Driving thru KS, MO, IL

[rwa12]

STL rush hour really isn't that bad, especially if you are headed east towards IL. Somehow the myth that STL is a major metropolis continues, there really isn't much to the city. You are about 3-5 miles from IL at the Drury. If you really want to avoid traffic, stay at a hotel on the IL side of things. The hotels in Fairview Heights and O'Fallon (where I live) are no more than 25 minutes from the stadium. If you go this route, I suggest that you take the metrolink into the stadium...the train is cheap and drops you off at the front door. If you have other questions, feel free to ezbox me. I am happy to help.

-Rob

[hammytime]

Thanks for the upside, Parkside. Having graduated from Neenah HS, I avoid Menasha whenever possible, since they were/still are our major rival in high school sports.

[TracyThom]

I've made the drive from Omaha to Madison on I-80 in the past, and I didn't really have a problem with it. It's a straight shot until you get outside Cedar Rapids. Maybe I was entertained with all of the Kum N' Go gas stations on the way.

[parkside21]

Maybe I was entertained with all of the Kum N' Go gas stations on the way.

 

I hear ya on this one. Maybe it's just the little kid in me (or the male species), but I can't help but laugh everytime I drive out of state and see a Kum N' Go or a T&A station. One time we even saw a Pump N' Munch......those are the reasons that cameras were invented.

[pitchleague]

believe me, there are tons or alternative names for Kum 'n Go stores in Iowa, none of which are suitable for this site.

[pitchleague]

Hey everybody!

 

The wife and I left town this am and spent about 4 1/2 hours at Petrified Forest National Park (about 2 1/2 hours longer than I thought we would be there!) and arrived safe and sound in Tucumcari, NM after day one of driving.

 

Tomorrow is the drive to Missouri.

 

edit: BTW, sure was nice to listen to the Crew pull out a big 11-3 win on the XM radio while we finished the drive. Got to hear Shouse complete the save as we're in the drive thru for dinner before we got to the hotel. Hope the winning continues.

[hawing]

Drive carefully! otherwise we won't get to meet you at the game on the 24th.

[M Skjellyfetti]

Quote:

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since they were/still are our major rival in high school sports.

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Rival only because of proximity, not competition (in most cases).

[pitchleague]

well, we drove to St. Louis today. Okay, that's not entirely accurate. I did all 12 hours of the driving due to my wife feeling very nauseous after probably sun stroke yesterday in the Petrified Forest. (just a bit of sunburn--you'd think because we live in AZ we'd know how to protect better from the sun.) But I digress . . . (she's feeling much better now)

 

We are going to use the metrolink from our Airport hotel and go to the St. Louis Zoo and the Gateway Arch downtown. We likely will be looking for a good place to watch the Brewers, have lunch and a beer (or three).

 

Nice to see the Crew win another one. Sounded great on the radio (except it was the Twins guys broadcasting [morons]). The crowd sounded very loud and alive throughout the game, including lots of cheers for both teams.

 

For those that were at the game (this probably belongs in the IGT but who cares), was it pretty civil or was it like a Cubs-Brewers game?

 

Take care everybody! I'll be in Wisconsin on Monday!

[pitchleague]

just got back to the hotel after a long, but fun, 12 hour day in St. Louis.

 

First off, we ended up biting $9 to take the metrolink around town. I was beat from driving and needed a break. It worked out magnificently. So thanks to those that suggested it.

 

We went to the St. Louis Zoo first. Of course, we were stubborn and walked across Forest Park rather than take the shuttle bus to the zoo. Oh well, good exercise on a decent morning weather wise. The zoo was great--for a zoo. I'm not the animal nut--that's my wife. So to me, any zoo is the same thing, pretty much. Still, nice pictures and video were taken and it's nice to see your wife be a smarty pants, too (since I know most, but not all, of the baseball knowledge in our house).

 

Then we went downtown and stopped at Busch Stadium and I persuaded my wife to take the stadium tour with me. Well worth the $10/person. Plus, the tour guide and us got in some good jabs and one-liners about the Cards and Brewers. He commented that he hopes the Brewers can keep it up because, as he said, "you deserve it."

 

Then, it was off to the Gateway Arch. That was pretty cool. But I never imagined how cramped the actual observatory is. I felt like a sardine. I don't mean this because it was packed with people either. It was just not quite what I expected from that POV. Otherwise, the views were great with good visibility and such.

 

Finally, we went to Laclede's Landing (the bar/restaurant area of the arch park) and found a decent place (Hannigan's) to eat. Al Hrbosky's (sp?) restaurant was closed and we didn't feel like TGI Fridays (both were downtown by the ballpark). It was pretty fun using my phone to look at the scoring recap of the Brewer game. Looks like it was a great rollercoaster game to watch.

 

Tomorrow we begin the final leg to Wisconsin. HOORAY!

[pitchleague]

well, we made it to Wisconsin, staying ahead of the weather the entire way. We even made it from St. Louis to Neenah on one tank of gas! And we left St. Louis at 9:30 and got here shortly after 5 pm. Nice!

 

The drive thru Illinois wasn't all that bad. For us, coming from an area of the country bereft of green and full of brown, the drive today was great because it was different. We couldn't see mountains that are 45 miles away like normal; instead we could only see a few hundred yards due to actual trees rising up to the sides of the road. This is stuff that we all take for granted.

 

Thanks for all the help/advice on our trip.