Sneakers

A lot of people are unaware of Winoka bridge. As a matter of fact, I'm not even sure that Winoka bridge is the appropriate name for it, but that's what I've always heard it called by fellow Ozarkers. It can be found crossing Lake Springfield just east of 65 Hwy. It was the original 65 Hwy bridge when 65 Hwy came down what is now Glenstone turned east around what is now Sunshine and south again on what is now Lone Pine. Lone Pine will take you on a winding path down through what used to be Galloway Station and finally dead-ends at James River Freeway across from the Nature Center. Well, being that it used to be 65, it didn't used to dead-end. It went straight through the field that the big clover leaf interchange between 65 and James River Freeway now sits and connected with that old bridge. Directly on the other side of the bridge lies the Y intersection that is pretty much known as the outer road to 65 or "old 65". The Y is where 60 Hwy met 65 Hwy. Springfieldians going to either Ozark or Rogersville would have to cross this bridge. This was the routine until the new 65 was completed where it now sits back in the 60's.

Anyway, aside from the local history lesson, I was looking for some information on that bridge's completion date and such when I happened to find this website. (It's connection with the bridge was its exploration of Camp Winoka, the remains of which can be found by walking a trail from this bridge) This site is awesome. It's a group of people who remain anonymous, but explore places that most of us have either wanted to or would want to if we ever heard of them. They take lots of photos along the way and sometimes take a video of really neat things. They appear to only go into places without breaking and entering. Most of the places they have documented exploring are private property and don't welcome tourists, but they take their tours anyway. Apparently their motto is "Going everywhere you're not supposed to go in the Ozarks". They're very careful not to reveal their identities on the documentation and they even have code names as it appears. It looks like a fun little group and I'm envious of some of the things that they have had the privilege to see. My favorite was the 8th Street Tunnel in Kansas City.

You'll have to check out the site yourself. I will put a link to it in my fellow bloggers list. I'll also make a link for Urban Ninja Force which is a closely related and often affiliated website. Comment if you have ever been in any of the sites that these two have explored. I have been to the Albino farm, the Acid Tunnels, and James River Tunnel many years ago.

Posted in: