In 2023 I FINALLY went back to Missouri for the first time since 2006! As I write this in 2026, I still can’t believe it had been 17 years since I went back “home.” Since then I’ve lived in Montana, Colorado, Oregon, and Washington (as well as 3+ months in Texas and Hawaii), so it sure feels like LIFETIMES ago when I lived there. Back in 1990s, floating rivers and caving were my two primary avocations (and drinking, lots of drinking).
When I got off the plane it was too late to drive to Columbia so I went to the party district of Westport in KC – another place I hadn’t been since the mid-90s. Cray cray! Later that night I drove to a rest stop and camped in the car. In the morning I drove through Concordia, MO, which looks like it is stuck in the distant past. So many things hadn’t changed AT ALL since I was a kid. It was like the fucking Twilight Zone in sooooo many ways. Here’s some photos from the trip!
MCI airport Boulevard Brewing HefeweitzenWestport KCConcordia MO mural (so white!)Note it’s all white people, no Indians About sums up Concordia STILL a motorcycle on the porch!! Jesse Hall where I saw Sam Kinison perform A CoMO staple, super mid Hasn’t changed in 30 years!! OMG the stories!! Chuck Berry, Bodycount/Ice-T, Flaming Lips, etcSweet street art on 9th Booches where my gf called me from and I said “we don’t have money to drink,” and she said “Indont need money to drink!” Shakespeare’s Pizza toilet roll is a lil much What Shakey’s looked like when it was cool Didn’t wash hands alarm!! Been there 30 years!!! University Hall on UM campus Wolpers Hall, my first dormGraham Hall was identical and was to the right of this one University Hospital wheee I cut my teeth in cardiac ultrasound I did mouth to mouth on a dying person in this circle drive (he lived!!) Capen Park where I learned to rappel and SRT Church St house in Ashland, my first memories and where I put Mike in a suitcase 105 W Johnson where I lived until 4th grade. I have so many memories here That’s the porch that I used to talk to the 94-year old when I was 5! GOATS!! A walk in Matt and Heather’s 14 acres Dio is re-DONKGoat walk!! Ozark Mtn Biscuit Co Matt’s enviable shop I love DIO!! I checked out in this Cessna 172 hoping to fly Matt over his house! Sadly, it went out of service and I couldn’t fly it after the checkout!!
Next we went to float Courtois Creek, then after returning to CoMO, the following:
Matt’s Music Tech badge. We drove him to school and back, a great adventure itself Bonkers to think I signed this over FORTY YEARS AGO More white people lol This house is OLLLLLLDDDDMatt and Heathers sweet house Pele is Heather’s dog and is such a sweetheart! After the T-storm! Rutherford Bridge Cedar Creek from Devil’s backboneLimestone bluffs Cedar Creek has nearly cut through the ridge and would likely have done so by now if there was more flow Bridge 641 (what’s the name again Matt?) which would be our take out on our Cedar Creek float in April 2026 How it looked 30 years ago as well! Arrowheads found by Matt, most/all on their property! Hand carved spoons and stuff! 😍Jennie’s “office” at the winery Where Tarek Devkota opened The BASment in the 90s and then promptly closed because he had too many fitness he didn’t make pay! Cafe Berlin is SO GOODDamn it Dio, quit being SO CUTE!House mouser I love Matt’s smile in this one and didn’t notice this photo until 2026! 603 S Oak, California, MO where I lived in high school, long torn down. Willy’s, where both Matt and Mike worked, is just down the street. This scene hasn’t changed in THIRTY YEARSFormer restaurant where Matt, Sean, and Ryl Ashley worked The Pizza Hut I worked at in high school The site of the “Burning down the house” party
In 2026, I would surprise Matt in April on his birthday and Katt and I would come back and float the Current River in August!
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