Rafting the Mississippi

The days were getting warmer when I got a call from a good friend alerting me that an adventurous soul was about to experience the dream of every American river rat. He’d built a raft, and was looking for crew … Read More

Kingdom Come

It was 10 p.m. when I reached Kingdom City. Fresh water filled a labyrinth of potholes in the parking lot of the Iron Skillet Truck Stop. The depositor, a monstrous thunderstorm, fled the scene, churning east down the highway, framing … Read More

Erifnus Caitnop

So I set out to feel every crack in Missouri’s pavement. As with all stories – and symphonies and carnal acts – it was an uneven ride. Although a dozen friends and a handful of reporters rode with me on … Read More

I drove all the roads

The map called out the names; I traced the stories. Every fold in the Ozarks, every bend in the rivers, every drive down the main drag in 700 towns reminded me that even as my map sets the stage, it … Read More

A Tsunami with Joplin Winds

Scary spectre: “Stronger than Wilma, Katrina, Rita, Andrew. And it could become the strongest hurricane ever on the planet to make landfall when it hits tonight somewhere south of Puerto Vallarta.” Near its path, half a million people live or … Read More

Missouri Travel Crew Wins Emmy

John Drake Robinson with Emmy Award

John Robinson and his car have driven every mile of every road on the Missouri state highway map. He’s written two books about their adventures, and now a web series highlighting their discoveries has won an Emmy. Finding Wild Missouri … Read More

St. Louis: Birthplace of Fast Food

Man of Many Miles

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

Missouri Life and Death

King of the Road

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

Book Goes National

Got My Camo On

Well, that’s a stretch. Yes, people all over the world can buy it, although a California reader who saw the story about my travels, “One man’s quest to see Missouri, mile by mile” by Tom Uhlenbrock, in USA Today wondered … Read More

Past CDT Articles about My Book

A Road Trip Into America's Hidden Heart

The Columbia Daily Tribune has published a couple articles about my journey over the years. “Man explores state one road at a time” was originally written for the St. Louis Post Dispatch by Tom Uhlenbrock in 2009. “Road Warrior” by … Read More