Jefferson City to St Louis

After completing the write up and updating the blogg, it was time to leave Jefferson City and Head for St Louis.

Accommodation has been booked at the America’s Best Value Inn near the airport as there is a 0400 car drop off and a 0540 flight to Oklahoma via Denver ( Take me home country road!). Avoiding the express roads has become a new mantra and the drive, whilst 30 minutes longer is just delightful. I follow the Katy trail and think of my Kate and how she would love the idea of having a trail named after her.

Katy Trail is built on the former corridor of the Missouri-Kansas-Texas (MKT) Railroad (better known as the Katy). And is now a long-distance hiking and bicycling trail that runs almost 200 miles across the state.

The trail allows users to travel through some of the most scenic areas of the state. The majority of the trail closely follows the route of the Missouri River so hikers and bicyclists often find themselves with the river on one side and towering bluffs on the other. Chickadees, nuthatches, robins, orioles and many types of woodpeckers are common. Red-tailed hawks and turkey vultures are often seen soaring above the trail, and bald eagles are common in the winter. Because of its location along the Missouri River flyway, migrating birds and waterfowl can be seen frequently. 

Katy Trail State Park also takes users through a slice of rural history as it meanders through the small towns that once thrived along the railroad corridor. From the area known as "Missouri’s Rhineland" that portrays the heritage of the German migrants to the historic town of Rocheport that dates from before the Civil War, these towns reflect the rich heritage of Missouri. These communities make great places to stop and explore during a ride on the trail. The section of trail between St. Charles and Boonville has been designated as an official segment of the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail, and the entire trail is part of the American Discovery Trail. The trail also has been designated as a Milennium Legacy Trail. (Lewis and Clark are Australia's Burke and Wills)


The drive was well worth the detour and highly recommended. I also stumbled across Daniel Boon's burial ground.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7sPvWrL6KY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7sPvWrL6KY

St Louis was an impressive city.

You can’t help but head for the Mississippi and be impressed  by the Gateway Arch. 
A walk through the park and surrounding city area provides for some great views of architecture and the official homes f St Louis Baseball and Football teams. 

I am not sure what the red water was about?

You can’t but help think that somehow, sport may define a lot about this city. St. Louis has earned 13 professional sports championships. The St. Louis Cardinals (baseball) have won 11 “World” Series Championships. The St. Louis Rams (Football / Gridiron) have won one Super Bowl Championship (1999). 

Following a tour of the central city, a detour to the St Louis Zoo seemed appropriate. It is Free! It is also a very impressive Zoo – nearly as good as Melbourne’s (which is rated as one of the best in the world. There is a super cool (pardon the pun) Penguin area – cooled to Arctic conditions.

 I have never seen puffin penguins before and the whole thing was like a scene from Surfs Up.

It's close to Halloween so teh ghosts are set around the zoo.

There is also a miniature railway that takes you around the zoo - worth the $5.00.

So now I sit at America’s Best Value Inn having completed my Chinese Takeaway (Sun Sing House Chop Suey) whilst watching Detroit and New York play off in the baseball whilst writing the blogg update. A six pack of Grolsch cost $6.99!  I think I qualify for citizenship? (except for the Grolsch!)