Wanderlust: In Search of Samuel Clemens, Purple Martins and Mormons

Truth be told, I needed another shirt. My last Mark Twain T-shirt had become permanently stained by an unknown crusty substance (no doubt the work of some laundry gremlin), so I did the logical thing. I packed up my motorcycle and headed for Hannibal, Mo., boyhood home of one Samuel Langhorne Clemens, better known as Mark Twain.

Hannibal is located roughly 265 miles from Plainfield, an ideal distance for a weekend road trip, whether by motorcycle or the family minivan. A great fan of Mark Twain, his life and works, I have visited Hannibal half a dozen times over the past 40 years – first in my youth, dragged there by well-meaning adults, and later as an adult, sometimes dragging my own offspring along.

If your children have read The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and/or The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, a visit to Hannibal may give greater meaning to these works in ways an American literature teacher may not.

It is one thing to read about life in a small southern river town of the 1800s and quite another to see that town and tour its historic buildings. To walk from the actual boyhood home of Sam Clemens down to the banks of the mighty Mississippi River. To tour the local cave in which Tom Sawyer and Becky Thatcher happened upon the fugitive Injun Joe.

No kids? No problem. Go anyway and experience these things for your self.

The quickest way to Hannibal from Plainfield is to take Interstate 55 down to Springfield and then follow Interstate 72 west. Depending upon traffic, how fast you drive and how many stops you make along the way, the trip out via this route should take a little over four hours. If you have time and would like to see something unusual, take exit No. 35 off of I-72 and check out Griggsville, Ill., self-proclaimed “Purple Martin Capital of the Nation.”

I found my way to this relatively small rural community by accident. I was running low on fuel and feared I might not make it all the way to Hannibal. There I found not only my choice of gas stations, but also the largest Purple Martin condo towers I have ever seen. If you are into such curiosities, it may be worth the time and few extra miles to stop there.

Hannibal offers a variety of places to eat, sleep and shop. Rather than inventory them here, I urge you to investigate the possibilities for yourself at www.visithannibal.com. As Hannibal is a popular stop for travelers, you should probably reserve your lodging in advance.

Things you must do while in Hannibal: Tour Mark Twain’s Boyhood Home, now part of a complex of buildings. Check out the shops in “downtown” Hannibal, including the Museum Shop. A personal favorite of mine is the Native American Trading Company (see www.nativeamericantrading.com). Drive up to any of several scenic overlooks above the community. If you are a real fan of Mark Twain and time allows, drive out to nearby Florida, Mo., and see the humble birthplace of Sam Clemens.

The beauty of our Interstate Highway System is that it allows us to move from point A to point B more quickly than we otherwise could, construction and rush hour issues aside. The trade-off is that in taking these routes, we miss an awful lot of America that is worth experiencing.

I took the quick way out to Hannibal, so I was determined to take a less hurried path back. In this regard, you have numerous options. I chose to follow the Mississippi River, first on the Missouri side – up to Keokuk, Iowa – and then on the Illinois side.

Regardless of what vehicle you take, I implore you to check out Illinois Route 96 from Hamilton, Ill. (across the river from Keokuk) to historic Nauvoo, Ill. This is a very scenic stretch of road that closely follows the Mississippi. The mild elevation changes and curves are an absolute delight for motorcyclists like myself, but everybody will appreciate the scenery. To this end, there are many scenic turn-outs to pull off at along the way.

Nauvoo is itself historically significant as a community established by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons). Here again you will find historic buildings to tour, though due to time constraints, I was unable to do so. Regardless, Nauvoo is a very beautiful place that you can only see by traveling well off the interstate highways. Check it out. For more info, see www.historicnauvoo.net.

By definition, a weekend road trip has time limitations. Most of us must return home in time to get ready for Monday. Some see this as a bad thing. To me it’s largely a matter of perspective.

Surely you could view your work as a necessary interruption of journeys such as I have described here. On the other hand, you might also recognize your profession – whatever that may be – as the means to such journeys.

Until next time, travel safe!