Going West!

September 13, 2012

We arrived in St. Louis yesterday, actually Cahokia, IL which is across the river.  Had an interesting dilemma during setup.  The deadbolt on our door jammed, and couldn’t be unlocked.   We were about to call a locksmith when miraculously the bolt clicked back and we were able to get the door open.  Looks like the DB got wedged between the strike plate and the wall behind it.   I suspect it occurred along the crappy, bumpy section of I-70 across Illinois.  Fortunately, I carry a drill and “dremel tool” so I ground out a relief for the bolt and now it should be okay.

Today we went into St. Louis and visited the Arch.  That is a remarkable structure. It really is a monument to Lewis and Clark, who started their westward exploration from here.  The Arch was completed in a bit over 2 years in 1965.  We visited here in 1971; on a return trip from Colorado. There is a lot more here now, including a museum that is underground and spans an area beneath the legs.

Getting into the place requires airport security-like screening, a pain, and it now costs $10 instead of $2.50 to ride to the top. The NPS has turned its management over to a concessionaire which explains the rip-off prices for everything. But like that or not, it really is something to see. We watched a movie on it’s construction, which was amazing.

Our second stop was the Budweiser Tour at Anheuser-Busch.  I wanted to see the Clydesdale Horses.  Although close-up was not allowed, it still provided insight into their size and beauty.  They have their own farm where these horses are bred, born and raised.  These guys have a life of Riley! 

Anheuser-Busch initiated several innovations.  Their process involves a second fermentation, they call beech wood aging that imparts a natural carbonation to their brew.  The second was bottling.  Prior to this, you had to go to a tavern to have a beer, or brew your own.  The horse drawn beer wagon was used for long distance delivery. The yeast strain they use is a descendant from the same culture of yeast used in the 1880's. They grow most of the grain and hops on farms they own.  They are still an American company, and have 12 breweries in the U.S.  Depending on the size of the brewery, they make from 4 to 15 million barrels of beer a year. Wow!

We’re headed to Springfield, MO tomorrow.