Day Four: Terre Haute to Columbia, MO, 284 miles

We made this a shorter day, partly because we were running ahead of schedule, and partly because we were bushed. Then another reason arose: two old friends, sisters we hadn't seen in 15 years or more, who had moved from Manchester to Colorado and bought a town (!) in the mountains, invited us to stay Saturday night with them -- so we will. This changes the itinerary slightly but also means we have three days to get there so we can take it easy -- a little. That gives us Thursday, Friday, and Saturday to traverse Missouri, Kansas and Colorado.

We left Terre Haute this morning about 8:30, and got to St. Louis about 11:00 (CDT). We made our way to the parking garage for the Gateway Arch with some difficulty, because many streets were blocked for a parade. Crowds were thronging the Arch grounds in preparation for an air show, due to begin at noon. We had a bite of early lunch, then put all our picnic things back in the car because there was a TSA-like security system in place, forbidding picnic coolers, among other things. We toured the Park Service exhibits but decided not to ride to the top of the Arch, and came back above ground just as the air show began. Right overhead a cluster of skydivers left a plane, trailing red, white and blue smoke from their feet as they separated and dropped down, one by one, to glide through the Arch and land amidst the crowds of  picnickers and gawkers.  Of course I missed the photo of the clustered jumpers trailing smoke, but here are a few of them coming in for a landing:

We left the scene as a show of aerobatics was just starting; small planes at high speed flying upside down, doing loop-the-loops, falling leafs, spirals, stalls and other maneuvers, all the while trailing colored smoke. All above the Mississippi, however, not through the arch, which would no doubt be frowned upon by the FAA. Tempting to the pilots, though, I bet. We missed a fly-by of WW II bombers and fighter planes as well.

We headed west again on I-70, into Missouri. More corn and soybeans, and trucks, trucks, trucks -- not taking the 4th of July off, though the automobile traffic was noticeably lighter. Still, there were those moments when we were jammed between speeding semitrailer rigs and a Jersey barrier wall, only inches to spare on either side,  hurtling along at 75 mph and feeling like Luke Skywalker flying his fighter into the bowels of the Death Star (did I get that image right, you Star Wars fans)?

So here we are in another Quality Inn, on the outskirts of Columbia. Joy is taking a nap and we are wondering whether to venture out of the hotel before nightfall. I'm in no hurry: as we parked the car and checked the temperature, it was 104 degrees! A wonder cars weren't sinking into the tarmac!