Day 1: Friday, July 14, 2000
On Friday, July 14, I drove from Illinois to Saint Louis, Missouri, with my granddaughter.
It took us around six hours. My husband said, "When you arrive in Fenton, look for the pink elephant."
We hadn't traveled far enough to see the elephant, so I called my husband on a payphone and asked, "We're in Fenton. Where do I go next?"
I was just a few miles from where he was living, but the directions he gave me had me going in circles.
So I called him back, and he met me at the gas station where I called him from. I followed him to the RV park with no problem, and I never saw a Pink elephant.
We hadn't traveled far enough to see the elephant, so I called my husband on a payphone and asked, "We're in Fenton. Where do I go next?"
I was just a few miles from where he was living, but the directions he gave me had me going in circles.
So I called him back, and he met me at the gas station where I called him from. I followed him to the RV park with no problem, and I never saw a Pink elephant.
Day 2: Saturday, July 15, 2000
It was time to get the oil changed in my husband's Saturn, so my granddaughter and I went with him to Saturn of South County, located at 11157 Lindberg Business Ct, St. Louis, Missouri.
While sitting in the lobby waiting for my oil change, I saw a beautiful black Saturn in the showcase and fell in love with it.
I asked the salesperson, Lin, if I could test drive the Satu, and she went to get the keys.
I traded my Firebird for a Blackberry LS1Saturn.
I signed all the paperwork, but I couldn't officially take the car back home until Monday because I needed to order the title from the bank.
While sitting in the lobby waiting for my oil change, I saw a beautiful black Saturn in the showcase and fell in love with it.
I asked the salesperson, Lin, if I could test drive the Satu, and she went to get the keys.
I traded my Firebird for a Blackberry LS1Saturn.
I signed all the paperwork, but I couldn't officially take the car back home until Monday because I needed to order the title from the bank.
Later that day, we went to the St. Louis Arch, but we did not take the elevator to the top.
We visited the Museum of Westward Expansion, which took us on a journey into the past, where we saw tools, guns, animals, and wagons used by explorers, pioneers, cowboys, and Native Americans.
We visited the Museum of Westward Expansion, which took us on a journey into the past, where we saw tools, guns, animals, and wagons used by explorers, pioneers, cowboys, and Native Americans.
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| St Louis Arch |
There were animated figures that told the story of Peace Medal diplomacy in the US during the nineteenth century with William Clark, Red Cloud, Chief Oglala, Sergeant Banks, & Charles Barber.
In the interactive Museum, we saw the life of the Cowboys.
We saw the Tipi Plains Indians, nomadic buffalo hunters.
We saw the sod house of the earlier pioneers.
We saw the Appaloosa, which was a symbol of transportation into the West.
We saw the longhorn steer cattle drive westward.
We saw the bison that was hunted and killed for food, clothing, and shelter.
We saw the bear, which was also crucial during the migration into the West.
For lunch, we ordered hamburgers, fries, and soda to drink from McDonald's.
McDonald's is located on the Missouri River aboard a boat, featuring a Ronald McDonald statue, smoke pipes, and the golden arch M on what appears to be a wheel.
We parked in the pier parking lot and walked down a ramp onto the boat. The boat was tied to the pier, and we could feel its movement as we sat and ate.
McDonald's is located on the Missouri River aboard a boat, featuring a Ronald McDonald statue, smoke pipes, and the golden arch M on what appears to be a wheel.
We parked in the pier parking lot and walked down a ramp onto the boat. The boat was tied to the pier, and we could feel its movement as we sat and ate.
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| McDonald's Floating on the Missouri River |
Day 3: Sunday, July 16, 2000
On Sunday, we all visited Grant's Farm, the former home of the Bush Family —a 281-acre farm and landmark in Grant Wood Village, MO.
In the 1800s, Ulysses S. Grant farmed part of the land.
We paid $12 to park and were told we would have to stand in line to ride the tram to the farm.
In the 1800s, Ulysses S. Grant farmed part of the land.
We paid $12 to park and were told we would have to stand in line to ride the tram to the farm.
We boarded the tram, which took about fifteen minutes. On the ride to the park, we saw Axis Deer, American Bison, Aoudads, Black Buck Antelope, Galloway, Highland Cows, Pere David Deer, Red Deer, Wapiti, Watusi, and Zebra.
When we disembarked from the tram, we walked to the Bauernhof, a German word for the farmstead, which was a nineteenth-century Bavarian farm, stables, and carriage house.
At the Brat Haus, they were serving Bratwurst, Pretzels, and Chicken Strips.
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| A Bauernhof |
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| Mist to cool off |
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| Hannah is standing in the mist to cool off. |
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| Hannah is next to the Carriage. |
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| We are carrying next to the Carriage. |
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| Caution: Horses might bite.
We stopped to see the corralled 35 mares, stallions, and Folds Clydesdales. Clydesdales are 188 feet high and weigh 2,000 to 2,300 pounds. They are bay in color, with a blaze of white faces; they have a black mane and tail. Their legs and feet are covered in white feathers on all four limbs. |
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| Hannah at Grants Farm |
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| Camels at Grants Farm |
Day 4: Monday, July 17, 2000
On Monday, I finalized the paperwork on my new Saturn so I could drive it home for six hours.
My granddaughter and I had a great trip. We toured the St. Louis Arch, visited Grant's Farm, ate lunch on the Floating McDonald's, and I bought a Saturn.On Monday, I finalized the paperwork on my new Saturn so I could drive it home for six hours.
