Missouri Fast Facts Named after the Missouri Indian tribe, "Missouri" means "town of the large canoes". Capital: Jefferson City Largest City: Kansas City Land Area: 69,697 km² Population: 5.7mill   Biker road rules Helmet required   Overnight Stops Lebanon Weather Forecast Kansas city, Missouri

“Show Me State” A name attributed to Representative Willard Van Diver. It conotates a certain self-deprecating stubbornness and devotion to simple common sense.

Crossing the Mississippi, we can see ‘the Gateway Arch’ in the distance -recognized as ‘the spirit of the Western Pioneers’. After the bridge we will continue on I-44 (towards Tulsa, Oklahoma) and make a pit stop to fill up our tanks.

The Gateway Arch in St. Louis

We are riding the very idyllic narrow road leading to the Meramec Caverns to have lunch. The Caverns are renowned for stalactite formations and they were rumored to be the hiding place of Jesse James and his gang. They serve a nice lunch and quite content after our meal, we again mount our bikes and continue our journey on Route 66.

The rolling Missouri landscape, famous for its fertile land and wine district.

Our travel takes us through the small towns of Bourbon and Cuba leading to Rosati - we stop to visit a vineyard where our passengers can enjoy sampling the production. We can purchase a couple of bottles to enjoy while lounging around the pool at Munger Moss this evening.

Provided that the Route 66 Motors is still open - we will stop by to visit. Here you will find many great specimens of 1950’s American automobiles for sale, and a small souvenir shop. The shop is so small that the owner is required by law to allow no more than 6 people in at the time. He stands by the door, counting and enforcing, his wife is behind the counter inside. Route 66 Motors is genuine and delightful.

Devil's Elbow

For the next half hour we follow I-44 through Rolla where we again get onto Route 66. This is the first 2-lane part of Route 66 in Missouri, passing through Hookers Cut towards Devil’s Elbow. Hooker’s Cut was, in its time, the deepest pass ever blasted through a mountain to accommodate the construction of a road. Devil’s Elbow is a 90-degree bend in a river used to float timber. The bend caused a lot of grief for the lumbermen - there by the name Devil’s Elbow.

Today we visit Elbow Inn - a biker bar - by the river. The bar is always buzzing by early afternoon and we are given a warm welcome. We take a break and enjoy some refreshments before embarking on the last half hour run to Munger Moss Motel.

Munger Moss Hotel in Lebanon

We top up our tanks 200 yards from Munger Moss knowing that we will have an early start tomorrow. Ramona and Bob are out to welcome us to one of the most charming Mom and Pop motels along the Mother Road. We feel like very special guests at Munger Moss. After unloading, we congregate poolside; this evening we will order in pizza, from the neighboring bowling alley, and stay by the pool enjoying the food and sharing experiences of our day.

There is no breakfast service at Munger Moss, but right down the street you will find a café that makes a great morning meal. At 0745am we wave goodbye to Bob and Ramona and head for downtown Lebanon where the Route 66 Museum is situated. (For which Ramona was one of the instigators).

Missouri countryside

Leaving Lebanon we ride Route 66 though some of the most beautiful countryside on the whole trip. It is important to know your way around here - Route 66 is not very well signposted, and is marked as Highway W, OO or ZZ.
After a little over an hour, we take a breather before embarking on I-44 to make up road time rolling through Springfield onwards towards the boarder of Kansas.