Day 24 of Western Adventures

Our adventure into the Western National Parks has been a great one.  In 1916, the enabling  legislation was drafted for the National Park Service, reading in part: “…to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations.”

 

Our America the Beautiful Senior Pass has saved us at least $ 230 as one pass will allow the entire car to enter at no charge. Fabulous deal for Seniors.  If you have any intention of visiting  a number of the parks, you should take advantage of this offer.

 

 

The National Parks are really one of our most beloved national treasures.  Throughout our trip, we have seen many, many tour buses totally filled with foreign visitors, who also realize that the USA has unique vistas for tourists.  While Europe may have its own treasures in ancient Roman and Greek ruins, our park treasures will often trump them all as the beginnings are traced back millions of years. 

 

Our journey on this 24th day begins outside of Kansas City as we head toward St. Louis and a quick stop at the GATEWAY  ARCH and the Museum of Westward Expansion. The exhibit, as well as the ARCH, commemorates the historic Lewis and Clark trip in 1803-1806. Lydia and Jerry have visited numerous times, but this is a first for Joyce and Bob.  The girls propose that we make the ARCH a National Park so we can count it as # 14, but don’t think that will happen. Too bad all the National Monuments and National Parks don’t count  as our number # 14 park.

 

Thomas Jefferson was honored at the Museum of Western Expansion as the vision behind acquiring most of the land west of the Mississippi.  Red Cloud  featured the plight of the Indians as pioneers continued their westward expansion.  Such a tragedy that we were not respectful of those who were keepers of the land hundreds of years before the expansion was even anyone’s dream.

 

 

    Thomas Jefferson        Red Cloud      On the Tram      On the Tram

The ARCH is difficult to photograph effectively as it is so tall, and you need to be so far back to capture it in entirety.  Quick stop was also a joke as we waited in line at least 5 times…even after purchasing our tickets online.  For future information to anyone who wants to visit:  1.  Don’t go on a Saturday  2.  Don’t go on a day the Cardinals are playing  3.  Don’t attend on a National Parks Day.  We eventually made the trip up the tram to 630 feet nearly straight up.  Once you adjusted to the crowds, the views were spectacular.  The real treasure at the ARCH is the Westward Expansion museum with the story of the Lewis and Clark Corps of Discovery.  Other exhibits illustrated the sign of the times in the pioneer days.  

The park that is home to the ARCH is a beautiful one that has escaped all the touristy commercialism of so many places, and was such a place of natural beauty.  We actually witnessed  three weddings in the park on that late fall September Saturday.

      

 

 

At the end of the day. we were more than ready to retire to our hotel in the tiny town of Vandalia, the second capitol of Illinois.  We enjoyed a meal in town at one of the few restaurants available and retired early to be ready for our 25th day and the trip back in Indiana.