River Run Park business is booming!

Starting around April 1, River Run Park opened for business and this Easter Sunday most of the available RV slots were filled! Space was a premium issue early on this season as some sites seem to be experiencing power problems and have remained closed.

After twenty-eight days of warmer than normal temperatures, this weekend began with light showers following on the heels of a cool front that brought things back down to seasonal levels. By Sunday overnight temperatures had fallen into the fifties with daytime highs reaching a comfortable 70F.

I wasn't able to locate the park attendant on any of my stops at the park although there is a trailer parked next to the attendant office. I'm also guessing that the rates to camp in this park will be about the same as last season - $18 per night if I remember correctly. That prices afford electricity, water, trash and bathrooms that are complete with showers. Campsites are available on a first come first serve basis. Additionally, if this park happens to be filled up, there is another right across the river that sports similar amenities.

Within just a couple of miles of both parks is a convenience store by the name of Park Place that can supply all needed supplies including food and liquor. While I'm not sure of their hours, they can be reached at (417) 546-5845 to request information.

I was amazed at how good the park looks in spite of it being inundated with flood waters for most of last year. Some of the most notable damage that can still be seen are trees that have died and still litter the area with dead limbs. Yet, on the whole, workers have done a fantastic job in bringing the parks infrastructure back into pristine shape!

Where can I get a good order of fries in Forsyth Missouri?

In my small town of Forsyth Missouri, there are quite a few eateries that serve the ever popular French fry. Of these, McDonald’s, located next to the Country Mart, is pretty much king of the hill when it comes to serving what a good fry should be; salty, crisp, light and not greasy! Sadly, this is not the case at some of the other venues whose real names shall not be mentioned here. Instead, I’ll use fake names. Take a restaurant named Charliuky’s for instance. A this location, the fries are allowed to sit and soak up as much grease as possible prior to serving. The end result is a greasy limp mess that likes to stick to the plate and must be pried off. (This kind of fry abuse is also practiced by Ronics and to a lesser extent Fat Diddlies).

At the opposite end of the fry spectrum is a burger and beer joint on Highway 160 known as the Frosted Mug. Their fries are coated and come out of the hot oil even crispier than those offered by Macs. They are tasty and sell for about $2 if I remember correctly.

So, if you want some good fries and wouldn’t be caught dead at Macs, then give the Mug a shot!

Update: April 17 - Charlie's just down the road across from City Hall in Forsyth has also upgraded their fries.

God's gift to man...that we might soar!

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A hot air balloon launch from a nearby park prompted this bit of poor prose. Still, it's inspiring to watch us tiny creatures climb into the sky! I sure hope we are up to the task of caring and nurturing for all the life that depends on what we do. View the short video here!

Air Evac Lifeteam to the rescue!

Air Evac team lifting off

 Parks are useful in ways that I hadn't considered before. They can also be used as Landing Zones for the Air Evac Lifeteam of helicopters that can speed critically injured people quickly to distant Trauma Centers like Saint Johns in Springfield Missouri when time is of the essence! That was the case on an otherwise quiet evening at River Run. Apparently some unfortunate person wrecked their car out on O Highway and sustained life threatening injuries that required the services of Air Evac.  A fast response service of Men and women who can be dispatched on a moments notice.  These skilled pilots and Emt's are able to land their crafts in dark locations, thereby putting themselves at risk in doing so. My hat is off to these brave individuals who, along with the First Responders and emergency personnel, form the front line of help when tragedy strikes.

Lita Bita This N That has relocated!

Ginger Davidson (owner/operator) greets customers

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Forsyth Mo. - Located just across the street from the popular Save A Lot grocery store, in the business district of Forsyth Missouri, you will find a really neat shop that is just brimming with all sorts of interesting collectibles. Having recently opened under the able management and ownership of Ginger Davidson, ‘Lita Bita This N That’ located at 113 Main in the Business District, hosted a Grand Opening on Saturday, April the 28^th! I understand that it went very well and attracted many new customers.Regular store hours are from 9AM to 5 PM Tuesday through Saturday.

 If you have questions or inquiries, you can reach Ginger at 417-251-1931 during regular business hours.

Update: This flea market has relocated to what used to be the Bait shop across from the Prime Time service station. 

Pictures and more to come!

March 2012 River Run Update

Forsyth, Mo. - God willing and the creek don’t rise, River Run looks to be in good shape for the spring and summer season of 2012. After heavy rains occurred over a four day period that dumped anywhere from four to five and more inches, the river system looks good to go. As you can see, there are quite a few fishermen out on the water when I took these pictures on Sunday, March 25, 2012. I haven’t heard how the fishing has been, but I am guessing it’s pretty decent since this part of the river was flooded out most of last year.

The Park Attendant station has been setup, but I haven’t seen anyone manning it yet. Likewise the electricity and water are still shut off until the season opens in April. However, as you can see the RV sites look to be in good shape and ready for some folks to come down and use them! I’ll try and do a post at this blog when I see that things are running.

Branson Missouri sustains damage from storm! Injuries reported!

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Prelim – Branson Missouri - An early morning storm that brought high winds and a possible tornado raced down the 'Strip' on Highway 76 in Branson Wednesday early morning when most people were asleep in their beds.

Early reports of damage included the Legends Theater and an unnamed hotel located on Gretna Road that preliminary reports indicate may have partially collapsed. There were also sketchy reports that the iconic Candlestick Restaurant may have suffered some damage from the storm while another popular restaurant on the strip named Charlie's Steak and Ale incurred a broken water main. Emergency crews also reported many trees and power-lines were down across area roads which may complicate the morning commute.

One later report indicated some damage to homes in the Powersite area, while Forsyth and Rockaway Beach seem to have weathered the storm rather well with only minor damage reported.

As the sun came up on Wednesday morning, police had closed of Highway 76 also known as the 'Strip' along its entire length.One police report indicated that barricades have been ordered. If true, then early reports of extensive damage may prove true. Here s some early footage of the damage via OzarksFirst! I also submitted a short You Tube Video on this event!