(Sub)Urban Walk #6: 32 25 Miles in the EJC (My First Failure)
On Saturday, July 22, I set out for my most ambitious walk yet, a 32 mile loop through Eastern Jackson County. And I would have succeeded had I not taken a bad step around mile 15 that eventually became too painful an ankle injury for me to continue. But I did at least manage to get 25 miles in -- 48,192 steps burning 3,142 calories -- over a 10-hour period (8.25 hours of walking time).
It was a great day for a walk, though the early morning clouds made me a bit nervous. I started out in southeastern Oak Grove just after 7am and had a nice loop planned that would take me through four different communities and the dwindling rural countryside between them. I did manage to hit all four before the ankle injury made me have to stop.
I began the day by locking my keys in the trunk of the car as soon as I arrived in Oak Grove, spares were brought to be along the way later in the day. The journey also included an amazing coincidence as I encountered another walking blogger who has posted comments on my site before.
Here's a map of the intended route, click on it for a large, detailed version...
There's a whole lot of pictures this time so I am putting them in the extended version of this entry. If you are viewing this on my main page, click the "Continue Reading" link below to see the pictures and read the full details of the story. Enjoy!
It was a great day for a walk, though the early morning clouds made me a bit nervous. I started out in southeastern Oak Grove just after 7am and had a nice loop planned that would take me through four different communities and the dwindling rural countryside between them. I did manage to hit all four before the ankle injury made me have to stop.
I began the day by locking my keys in the trunk of the car as soon as I arrived in Oak Grove, spares were brought to be along the way later in the day. The journey also included an amazing coincidence as I encountered another walking blogger who has posted comments on my site before.
Here's a map of the intended route, click on it for a large, detailed version...
There's a whole lot of pictures this time so I am putting them in the extended version of this entry. If you are viewing this on my main page, click the "Continue Reading" link below to see the pictures and read the full details of the story. Enjoy!
I began with a stop in Grain Valley to get camera batteries. While I was there I snapped this picture of where I went to school from February 1976 to May 1985. Yep, it's gone, all gone. Bulldozed for future development. |
| Oak Grove My walk began at Webb Park in southeastern Oak Grove, where I started off by locking my keys in my trunk.  |
 |
Approaching Broadway, aka Hwy FF. |
Looking south on Broadway/FF, Oak Grove's main drag. |
Heading north on Broadway/FF. My morning route won't go through downtown, it was my intention to get through downtown and take pictures there at the end of the walk. |
 |
We're actually still in the core of Oak Grove here. |
 |
This sign is at the entrance to Frick Park, which was once the city's western gateway. It still is, but not for long. |
These two stone houses were across the street from each other. |
 |
McMansion with a nice yard |
A great view looking north. It's a bit hazy but you can see the start of new subdivisions in the valley below. |
 |
The westernmost suburban development in Oak Grove, pushing that city west towards Grain Valley. |
 |
This ranch was teeming with horses. |
 |
 |
 |
Just some nice scenery... |
 |
Grain Valley is visible in the distance. |
Continuing west on R.D. Mize |
The address shows just how far east I am, and I'm already about 2 miles further west than where I started. |
Stillhouse Road is the agreed-upon boundary between Oak Grove and Grain Valley. Just after I snapped this picture a dozen cyclists rounded the corner. (They didn't stop.) |
There they go... |
| Grain Valley These horses were not camera shy at all -- they approached me.  |
 |
My only run-in with a scary dog happened right after I took this picture. See that dark speck on the driveway on the right hand side? Turned out to be a pretty large dog that did not want me around and told me so seconds later. |
I've always liked this spot. Too bad it had to be cloudy for the picture. |
Sni-a-bar Creek |
The southern entrance to Monkey Mountain, my favorite park for hiking. |
Looks like a good crop of soybeans. In the distance is Rattlesnake Hill. I don't know why it's called that... do we even have rattlesnakes? |
You think he's just playing 'possum? |
Approaching Grain Valley proper. |
Misc shots of the newer areas in southern Grain Valley... |
 |
The suburban version of an alley? |
Is it still a roundabout if every road entering it has a stopsign? |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
I tried several times on my walk to take a self portrait, but this one of my chubby belly is the only one that turned out. |
Looking west on Hwy AA (Old 40 Hwy), which has been renamed Eagle Parkway along the Grain Valley segment. Blue Springs still just has it signed as Route AA. I've felt for years the entire stretch should have been renamed "Blue Branch Parkway", for the creek that starts in Blue Springs and ends in Grain Valley and crosses this road a couple of times. |
Instead, Grain Valley gave the name I wanted to some chumpy little side road. On the left is Minter Hill, which features what is likely the steepest road in the KC area. |
Speak of the devil, here's Blue Branch. As a kid I used to fish about a mile upstream from here. |
This fairly new area is closer to central Grain Valley. |
 |
Grain Valley High School -- but this campus didd not exist when I went to school here. |
Heading back east on AA. That's Monkey Mountain again in the distance. |
 |
 |
 |
Now heading north on Main (Buckner-Tarsney Road) |
Truck: For Sale |
Downtown Grain Valley |
I'd end up crossing this same railroad several times today. |
 |
Downtown GV |
Old town GV... |
 |
 |
 |
East Kansas City Airport |
Hmmm... replace the airplanes with giant shuttlecocks and, aww... forget it, we all know what it looks like. ;) |
Yennie Street - the future new route of 40 Hwy. |
Looking east on the current 40 Hwy. |
My first big surprise... after crossing 40 Hwy I discovered that the road I planned to take no longer exists. |
