On Saturday, Jo2 also took me on the Budweiser Tour.  You get a bunch of history of the company and learn how they make and package the beer.

I'm HERE!

The first thing we did was go on the tour.  We saw Clydesdales, then we saw the mash tanks, where they age the beer and finally the packaging plant.  We learned how the company stayed alive during Prohibition.

Tour Guide Bevo Packaging Plant

At the end of the tour is the "Hospitality Room".  Everyone gets to try two drinks!  I took my ID that loweho made me...but they still wouldn't let me have my two free samples..and they were 12 oz samples, too!!  Jo said she would let me have a Mich Ultra when we got home.

No Go

And then off to the gift shop!

I want one of everything!

After the tour, I was hungry.  Jo2 then took me to Ted Drewes Frozen Custard.  It is on the Historic Route 66...she said there was a Nat "King" Cole song all about that Highway.  Ted Drewes had a walk-up window - the the frozen custard was GREAT!  I had a "concrete" and I could even turn my cup completely upside down and nothing fell out!

Ted Drewes

We drove home...and we saw lots of destruction the storm caused.  (On Thursday night, a huge storm rocked St. Louis - over 700,000 people were out of electricity.  On Saturday there were tree down all over the place and we had to take a few detours to get home.)  Did you know that in Missouri on Friday the temperature was 102F, and on Saturday the high was 88F!  Jo2 said in Missouri "If you don't like the weather, wait two minutes."

I'm glad I saw St. Louis and can't wait to get to my next destination!!

On Satuday - I took Jojames2 took me to St. Louis.  We did a few touristy things.  First she took me to the Gateway Arch.  She said were going to go to the top.  I told her she was crazier than jo3!!

To get to the top, we ride in the glorified bucket that seats five people.  Anyone over 5'5" has to slump to fit into this bullet shapped "tram".  I did meet a nice couple there.  They are from San Diego (but did not know SurferGuy) and they have a daughter that lives in Japan!  I didn't know her, though.

At the top, I could see for miles and miles.  Jo2 had a complete stranger (a guy from England!) take our picture.  

1. Jo2 told me the Arch is made out of stainless steel.  
   
2. In a 50 mile per hour wind, the arch can sway about 1-1/2 inches....at a wind speed of 150 miles per hour the Arch would sway 18 inches!!  
   
3. It took 2-1/2 years to complete the building of the Arch.  (Jo's mom saw it before the center piece was put into place!)
   
4. 6400 people can travel to the top on the busiest of days.
   
5. Inside the Arch, there is the Museum of Westward Expansion.
   
6. The Arch is actually named the "Gateway Arch" because St. Louis  was once called the Gateway to the West.  
   
7.  The architect won a competition by turning in a small "matchstick" model.  And the Arch was built for UNDER $15 million.
   
8.  There is a Grand Staircase that leads up to the Arch from the Mississippi River.  And during the floods of 1993, the river came up to step 23 (of about 70 that Jo could count).  
   
9.  This October, the Gateway Arch will be 40 years old.
   
10. Did you know that the Arch is 630 feet tall (or 63 stories high)?  (That is 2/3rd the height of the Eiffel Tower, 1/2 the height of the Empire State Building and 2 times the height of the Statue of Liberty!!)  
    
11. On one side we could see the city of St. Louis and the other side was the Mississippi River and Illinios...but I couldn't see RobinG, either.  You can see 30 miles in both directions!
    
12. When building the Arch, each of the legs were built first.  As they built toward each other a "brace" was used to keep them from moving away from each other.  The final piece was put in in October 28 of 1965 and there was a HUGE party in St. Louis to celebrate!!

I took one last look and realized this was a beautiful structure and the pride of St. Louis!!

Next:  Beer!!

  Buccaneer Bruce's post earlier reminded me of the many zoos we visit and I've been scanning in a lot of old photos trying to get my website back going again. So I thought I'd post some.  These are from 2002 at The St. Louis Zoo, Forest Park, St. Louis, MO! This is one of the best zoos in the country and admission is still free which makes it a no-brainer if you're going to St. Louis.  Some attractions charge a fee and parking is $9 which ain't bad for the zoo you're geting. We've been talking about going again soon.

  Barb just called while I was writing this and we found out our first grandkid is a... BOY!  Whooo Hooo, Sorry SG! Anyway here are the scans, ignore any dust spots and have fun.

Gateway Arch
Aw, C'mon Honey! Don't be that way.
Peek-A-Boo
USS Hippo
Leopard  watching me...
Leopard  watching me too closely... I'm ready for fight or flight... leaning heavy toward flight!
Cool Dude!  Sorry, SG, I know you're a surfer dude and live on the beach but his guy is cooler!
Wave Bye Bye!  Double barreled shot for Cherish.

  After looking at these I remember the leopard well, he actually moved around so he could still make eye contact until we moved on... it was kinda scary. If he attacked, I was counting on Barb throwing herself between us.  As always comments and criticisms are welcome here, as long as they don't stay too long.