Taum Sauk Mountain, Missouri

Our sleep was fantastic.  The odometer from yesterday's drive said 888.8 miles.  I did that (minus Alex's 30 or so miles near Mount Sunflower) on 4 hours of sleep.  I slept the sleep of the bone weary, mind-numbed but happy for our adventures.  Today was to be even greater than a really great yesterday.

We drove through hilly, forested, cool for July Missouri, passing the quintessential quaintness of old villages converted to bed and breakfasts and antique stores.  Alex became the high point navigator for the first time, reading from our guidebooks as we approached. Ironton and Arcadia, then turned onto the Taum Sauk State Park road. A few miles later we pulled into the spacious parking lot to... emptiness.  How could it be that on July 3rd, the day before the holiday, we were the only car visiting the highest point in Missouri? Inconceivable, but true.  We strolled though the forest to the spot, and... no sign.  A granite marker in the ground instead.  This makes for creative photo taking, and we had to lie on our backs and selfie with the marker between our heads.  Of course this was silly, which caused us to laugh and made for a great pic.  

My eighteenth and Alex's ninth high point.