Our Rallye began with a 9 am meet and greet at St. Louis Bread Co. on Tesson Ferry. After registering everyone and giving out road rallye instructions, 40 participants, who remembered it was daylight savings time, took off for our adventure at 9:30 am. This event was originally supposed to have occurred in February but had to be rescheduled due to our lone ice and snowstorm of the season. We traveled on Blue Line Roads with weather that was delightful while enjoying sun drenched skies and well cared for roads. The route took us through small towns, winding roads, roller-coaster hills, and to the top of some of the highest points in Missouri. The Rally date delay allowed trees to start flowering and fields becoming green as we drove through the countryside. Along the way we saw numerous log cabins, sod farms, rolling hills, valleys, cliffs, creeks and general nice scenery.

 

Featured on the Today Show, we took a combined boat and walking tour through the Bonne Terre Mine - a five level underground world created by St. Joe Lead Company from 1862 to 1963. While in the cave we were able to explore the world's largest subterranean lake with a guided tour descending 200 feet below the earth where we learned about the history of mining in Southern Missouri - once the largest deposit of lead on the planet. The walking portion of the tour covered about one third of a mile to the dock of the Billion Gallon Lake! The pontoon boat took everyone in two groups on a 10-minute excursion around the limestone pillars in the largest rooms of the mine. One can only imagine what working in these types of mines was like in olden times.

 

Lunch was at El Jarochito’s Tex-Mex Restaurant. The food came out on hot plates in a timely manner while everyone participated in the Auto Trivia Contest. I think we all learned a lot about many car subjects. Winners were Kevin Williams, Tom Caldwell and Todd Tobiaz.

 

Attendance had 40 people, 22 cars and 36 on the cave tour. It was a fabulous Day!