Across Covid America - Tour of National Parks 2020 - Day 3

Day 3

11069 mileage

8:49 A.M.

9107 steps

It was a driving day,so we picked spots along the way to break up said driving. One of them was starting right there in Louisville. The Falls of Ohio State Park was supposed to be just a walk along the river. We managed to discover that this was along the route for the Lewis and Clark expedition when we stumbled onto a statue commemorating the event. . I've taught Fourth Grade in the past and would tell students how Jefferson first asked Meriwether Lewis to head up the expedition to survey the land he just purchased from Napolean. Lewis would ask his friend William Clark to join him on the group later to be known as the Corps of Discovery. Together they would use the Missouri and Snake Rivers to map a route out to the west coast, mainly due to the young native American mother, Sacajawea, who helped them to navigate. 

After walking along the fossil beds and numerous tide washed trees along the river, we headed out to find out next adventure. How could you not stop at a spot called Santa Claus if you passed it? There was an amusement park called Holiday Land, Lake Rudolph and Frosty's Ice Cream Parlor among the highly decorated roadside attraction of a town. Nothing was open so we had to keep driving. Our friend Chad was extremely jealous. He has always wanted to visit Santa Claus. 

We ended in Evansville for some lunch at a Red Robin for salads and then a walk at the River Front Park where there were #BLM protesters lining the street in support of Michael Floyd and his horrendous mistreatment by Minneapolis police. They were bearing signs and asking cars to honk their support. It was a relief to witness such peaceful activities after watching days of newscasts that showed rioting and destruction of large cities. 

Back in the car for our drive to St. Louis, Missouri. It was at 4:48 P.M. that I marked the first stirrings of Cabin Fever after being in the car for three days. Ever have the feeling that you just wanted to jump from a moving vehicle to escape the tedium? I was practicing my tuck and roll maneuver until the feeling passed, thankfully. 

By 6:12 P.M. we turned a corner on the highway and both saw the famous Gateway to the West Arch and pointed at the landmark with shouts of "There it is!" at the exact same moment. It was about 8 miles outside the city. 

Our hotel would be away from the downtown area on purpose in a town called Creve Coeur, or Dying Heart if your prefer. We ate dinner at the Granite City Brewery and watched a huge thunderstorm move in over the city. 

Thus ends day 3.