Imagine, We’re On A Roll!

Kampsville, Illinois – St. Louis, Missouri

I keep wanting to say “You’re not in Kansas any more” – really meaning that “You’re not in Iowa anymore . . .” But I’m also thinking that I should stop picking on Iowa . . .

On another, related, front . . . I’ve never considered myself much of a musician, and I don’t normally compose songs. But as I was biking along today I had a fit of inspiration – and composed a completely original new ballad. 

It goes something like this:

Imagine there’s no gravel.
It’s easy if you try.
No hell below us.

Imagine there’s no gravel.
No rocks or baby heads
And no Dollar Generals too.

Imagine all the people, paving all the roads.
Imagine there’s no Iowa.
It isn’t hard to do.
Imagine all the people, biking in peace.

Imagine lots of amenities.
I wonder if you can.

Imagine all the people.
Paving all the world.

You may say I’m a dreamer. 
But I’m not the only one.

I hope some day you’ll join us.
And we’ll bike as one.

Okay. I know, I know. You want to know how our day went.  I don’t blame you. There was a lot happening today.

We started in Kampsville. Population, I think, 47. We ended up in St. Louis – population of around 3 Million!

First half of the day was great. More perfect biking. Very little traffic. Super pretty. On this big stretch of land between the Mississippi and the Illinois Rivers. 

I guess they want to make a national park there. This from the retired coal plant worker who talked to us for a while over breakfast at the Riverview Diner. 

He’s not too thrilled with the national park idea. Neither are all the other retired folks that were in the diner this morning. According to the guy we were talking to, it feels like the federal government just imposes its will and the people in the local communities don’t count. That’s a tough one for me because I think it’s pretty important to preserve beautiful spaces like this – but at the same time we need to figure out a way to bring these people in . . .

We asked about the coal plant. It has closed since he retired. He says he wakes up now afraid that the power will be out – with the clear implication that he has no faith in solar or wind turbines – or, as he would probably put it, any of these “new-fangled tree hugger methods of making energy.” 

We didn’t tell him our daughter works in solar. But he knew . . . He asked about politics in Minnesota. When we told him we were democrats he just wandered away . . .

But the thing is – this was not a bad person. Super nice guy. 

Anyway, I’m off topic again. 

Oh, yes – fantastic riding this morning. Very flat for the first 20 miles. And then we hit some pretty serious hills – including a wall with the steepest grade we have seen yet. That wall would have been rough with a 10 pound bike. It was seriously rough with our loaded bikes. Point-two miles per hour, not-sure-you-were-going-to-make-it-up-without-tipping-over tough. Ugh!

Fortunately, it was well worth it. Amazing views. Rolling countryside. A super-nice downhill grade to the ferry that we took from the Illinois to the Missouri (and St. Louis) side of the river. 

The next 10 miles or so were pretty nice. Then we entered maneuver-through-city hell for the next 10-15 miles, including a bike path immediately adjacent to the interstate – with a trip over the very wide Missouri River – just before its confluence with the Mississippi. 

Next up: we enjoyed a trip right through the airport. Seriously, we were on the same airport road that there is at every airport. You know the one; it’s always so confusing – with signs pointing every which saying things like: 

• Rental Cars
• Terminal 1
• Terminal 2
• Departures
• Arrivals
• Short Term Parking
• Cell Phone Parking (Wait! What?!?)
• Long Term Parking 

You get the idea . . .

But eventually we emerged into the less crazy part of the City. At this point we were pretty exhausted and headed straight for the Airbnb that Diana had reserved for us. 

We unloaded the bikes – I think Old Dan and Little Anne were, frankly, pretty happy to be relieved of their loads for a bit, even if they were a bit dismayed by the City’s potholes and traffic – climbed the stairs, enjoyed a minute of air conditioning, and then went immediately to the shower.

Hmm. 

It wasn’t that the water wasn’t hot. No. We probably could have handled that problem. The problem was that there was no water. 

Or rather, there was the tiniest bit dribbling out. Like an old man’s pathetic stream. And about as attractive . . .

And then Diana noticed that there was water accumulating on the floor in the hallway. 

So now Diana’s back on the phone telling the airbnb people that we are going to a hotel. We start packing up the stuff. Pretty depressed. No shower. No more air conditioning. Just an uncertain future across town – probably at the Dollar General of hotels . . . So sad.

But wait. Munger – you said you were on a roll? What gives?

Hold your horses. 

Just then Diana’s phone rang. The airbnb people calling back to tell us that they were upgrading us to their “luxury apartment” airbnb.

Diana is immediately suspicious and starts giving them the business. But I look up the address and see that it is right across the street from St. Louis’ Central Park. 

“Let’s take it” I tell her.

So now we’re in a LUXURY apartment for $59/night. Right now I’m typing away as I look down on our rooftop pool and hot tub. Did I mention the climbing wall? Two bedrooms. Two bathrooms – each with their own luxurious showers . . . with water pressure. And an exercise gym that looks like it would make LifeTime Fitness blush (because we need an exercise gym right about now . . .)

Wonderful Indian dinner tonight – because you can’t get Indian in rural Arkansas . . . And we finished the night with amazing ice cream cones. Take that, Kampsville Kreamery. We don’t need any of your Cedarcrest not-homemade ice cream. Us luxury apartment people are too snooty for that anyway . . .

Looking forward to seeing the arch, enjoying the Anheuser Busch tour, and, yes, biking around town tomorrow. 

So far we’re loving St. Louis. 

Signing off so we can enjoy our cushy digs . . .

Oh – before I forget – Subscriber Charlie M from the Camp Ripley area of Minnesota gets special recognition for providing suggestions for St. Louis activities and advice for fixing my back.

Postscript: As I post this, Diana has gone down to the exercise facilities to do a strength workout. Because a day off would be slothful . . . 🙂