for your long-winded publisher.

Go Here: Historic Stops

To even out last week's murderous river pirates, we'll bring this week's history section down a notch with something a little more mellow...like GHOSTS. Just kidding. Kind of...

According to the website, Cape Girardeau’s Glenn House is open Saturdays and Sundays from 1-4pm for tours at $5 per person. Best to call first.

Built in 1883, this restored late‑Victorian stunner turned museum gives you a peek into a local family's life back when life was much different. Case in point, there is an intricate wreath made of human hair. The things you'll do to pass the time when there's no wi-fi...

And if you're not that into history, architecture, hairy arts & crafts, or creaky floorboards - the Glenn House has more to offer. This is also a fun little tour if you identify with any member of the Addams family. The Glenn House's ghosts are famous, having made their television debut on A&E's Ghost Hunters in 2020.

Worth a Visit

Whether you go to the Glenn House for normal or paranormal reasons, if you're there on a Saturday, swing by Relish Sandwich Bar + Social Club for a bite and a cocktail. Closed on Sundays! It's like a retro brunch spot crash-landed in an art gallery. Cool, quirky, and cozy. I'm all about the vibes. Exposed brick n' shizz. But the food deserves the spotlight. It's refreshing to bite into a sandwich made with fresh ingredients. Sandwich fans, get on this.

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Feel-Good Fit Spot Part II (Sponsored)

Scott City’s Kopion Fitness specializes in small-group personal training. Translation: you get the energy of a group class, plus one-on-one attention from a trainer. Best of both barbells.

Here’s why I love small-group personal training: It’s more affordable than a straight-up personal trainer, but you still get someone watching your form. It's great for alleviating gym anxiety because you just do what the group does. I love to follow an instructor's routine instead of overthinking my own. Kopion’s small group classes include Yoga Flow, Dance, High-Intensity Cardio, Strength Training, Actively Aging, and the new Kopion Kombat. OPTIONS.

But if you like managing your workouts, there are a lot of fun gadgets and spaces to explore, like a group training room, a 60-foot turf zone for sleds, agility drills, and circuits, and a heavy lifting room affectionately called The Dungeon. 🤘⚔️
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The equipment? Top-tier. The vibe? Friendly and non-intimidating. The bathrooms? Have showers and lockers, obviously. And that's the fourth time I've mentioned a bathroom in one issue.

💪 Learn more · 📞 (573) 576 6665

*This is a sponsored slot, but it’s also a true testimonial. My opinions and experiences are my own.

Find Your People

​Picture Painting with Oils, Sikeston, MO. Every Wednesday, 5:30-9pm, through November, join local artist Ellen Hahs at Malone Park Center for the Arts for oil painting lessons. Classes are $10 each and open to ages 16+. ALL SKILL LEVELS WELCOME. Call 573-986-8243 for the supply list. You might find out you're some kind of oil painting savant. And even if you totally suck, you'll (probably) get better with practice (and might make a new cool artist friend that wears a beret and vapes).

OR

Ladies, make new friends while you learn about whiskey in Alto Pass, IL.

Or both.

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Help Out & Pitch In - READER REQUEST

Volunteer with the Perry County chapter of Sleep in Heavenly Peace to build and deliver brand‑new beds to local kids in need. Check the website and/or the Facebook page for info on how you can contribute. A big shoutout to Terri J for submitting the request. ❤️

*I have not participated in any of the gatherings in this week's 'Community Connection' section. Let us know if you go and what you think.

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.

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This Weekend’s Happenings

Friday, Aug 15

​Chaffee German Days (Day 1), Chaffee, MO - Is there anything more classically Americana than a small-town festival like Chaffee’s German Days? Opening night brings food, local vendors, and games.

​Music for the Mind Festival (Day 1), Lake Wappapello, MO - How often do you groove for no reason at all? This Friday, groove for a cause. Proceeds support mental wellness in Southeast Missouri.

​Cape Ballroom Dance with Latin Cha Cha Lesson, Cape Girardeau, MO - Add some Cuban flair to your Friday night. Just $5 will get you moving tu trasero (that means 'your butt').

