2009 Visit Sharon & Jim in Branson

We arrived on Sunday evening, late. Sally and Sharon had scheduled a busy few days. The weather was great and the trees were just starting to change. Jim did all the driving, thank goodness. He has learned all the alternate routes and can get us anywhere in the area without a lot of traffic.



On our way to Branson, I took a picture of the foliage. Why is it that pictures don't do justice to so many scenes? I am constantly reminded of the amount of planning and thought that a photographer puts into a quality picture.



This is a nice stone house that sits high on a bluff over Lake Taney Como.


Branson Landing is a new mall that is very nice. Several high end stores and a pleasant mall. It reminds me of Copper mountain or Vail.

There, across the highway is the Hilton and Convention Center. The one story building in the foreground is the Branson Station.


They run an engine from the 1950s and domed and non-domed cars.

The conductor is a picture of the past.


We rode in the dome car. Sharon is explaining something to Jim and us.

We went through two tunnels. Here we are just exiting one of them.


The hills were more colorful in life. But even here they are pretty.


Jim enjoying some scenery.


The train bends the corner around.


I have no idea where we are. There are few open spaces, homes or roads.
We did see the build up for the new Branson Airport runway. It looked like they just filled in a couple valleys to make a level spot for the runway of 7000 plus feet.

The shadow of the train on the trestle over Turkey Creek.

There is Turkey Creek. Blow it up. It's there.

Another couple of weeks and the color should be peaking.

Crossing Lake Taney Como. I know, it looks like we are crossing a river; but down here they think it is a lake.

No sailing, no lake. It's a damned river!

Excuse me, a dammed river.


"Branson, Branson. End of the line. Everybody off. End of the line."


Ole No.98.

(Read about it in the link for Branson Station above.)


My favorite part of the day. Lets go down to the landing to eat.


Interesting decor in the old fish house. I wonder when the last time was that they used SNOW SHOES in the Ozarks?

And those two long boards? They make up a dual rudder. Wow! I wonder where they sailed that scow? It sure wasn't Taney Como!

Oh, Well! The important thing is we had a lot of fun. We saw "Breakfast with Mark Twain" . Another small theater production with one man in costume not quoting Clemens nor telling stories of his period. However the jokes were old. Maybe it was a bad day for us or for him; but, there was no Norman Rockwell part of the show. Depending on what day you see the show he does Elvis, Clemens, Jerry Lee Lewis or Hank Williams Sr. We also saw some very good shows.

Spirit of the Dance International dance troupe. Even I enjoyed it, though I would not have selected it.

SIX was a group of six brothers out of ten. "You won't believe what comes out of their mouth."

But my favorite promo line was, "There's no music they just sing."

Twelve Tenors talented young men sing opera, pop, Irish songs.

Branson Landing Cruise was a dinner cruise on a beautiful new yacht. It sails at sunset. The night we sailed the weather rolled in and it poured. The weather also made it pitch black out. So although we had a nice dinner and got to go to the bridge, we didn't see much beyond the rail. It was worth it though.

It would be good if it weren't so far.

Glide St. Louis Monday

(Click on the title above to link to Glide St. Louis)




Monday, October 5th, we got up early and hit the street. A busy schedule this morning before we leave for Branson. Sally found a Segway tour outfitter, called Glide St. Louis, and arranged for us to take a tour. She also booked passage for us on the riverboat "Tom Sawyer".

So, at 8:00 we headed to the Marriott, the square block on the other side of the street across the bridge.

There on the right by the fancy street lights is the Marriott entrance.



This is the very stylish Marriott Hotel lobby. The tour meets in the lobby of the Courtyards by Marriott at 8:30. Since we are about a 1/2 hour early Sally calls to verify our tour time. Oops! Wrong Marriott!


I won't do the "I told you so." Back on the street, head west, about a block the other side of our hotel. Now we can just make it. That worked up a good glow and got some exercise.


The Segway tour was not without problems in the booking. We originally discussed whether we preferred the Downtown St. Louis City Tour, the Forest Park Tour or the Historic Soulard Neighborhood Tour. Sally and I decided on the Downtown St. Louis City Tour.


Sally called to book Sunday afternoon a week in advance. Monday Joe called back and apologized, his partner had booked Forest Park for Sunday afternoon. We could do the Forest Park Tour Sunday afternoon. Then he called back Wednesday, the tour was already full. Joe was really sorry and we can do any tour we would like on Monday morning. It would be just the two of us and because we had so many changes it would be 1/2 price. Sally said the only problem is we have a riverboat cruise at 11:30 Monday morning. Joe said that wasn't a problem. We could start early and he would get us back in time.



