Southern Hiker.com

As most of you are probably aware by now, six months ago 3 hikers, Shane Bauer, Sarah Shourd and Josh Fattal, were arrested while hiking in Northern Iraq for allegedly crossing over the Iranian border. Iran has continued to hold these 3 hikers in prison, and refuses to release them or adhere to any international standards for treatment or criminal charges.

Regardless of your beliefs in whether or not these hikers had any business hiking in this region, we as Americans should support our fellow Americans and encourage our elected leaders to get involved in this situation to help.

Hiking is a freedom we should be able to enjoy without fear of detainment. I can’t imagine hiking in Texas, and being detained for accidentally crossing over the Mexican border, or hiking up North and being accused of spying on Canada. Iran is a paranoid country with tyrannical leadership. At worst these hikers should have received nothing more than a slap on the wrist, but Iran has instead made them part of a political statement, rather than act humanely.

News from recent Belgian tourists released from Iran indicate that these hikers are not only being held in prison, but are being held in deplorable conditions, and are likely being kept in solitary confinement for the duration of their detainment. These actions are in violation of numerous international laws regarding the treatment of “criminals.”

I encourage all of you to write your elected officials today, and ask for their invovlement. We need to try to get our fellow American hikers released and back to their families as soon as possible.

Until then, we should be praying for them and their families, and hoping that Iran will demonstrate some compassion for innocent human life, despite their deranged political agenda.

After seeing the capital we completed our day long exploration of Missouri by heading west to Kansas City for some of the best barbeque I have ever tasted.

Being a southerner raised in a Barbeque Shack, I must say that I am very proud of the south’s pork cooking traditions. I have tasted Barbeque in nearly 30 states at countless locations, and have never found a place that beats some of my favorite Georgia barbeques. That is why it is so difficult for me to say this, but a new winner has emerged for best barbeque and it is not in the southeast.

Arthur Bryant’s Barbeque is world famous, and frankly the only thing I found worth seeing in Kansas City. This restaurant is understated to say the least. It looks like a hole in the wall in a seedy part of town. Inside though, the sandwiches are piled high with pork on white loaf bread and covered with some of the best sauce I have ever tasted. Prices are decent (around $7 for sandwich and fries), but quantity and quality could easily justify higher prices.

Arthur Bryant’s Barbeque

1727 Brooklyn Avenue
Kansas City, MO

Finally, after trekking across the state and filling our bellies, we wondered around Kansas City for any last sights to see before bedding down near St. Joseph, Missouri, the home of Jesse James and the Pony Express.

Day 2 was exhausting, we had driven clear across the width of Missouri, taken on 3 towns, went up in the Gateway , Arch, saw the Clydesdales and drank free beer at the Anheuser Busch factory, the Missouri State Capitol Building, and had the best barbeque I had ever tasted. It was quite an exhausting day, and a hotel bed was a well deserved treat.

The road to Jefferson City is only a couple of hours from St. Louis, but the road is flat, and the terrain is different than anything I’ve seen on the east coast. On this road, I first begin seeing flat green land with only the occasional, very small hill.


As for the Capitol in Jefferson City, we discovered why USA Today rated it the most beautiful capitol on the inside, which is not to detract from its beauty on the outside.

Tours of the Capitol are offered for free Monday through Saturday.

The Capitol exterior of the building sits above the Missouri River, and at the top of its dome is 238 feet tall. In addition to the intricate freizes surrounding the top of the building, two massive bronze statutes representing the Mississippi River and Missouri River, as well as a statute of Thomas Jefferson due to his role in the Louisiana Purchase. The 3 acre complex located in downtown Jefferson City is worth exploring without the building, as it also contains some beautiful fountains, war memorials, and other Greek statuary.

Inside the building is even more magnificent. As we entered under one of the exterior staircases, we were immediately greeted with large columns

One of the Capitol’s most famous paintings is actually a room itself. The walls of the former House of Representatives Lounge are an elaborate, colorful mural on the “Social History of Missouri.” This mural by Thomas Benton wraps around the room with real and ficticous persons important to Missouri, as well as the the key economic industries which have historically sustained Missouri. Completed in 1935, Benton not only included the likes of Huckleberry Finn and Missouri’s major rivers, he also included the more controversial images of Jesse James and slavery’s role in Missouri history.

After visiting this room on the tour, head up to the third floor and take a look at Missouri’s numerous bronze busts of famous Missourians.

Finally, before departing, head to the center of the capitol and see the decorative dome nearly 300 feet above containing an ornate 4500 pound chandelier.

After walking the grounds outside of the capitol, we left Jefferson City for Kansas City Bar-B-Que

Fort Payne, Alabama

Distance: Approximately 5.0 miles.
Difficult: Easy

While I missed out on the opportunity to ski in our wonderful wintry weather, I did get to see enjoy the weather with a nice hike.

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I was riding by the Little River Canyon Falls this past Saturday after some wintry weather. The falls had lots of icicles, and looked really cool. By the way, the temperature was around 17 degrees Farenheit. I wish I could have gotten down to the falls view, but the trail was way too icy to be safe, not that walking along an icy bridge path was much safer with traffic.