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Sat, Aug 16

​Chaffee German Days (Day 2), Chaffee, MO - 3 words: WIENER DOG RACES. That's reason enough, but I'll say more: a mud race, a stein holding competition, a German band, a kids tractor pull, and a dog costume contest. Don't forget you got Lake Tywappity nearby, and you can finish the night at the drive-in theater. Make a freakin' day of it. Prost!!!

​SXS and Jeep Benefit Ride, Marble Hill, MO - Get the UTV out for a social ride. Proceeds help a local man raise funds for a prosthetic hand.

​Yak 'N Run, Perryville, MO - Head over to Perry County Lake in the morning to watch racers kayak and then race on foot. For my last-minute adventurers, you might see if it's not too late to join 'em! Fortune favors the bold.

​Cherry & Jerry Ragtime & 20s Blues, Cape Girardeau, MO - A free ragtime concert by a couple of St. Louisians. Not an opportunity that comes up every day.

​Music for the Mind Festival (Day 2), Lake Wappapello, MO - Enjoy groovy tunes knowing the funds raised support families who’ve experienced trauma or mental illness.

​Laid Back on I-55 Truck Show (Day 2), Perryville, MO - More than 100 semitrucks will be showcased and paraded. CONVOOOY at 5pm.

​Marybeth Byrd Live at Apple Creek Winery, Friedheim, MO - You may have seen this young Arkansas performer on American Idol or The Voice. She's gracing a local stage with her mix of country, gospel, and pop.

​CGMO Rock Show, Cape Girardeau, MO - "Dear publisher...Groovy music? Ragtime? Country? WTF? Where's the hard stuff?" ⬅️ If this is you, let me propose the CGMO Rock Show. 🤘💀🎸🔥

​Woofstock, Cape Girardeau, MO - It's a good Saturday to love music, gang. You can pick from all kinds of genres and causes. Grab a drink and bob your head to some tunes at Hunter Valley Winery to raise money for Southeast Missouri Pets.

​Saturday Outdoor Flea Market, Sikeston, MO - Maybe your kind of adventure is the bargain hunt. Set up and sell, or go and shop.

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Sun, Aug 17

​Heartland Writers Guild Meeting, Cape Girardeau, MO - Got a book in you? Don't be embarrassed if it's a steamy romance. You can just lie and say it's historical fiction. Anyone interested in writing and getting published is invited to attend.

​Kellerman Concerts presents Kent Burnside, Cape Girardeau, MO - Southeast MO is all over the music spectrum this weekend, so why not the blues, too?

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Plan Ahead
The Fun You Can't Improvise

​Pawpaw Pickin', Cape Girardeau, MO - Forage like your forebears...minus the cholera. And hang out with MO Department of Conservation MVPs. Register while there's still space. As usual, details in the link.

​Float the Mississippi River, Cape Girardeau, MO - File this under 'unforgettable life experience'. Seasoned paddlers and Huckleberry Finn only.

​Harvest Moon Paddle, Ullin, IL - You remember the full moon swamp paddle I wouldn't shut up about last issue? The next one is on September 6th, which is also the weekend of Cache River Days, Ullin's yearly festival. Use the promo code CacheRiverDays25 for 15% off Cache Bayou Outfitters tours that whole weekend. I'm already signed up for the night paddle.

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*With so much going on, we can’t include everything. We hand-select a few picks that match the mission, trying to include events from all over the area. We wanna get you exploring towns you don’t usually visit. If you’re looking for more, here are some event sources that aren’t the dark abyss of Facebook: The Southeast Missourian, Riverside Regional Library, the Missouri Department of Conservation, The Scout, KFVS12, Southern Illinois Tourism, Illinois Department of Natural Resources, and Southernmostillinois.com.

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'GUESS THE LOCAL CELEB' ANSWER: BRIAN ALWORTH

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Welp, (*slaps knees), we better get goin'.

Caitlan Hester
Publisher, Backroad Weekly
​Southeast Missouri's Unofficial Cheerleader