Sally stepped right on without a problem. Joe steadied the stick and she followed directions well. I had the advantage of hearing everything described by Joe then seeing it executed by Sally.


Okay! She can stand! Now the instructions on how to move. No comedy filmed. She went without a hitch.

We maneuvered in the parking lot for a few minutes to get the hang of going, turning, stopping and backing. The comedy was me when I went up the sidewalk ramp and turned. The sidewalk is sloped side to side after the turn and I was staying upright on the Segway. Well, that made me move the stick and I turned too sharply. There was a drop off of a couple inches and I turned more and sped over the curb. I just bent my knees like skiing and rode it down.

Like in the commercial, "I'm good."

We're off! I'm in back so I can take pictures. So maybe you don't realize that after 15 minutes of training and practice I am taking pictures WHILE driving. This is just that easy to pick up and go. And it is fun. You have to try this some day. You can donate to my Segway Fund then apply to ride mine.

We went by the FBI office. I didn't get to ask about the Epps brothers.

The post office has a part in my past. This is where I reported for the draft.


The Kiel Opera House is right next to the Auditorium and was a performing arts Mecca in central Illinois.

This is the Scottrade Center, home of the NHL's St. Louis Blues. A very modern building next door to an old one.

The Sheraton Hotel City Center is beautiful trompe l'oeil. This is in reality a flat facade, totally unremarkable. If you click on the photo and look at the "obelisk" on the right, there is a painted falcon. The story is that birds were fooled and kept trying to land on the obelisk so the falcon was painted to keep the birds away.

St. Louis City Hall is modeled after the Paris City Hall. It had become black from the air pollution of an industrial city. When it was cleaned it was determined that some stains were deeper within the limestone and could not be removed without damage to the stone. So today it is a mottled pattern of stone and discoloration. The architecture is still grand.

The mayor's office is still on the third floor.

This is the Thomas Eagleton U. S. Courthouse, the largest courthouse in the United States. It opened on September 11, 2000.

Thomas Eagleton was a candidate for Vice President with Eugene McCarthy. He was force to withdraw because he admitted to having received treatment for depression.


Cupples Station is one of several warehouses that have been re purposed and "saved" as a part of St. Louis History.


On to Busch Stadium. This is the third stadium in my lifetime, so far. I saw Stan Musial play in the old park. Then they tore that down and built the white one that I found reminiscent of the Colosseum in Rome. Now that too is gone and we have this park. This park has a good 'feel' to it. It is done in the red brick that is famous in St. Louis. The statues in front are of Cardinal heroes. Down the street on third base side is a plaza in the bleachers.

The red brick building is the first skyscraper. It isn't very tall by today's standards. It may not be true as told. It may be the only remaining one on 'Real Estate Row'.

This is Kiener Plaza situated directly West of the Thomas Jefferson National Expansion Memorial.

The Morton D. May Memorial Amphitheater is a favorite for weddings.

These arches were like the Chicago bovine of a few years ago. Various entities bought and decorated these arches that were then distributed around the city. They were then auctioned for charity.

This reflection on the UMB Bank contains the old courthouse. It is famous as the site of the Dread Scott case was argued here.

Citygarden is a Park full of artwork that people can touch and sit and enjoy and kids can interact with.

The walking animation is the art. The sound is ground keeper's equipment.

The "World War Memorial" commemorates WW I.

Of course at that time they didn't know there would be another.

Aloe Plaza constructed 1936 to 1939.

Joe leading the way.

"The Meeting of the Waters." This sculpture represents the union of the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers by the male and female forms in the center. The smaller water spirits represent the seventeen tributaries to the two rivers. It us 'anatomically correct' and was scandalous in the 1930s.

When it was completed, it was filled with water from each river and each tributary during a ceremonial opening.

An Autumn Day in St. Louis

Saint Louis, Missouri. Those from rural areas call it the city, located at the confluence of the muddy Missouri River and the mighty Mississippi River.

Famous for the Blues, Beer,Baseball, the Lewis and Clark Expedition, the start of the Mississippi River's free flow to the Gulf of Mexico. Northward to Minnesota the river's flow is stepped by a series of locks and dams built and operated by the Army Corps of Engineers.

Today St. Louis is famous for the Arch. Much as New York is marked by the Statue of Liberty and San Francisco is marked by the Golden Gate Bridge, St. Louis has the arch as just a part of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial.



We stayed at the Pear Tree Inn - Union Station. The station is in the middle on the right edge of this photo. We are looking East from our room toward downtown and the river.


We walked to the station. From there one can take the Metro-Link light rail system. It is no longer a Union Pacific trans-continental station. It has been re-purposed as a shopping mall and what is now a Marriott hotel. It was the Hyatt until recently.


