Yesterday we travelled all the way to St. Louis. Rich just kept going while I slept almost all the way. When we stopped for lunch ( let it be known we will boycott all further "Denny's" restaurants ) a lady mentioned that there had been a hail storm just to the east of us. We shrugged it off and felt she was being a bit over dramatic. Next moment a pickup pulls into the the car park. The windshield was smashed and the bodywork was peppered with dents. Baseball size hail was reported. I am glad we missed it.
Crossing the Missouri was impressive which heightened my expectation for the Mississippi. What a spectacular sight - the Gateway Arch towering over the city buildings and a river that was flowing 20 ft higher than usual. We took the elevator to the top and stayed there to see the sunset. The museum below the arch was very well laid out. After the Louisiana purchase from Napoleon Bonaparte in 1803 Jefferson commissioned Lewis and Clark to carry out a scientific expedition and find a passage to the Pacific. Congress was not very enthusiastic and granted $2500 funding. Jefferson quietly funded a further $36500 before the expedition was completed in 1806. One leaves the museum with a feeling of the excitement those early explorers must have felt as they embarked on their journey west. The Arch really captures the spirit of westward expansion.
Crossing the Missouri was impressive which heightened my expectation for the Mississippi. What a spectacular sight - the Gateway Arch towering over the city buildings and a river that was flowing 20 ft higher than usual. We took the elevator to the top and stayed there to see the sunset. The museum below the arch was very well laid out. After the Louisiana purchase from Napoleon Bonaparte in 1803 Jefferson commissioned Lewis and Clark to carry out a scientific expedition and find a passage to the Pacific. Congress was not very enthusiastic and granted $2500 funding. Jefferson quietly funded a further $36500 before the expedition was completed in 1806. One leaves the museum with a feeling of the excitement those early explorers must have felt as they embarked on their journey west. The Arch really captures the spirit of westward expansion.
2 comments:
hi there, that arch looks amazing must have been an different sort of elevator.
off to embassy again tomorrow.
enjoy.nutty nikki
AH YES Elder2; I went to leave the van for Elder1 to pick up from the bus shuttle only to find out the hard way that you left it without gas! But good old AAA, got the van to the bus lot in time for Elder1 to take home! We'll take care of him while y'all gone. I like the story of people trying to figure out where he was from: reply: "from the deep south" and when clarified, they ask "Is South Africa near Texas?" (depending on how much Rich stretched the story) :)
Post a Comment