Eminence, MO – I have landed in the Ozarks, in a little town called Eminence, Missouri.  This area is known for it’s tourism bringing thousands of visitors per year to take part in river excursions, horse trial rides, and beautiful mountain road for the avid biker.

That’s why I’m here.

I’ve landed at the River’s Edge Resort that sits on the Jack’s Fork of the Current River.  It’s breath-taking.  My quarters are in a rustic old motel that fronts the river, wth a balcony that stares out at the beautiful trees and the flowing waters of the river.

I left Clarksville at about 7:00am and arrived at 2:30pm this afternoon, taking some interstate, but mostly traveling on the back roads of Kentucky and Missouri.  Primarily highway 60-W.  Most of the trip was pretty boring with flat, desolate highway, and very little traffic, but once I got in the country, things started turning green and the hills just rolled and rolled.

Echo Bluff State Park

Eminence is a town of 600 and is depended on tourism dollars and from the people I spoke with today, it’s been a VERY good year.  It’s a very family friendly environment with restaurants and neighboring city’s for shopping.  It has a feel of Elkton, KY, or Russelville KY if you’ve been there.

After unpacking, I took a ride down the infamous highway 19 which offers some of the most beautiful tree lined roads for bikers I’ve ever seen.  Twists and turns and hills and valleys, it was a beautiful end to a rather boring day on the road.

I ventured into Echo Bluff State Park and what a beauty!

Mountain top condos, a huge camping facility, boating, pavilions, skeet range, and horses. It really is a beautiful park.

Camping is available, cook-outs, canoeing, tubing, fishing, and more importantly, beautiful mountain roads to ride.

I’m being hosted by Alan and Lynet Peters who own the River’s Edge and they are delightful people.  I’m also here during the slow time of the week, so it’s not so crowded or noisy, but just wait until this Labor Day weekend!

River’s Edge Resort

I’m also told that this is a very popular spot for bicyclists.  There are many magnificent bike trails that people come from miles and miles to ride

My first impression is that this is a very cool place, thriving on the river and providing a tremendous family getaway.

Tomorrow, I take off on a few of the more scenic motorcycle trails and I can’t wait.  But first, a good night’s sleep.