The Metro is NOT well marked; but, we found it and eventually figured out the ticket system. They have a machine like an ATM that you buy the ticket through. First choice was one way or round trip. Since we plan to come back we purchased round trip. Actually, it just spits out two tickets each.

We went down the steps to the platform and saw a sign stating that one should ONLY board trains with a validated ticket. There are no people working up there. How does one 'validate their ticket? I asked a man on the platform and he said, "Theys a red thing up there you put your ticket in."

Back up the stairs and there was a post about waist high that has a slot. Validated tickets are good to two (2) hours. Sally and I only validate one ticket each because we don't know how long we will be at the arch.


When the train pulled in it was full. We got on and held the overhead rod. Judging from all the red apparel we realize the Cardinals are playing a home game today. Twenty minutes later we get off at Lacledes Station. It is 2nd street and a short walk through the park to the arch.


I took a picture behind me as we were leaving the train. This is Eads Bridge. It was the first built across the Mississippi River completed in 1874. It combines rail and auto traffic. I didn't realize it at first but the metrolink uses that rail line. It is still an elegant steel arch bridge.


Our arrival was at an opportune time. I could step in the clearing and catch the sun atop the arch. It is as impressive today as it was in 1969.

What a great day to go up there and look out. Clear blue skies, warm day, great for walking in the park. The arch is 630 feet high and the base is 630 feet wide. The view on a day like this is sixty miles!

The balance of the park is this large expanse of lawn up to and including the historic courthouse. This is the courthouse of Dread Scott fame.

These steps lead up from Lenore K Sullivan Blvd. by the river. On the steps, at either end is a marker designating the height of flood waters in 1993. We were able to ascend these stairs, even in our state of advancing age.

This is a trolley in which they load five (5) people and send to the top. I guess the idea is for you to try it out in the hall. Before one buys a ticket and gets in line and discovers they are claustrophobic. It is very close quarters and would be "stuffy" on a hot day.

Here we are in line for door number 8. This is the roomy staging area to go up. There will be no such luxury accommodations to return to the earth.

This is the view from inside the trolley. As you can see, there is really quite a bit of room on the landings.

Whoa! This is our greeting at the top. I wonder how many they will send up. It is more crowded than it appears here. You can't see the folks I am bumping bellies with.

As we make our way across to the other side it becomes less crowded and we get to a window to look out. There's Eads Bridge!

There is the Becky Thatcher riverboat. And the cafe at the bottom had some good food. We are having lunch there when we get done here. I had catfish strips. They were breaded in corn meal and fried; really delicious.

Look! It's the Veterans' Bridge and Eads. Of course it is no longer called Veterans' Bridge; it was renamed Martin Luther King Bridge and called MLK.

The Veterans Memorial Bridge was built by the City of East Saint Louis as a toll bridge, opening in 1951. At the time, it was the 6th longest cantilevered truss bridge in the US, and the largest cantilevered truss bridge over the Mississippi River. It carried US-40 and US-66 from 1955 until 1967. When the Poplar Street interstate highway bridge opened as a free bridge in 1967, the toll revenue from the Veterans Memorial Bridge dropped off dramatically. Eventually, both the bridge and the City of East Saint Louis would end up going bankrupt. The bridge was renamed in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1968. The structure continued to go downhill until it had to be taken over by the Saint Louis Port Authority and rebuilt in the late 1980's, opening again in early 1989.

Wow! Those steps are impressive from up here.

There is the courthouse and the park between it and the arch.


Looking to the West toward the horizon. That is the newest Busch Stadium at the bottom. They are playing there right now.

The round building is the Millennium Hotel. It used to be the Stouffer. The top is a revolving restaurant. You can eat and see the entire city in a little over an hour. If the weather is good.

This was the way up on the other leg of the arch. It us being refurbished.

In the museum of westward expansion they have a few dioramas and animatronic characters. Sally noticed that they all have a twitch in their left eye when they speak. It isn't Disney but it is okay.

This exemplifies transportation west in the 1800s. Many of the trails west originated in Missouri.

Longhorn steers were popular breed in the dry West.

The stage coach was sprung on a leather sling. These are about four inches wide and each is about a quarter inch thick.

It doesn't look very comfortable for a lengthy trip. But it does bring about a nostalgic dream of the romantic "old west".

This appaloosa seems like it could look up any second. There is a small plaque admonishing one not to touch. "Only a live animal can re-grow lost hair."

I love bison! They are so powerful and large.This one is beautiful. You won't see one this clean outside of a museum. They are covered in dung and mud or at best dust.

We validated our tickets and caught the train back to our hotel. It was virtually empty this time and we got to sit.

Walking back from Union Station, our hotel is on the right up there. it is about 5:40 now and will be dinner time when we get back.