We're in Missouri, We're in Missouri

Drove today from Memphis to St. Louis through Arkansas and southeastern Missouri. Eastern Arkansas and southeastern Missouri are the same....flat and agricultural, with huge, huge pieces of farm equipment kicking up dust across the fields. As we got closer to St. Louis, the terrain changed gradually from rolling hills to really significant outcroppings of rock, and big hills. It was nice to have some real scenery again - with trees and vegetation.

After driving all day, Dick still had the energy to go find 8 caches in the area of our motel. We saw some nice places and some very sad places - vandalized and littered.

Here are his cache logs for today:

Found it 3/8/2007 You found Geocache (Traditional Cache)
We left Michigan a week ago seeking signs of spring and an escape from snow and single digit temperatures. this is our first Missouri cache after finds in Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Arkansas. A nice walk on a great sunny spring day. Signed the log, dropped a TB that wishes to visit old caches, in and out and left a stuffed toy.
Thanks for preserving an historical cache.

Found it 3/8/2007 You found Creek Bend (Traditional Cache)
On a caching/vacation trip and looking for old caches. Then this one is just a few hundred feet further, "Go for it". Signed the log, and left a geode.

Found it 3/8/2007 You found Pond Scum (Traditional Cache)
This was the third find in the Strawberry Creek area today. No deer or turkeys but did see a hawk scooping up a deer mouse appetizer. Yummy! Really enjoyed the walk on a perfect sunny spring day.
Signed the log and left a glass lady bug. Thanks for the hunt.

Found it 3/8/2007 You found Old Blue Eye (Traditional Cache)
I generally avoid micros in the woods but we were right across the street so ---
Signed the log about 4:00 and drove on to the next cache.

Found it 3/8/2007 You found Fishing for Cache (Traditional Cache)
We came back to this area planning on seeking a different cache nearby but we didn't like the looks of the place. Then we saw that this one was only 400 feet away. There is an apparently stolen bike just down the hill.
Signed the log and left a glass lady bug. TFTC

Found it 3/8/2007 You found Father's Day Cache (Traditional Cache)
This is a very picturesque area. We enjoyed our visit. Signed the log, left a lady bug.

Found it 3/8/2007 You found The Girl from Ipanema (Traditional Cache)
On a caching vacation down to Mississippi and back, we checked in to our motel room and saw this was 400 feet away. Quick grab, TFTC

Found it 3/8/2007 You found The Next Level (Traditional Cache)
We left Michigan a week ago in a blowing near blizzard storm with wind chills below zero. Our goal was to find spring, to drive south until we could see daffodils and could comfortably drive with our arms out the windows. We found caches in Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi and Arkansas. We found flowers in bloom and temperatures in the 70's. On our way home, we wished to add Missouri to our state list and this cache jumped out at us as being an interesting one. Wow! What an understatement!
It was a little confusing trying to determine what to do but the hint saved the day. Some what timidly, the cache was opened. Signed the log, took a TB and left a stuffed toy.
Thanks for this most memorable cache