Wild About Harry

Enjoying a beer the afternoon after we arrived in Independence. We're in the back of the truck because it's raining outside. Left to right, Russ, me, and Gary.

September 25, 2013. Lexington, MO., Wentworth Military Academy. This has been a strange day. We began in Independence. After yesterday's drizzle, we were glad the sun came up and quickly chased away the ground fog and chill. As promised, we toured Harry Truman’s House on Delaware Street. It’s a large Victorian, but one of the most striking things about what it says about the man. When he left the White House, President Truman had no pension, no secret service protection and no home of his own. So he and Bess went back to their old home, which happened to be owned by Harry’s mother-in-law who never really thought Harry measured up to his daughter, though being President did help. The Trumans did not believe in renovation and pretty much left the 150 year-old as is. The original linoleum is on the kitchen floor, stapled together in sections. The room is painted green. There is a food processor which looks identical to the one I have, bequeathed from my grandmother. My favorite room was his study, which consisted of two comfortable chairs, surrounded by built-in bookshelves stuffed with books.

The Truman House

We finished off our tribute to President Truman with a visit to his presidential library. He and Bess are buried in a courtyard at the library, which through displays and mementos describes his life and his presidency.

It was after 11 am when we finally hit the road, about three hours behind the rest of the group. We only had 47 miles to cover today. Missouri has hills, bigger ones than Kansas. Gone are the wide-open spaces. They have been replaced by rolling countryside with thick woods, then smaller farms. Russ said he saw a Cardinal. Up and down we went through the countryside, We made a short visit at Fort Osage, which was established in the 1820s when Missouri was being settled and after the Osage Indians had been removed (remember Bad Deal # 1, yeah I’m talking about you Foolish Man).  To make up lost time, we stuck to US 24 which had a nice wide shoulder. Unfortunately, it was littered with so many dead animals that we lost track. Too bad I discontinued the road kill statistic.

Wentworth cadets at attention before evening mess.

Marching to mess.

We pulled into Wentworth Military Academy (the Red Dragons) shortly after 4 pm. The academy, like just about everything else around here has been around for more than 100 years. It currently is a combined high school and community college. It appears to be a fine place to go to school if want to wear a military uniform and march to your meals. But the cadets are exceedingly polite. I’ve been called “sir” so many times I’m beginning to think I’ve been knighted. (I think I should be knighted after I complete this trip, come to think of it.)  Soon after arriving we were whisked away on a bus tour of the town. Our guide, a former faculty member, told us a third of the students want to be here, a third are indifferent, and a third would bolt if they had the chance. The academy more or less is a prep school for the military academies, at least for those that don’t wash out. The school does seem to be attracting students from China, whose parents are more than willing to fork over the $40,000 a year in tuition. These students may be keeping the school afloat financially. And it is coed. In fact, I am writing this from the bleachers of the gym where the Red Dragon women’s volleyball team is taking on Graceland, which perhaps is a college founded by Elvis Presley (well, I don’t know. I’m doing this without notes!).

Lexington itself is full of very old, big houses, most of which appear to be falling apart. A few of them have been restored and they are quite beautiful, hints of the antebellum south show through the white columns and dilapidated carriage houses. Most of the stores downtown are vacant. Some fall down occasionally. The town’s population has shrunk from 6,000 to 4,000. The biggest new development in years was the recent opening of a Dollar General Store. When asked what it would take to revive the place, our guide just shrugged, he didn’t know what the answer to revival was.

We got only two more ride days left. I’m hoping the Bianchi hangs on. I hope I hang on. Just a little less than a 100 miles to go and this thing will be in the bag.

Stats: 48 miles or thereabouts.