Day 14 - Missouri Washout
We awoke to the TV news telling us two of the interstates in and out of St Louis were closed due to flooding. That's only a problem if you were heading to St Louis. Guess where we we were going - LOL!
We checked out the Amish Bakery in Cuba before breakfasting at Circle Malt Shop in Bourbon ( ironically a dry town no less!) The food was great but late and the atmosphere - well it was full of smoke. Unbelievably in this day and age the stench in the air and now on our clothes will ensure we drop that one off the to 'be visited' list on our return!
Robyn successfully negotiated us in and around as much of the flooding as possible back tracking once or twice to beat the still rising water.
The Meramec Caverns were closed due to the Meramec river being in flood.
The i40 was as barren as the deserts we'd left a couple of states back but we continued on through the rain to reach Blueberry Cafe on the outskirts of St Louis by lunch time.
This was a Chuck Berry
hangout for three or four decades and a who's who gallery of musicians adorns every wall within the Cafe spanning the full block.
On to the Gateway Arch towering over the city centre and the mighty Mississippi.
Here we find the river has stranded all the tour boats dockside with ramps ten feet under water.
The resulting view from the top of the Arch was quite unique with an eagle's view of how massive the water overflow was down this mid American lifeblood stream.
We moved through College Hill without delay but couldn't help but feel for a community that clearly sits low on the social scale judging by the condition of the homes and other surrounding buildings. The Chain of Rocks bridge was stranded as well. Sadly the Missouri entrance to this now walking only bridge had been barricaded off last trip due to vandalism and car theft of visiting tourist. Now the Illinois end was also inaccessible due to high water levels.
Across the state line Shawn is still behind the counter at the Mustang Corral in Edwardsville. He and his family have been passionately dealing in restoring classic Mustangs for three or four decades but with the decline in the economy and family health issues Shawn seemed more passionate spruking the new President and his chances of making America great again.
Close by was the Comfort Inn and our night's accommodation. A pizza, Cab Sav and some recounting of the day's unplanned and unexpected adventure were had, now we are safely clear of the rivers that had threatened to derail our trip across America's main street.
