“Mighty Confluence” has been nominated for an Emmy. It’s the first of a series of short films following Erifnus and me as we drive every mile of every road on the Missouri state highway map. The nominated episode, one of … Read More
St. Louis: Birthplace of Fast Food
More than any other spot on earth, St. Louis is the birthplace of fast food. In terms of speed and convenience, St. Louis has made the single biggest impact on your gastrointestinal tract since cave people first burned meat, more … Read More
She’s outlived a good many of us
I couldn’t find her on Facebook. Texting’s not an option. I’m not sure she even has a cell phone. I don’t have her number. But I do know this: Mildred Leaver just turned 108 years old this month. She was … Read More
O Danny Boy…
Daniel O’Dwyer would approve of new Pope Francis, I suspect. I have no way of knowing for sure, since Daniel O’Dwyer, my great grandfather, died eleven popes ago, shortly after the long reign of Pope Pius IX. Pius excommunicated Daniel … Read More
Yule Tied Hideout
The trout got plenty of attention. They always do on the first day of March. It happened suddenly. In the predawn, an armada of hip waders invaded their winter waterland. Pretty gifts dropped from the sky, tasty looking flies that … Read More
The Graduate
It took all I had to get him to graduation day. Many families feel the same. You work. You worry. You save. You coach and encourage. You pray. And when they graduate, a very big part of you walks across … Read More
I Can’t Get These Names to Stick
Some roads evoke emotion, like the Trail of Tears through Belleview, Boss and Bixby. And some roads evoke wonder, like the Scenic Byway along Crowley’s Ridge. Traveling every Missouri road, I gave some personal nicknames to a few pathways. Winding … Read More
My Favorite Road
One of the most legendary highways on Earth unfolds over 300 Missouri miles, and bears a name that’s the highest tribute ever bestowed a route: the Mother Road. But it’s a mother with multiple personalities. Before it bore children west, … Read More
Missouri Life and Death
The King of the Road series went dormant after a nice five-year run, and Erifnus and I rode into the sunset. But lately, I happily agreed to start writing features for the magazine from time to time…just took an assignment … Read More