 |
My grandma's house used to be right about here. |
None of these roads were on my map, so I was just guessing which way to go. |
 |
This was pretty... there were a few growing wild. Anyone know what it is? |
Billboard blight |
| Blue Springs This new subdivision east of Adams Pointe golf course pushes Blue Springs right up against Grain Valley.  |
Heading west on Coronado |
 |
 |
Driving range at Adams Pointe |
 |
This odd sculpture was located near the Blue Springs Marriot |
Coronado & Adams Dairy Parkway |
Farm remnants at R.D. Mize & Adams Dairy |
Adams Pointe golf course... |
 |
Adams Dairy near Walnut |
Adams Dairy & 40 Hwy |
Cool railroad bridge. Note the two women sitting on the bench at the right end of the bridge, they'll come up again in a moment. |
Blue Springs South High School Right after I took the above picture one of the freakiest coincidences imaginable happened. I had to cross the street here to begin my next westward push. At the exact same time, the two women from that bench were crossing perpendicular to me and we met on the corner. One of them asked if I would take their picture. "I'm documenting my walk for my blog," she said. "That's funny," I said, "that's exactly what I'm doing." "Wait, are you Scott Murdock?" she asked. "Yes," I said, astonished. "I'm Sarah!" she said. Sarah, as in the only other person I know of in the KC area who walks and blogs about it. Amazing... 1600 square miles of KC metro area and we cross the exact same corner at the exact same time. |
Heading west into an "older" subdivision in southwestern Blue Springs.  |
 |
Just crossed 7 Hwy |
Looking east on 40 Hwy |
Bike shop at 40 Hwy & Luttrell |
Older neighborhoods as I approach downtown |
 |
Main Street in downtown Blue Springs... |
 |
 |
 |
 |
I wonder what movie they were going to show? |
 |
For as long as I can remember I have heard people in Blue Springs talk about how someone needs to fix up the old train depot and open a cafe. So far all talk and no action. |
 |
Now I'm west of 15th on Main, in Old Town... |
 |
 |
 |
This tree was growing right in the middle of the sidewalk. |
 |
 |
1834... wow. |
 |
 A minute after I took the above picture I stepped into the ditch to avoid traffic and twisted my right ankle just slightly. It didn't really hurt much so I kept going. |
Entering Old Mill Park, the original site of Blue Springs before it was moved a mile east to be on the new railroad.  |
 |
 |
| Lake Tapawingo Technically I'm now in the city of Lake Tapawingo, a private lake community that is for all practical purposes a suburb of Blue Springs.  |
 |
| Back in Blue Springs I wonder who "Rye" was?  |
Talk about confusing. The land to the right of Woods Chapel Road in this picture is not officially part of Blue Springs, it's unincorporated Jackson County surrounded by Blue Springs on all sides. So it uses the Kansas City street system. But the numeric addresses are on the Blue Springs grid. |
Continuing north on Woods Chapel, towards I-70... |
 |
A few shots of Blue Springs High School, which I attended from Aug 1985 to May 1987. My twisted ankle is starting to hurt. |
 |
 |
There are lots of these signs out here. Blech. |
Catholic church and school |
Heading east on R.D. Mize, about to re-cross 7 Hwy |
St. Mary's Hospital, where I used to work in the late 80's. |
It's very rare that the one-room schools that the various "School Roads" are named after still stand today, but here is such a case. This is Sunnyside School, for which Sunnyside School Road is named. It's currently a church. At one time it was painted red and my youngest brother went to pre-school there. |
The remains of the original Adams Dairy Road. My ankle is hurting really badly now. I stopped and took a 40 minute break to rest my sore foot. I very nearly called off the walk. |
Pedestrian path along Adams Dairy Parkway, heading north under I-70.  |
 |
If the woman in the white car had stopped a second later she'd be decapitated rather than standing nearby talking on her cell phone. |
Pretty creek flowing into Adams Dairy Lake |
A very odd piece of art...  |
Approaching Duncan Road... |
 |
| As I headed east on Duncan there was so much new development my map was useless -- there were no familiar cues for which to get my bearings. Back in Grain Valley Near one of Grain Valley's newest subdivisions in the NW corneer of the city, my ankle pain became unbearable. With 7 miles to go with no services for 6 of those miles, I begrudgingly got out my cell phone and called for a ride. I then began a detour south towards a truck stop. Heading south on Rust Road.  |
My last photo of the day -- a pretty field across from a new subdivision. |
A few minutes later my ride arrived behind me, so I climbed in and rode the last 7 miles back to my car. I don't know if I'll re-attempt this route again in the future since I can't stand repetition, but we'll see.
It's now Monday morning and I still have the pain from my ankle injury, but no muscle pain to speak of and no blisters this time. With the days getting shorter this was probably my last really long walk of the season, but I'll still do several more 15-20 mile walks in the months ahead.
I still feel like I got some good excercise, which is what matters, but it's really disappointing to not be able to finish something like this.
Comments
I laughed as I looked at the pictures - when I get mine done you'll see a few of the same shots! Hope the ankle feels better soon. It was awesome to meet you Saturday in Blue Springs. Too funny - and very cool.
Posted by: Sarah | July 24, 2006 10:08 AM
More heroic brilliance from the happy wanderer.
Posted by: Happy | July 24, 2006 10:25 AM
I've already decided that my next walk will include the 7 mile segment unfinished from this walk. I must not leave a task unfinished. :)
Posted by: ScooterJ | July 24, 2006 10:35 AM
The flower is a Purple Morning Glory
http://www.missouriplants.com/Bluealt/Ipomoea_purpurea_page.html
Check out this page. :)
And good for you for deciding to finish the walk.
Posted by: sarah | July 24, 2006 03:05 PM
The old depot is supposed to be moved to 15th street park (where ever that is), just talk so far. I belive that "RYE" stood for ryan a young man who laid on the train tracks and was run over.
Posted by: Matt | September 8, 2007 11:34 AM