Missouri: The St. Louis Arch

The Gateway Arch

200 Washington Avenue
St. Louis, MO

In June of 2008, my Cousin Peter and I drove the length of the Mississippi River from its origin in Lake Itasca, Minnesota to its end in Venice, Louisiana. The route we chose to follow is most commonly known as Great River Road. It stretches almost the entire length of the Great Miss from Hastings, Minnesota to Gretna, Louisiana. The highway is comprised of a little over 2,000 miles of both state and local highways spanning 10 states; Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana.

Now I am not sure if you remember the natural disaster taking place that summer but I sure as hell do; in June of 2008 the Mississippi River was swelling due to months and months of heavy precipitation. The Great River flooded cities and towns all along its banks. The flooding began on June 7 and continued through July 1. Ask me which day Cousin Peter and I began our road trip that year. Aww, come on, ask. Hell, I'll just tell you - - June 7th. 

Let's not pretend this is the first trip that did not precisely work out as how we planned. Our families were freaked. You know what the media does with stories of natural disasters; they sensationalize them - - they find the most horrific locations to televise and  they splash the images all over the airwaves non-stop. We were fine. Yes, we had moments of some panic and concern. We had to reroute our path a little bit along the way but for the most part things went according to plan.

On June 12, we reached the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri. Now I am not a fan of heights. I say that but on almost every road trip I find myself at the top of some tall structure thinking quite loudly, "Why the hell am I up here?" 

On this particular occasion I was thinking to myself, "Why the hell am I up here again?" Yes, I had already been to the top of the St. Louis Arch back in the fall of 2002. Cousin Peter, though, had never been to the top of the world's tallest stainless steel structure. And so 630 feet up we went together for what I believe was $6 then but now costs $7.

What most people do not realize is that this memorial structure is really just a ride up to an observation deck. Ear arm or leg, if you will, contains a tram that lifts passengers up to walkway where tourists can look out over the river and state of Missouri through the short wide windows. The trams feel a little like being on a Ferris wheel. Up to five passengers can be squished into these tuna-can-like cars that rise up to the observation deck, swinging slightly every few feet up to adjust for the curve of the structure. It is a scary rickety feeling. When we were there in June 2008, the south tram, which we were on had just been repaired three months prior; in March 2008. The previous year a cable had snapped and closed that tram. Knowing that, getting up there was a little - - hmm, terrifying.

Once at the top, on windy day, you can feel that building sway. And sway it did! It's really designed that way for safety; it is earthquake resistant and can stand winds up to 150 miles/hour.

What was most remarkable about this particular trip to the top was the view of the flooding. I am not sure if it is clear to you what you are looking at here if you have never been to the Arch but look closely - - that is a parking lot along the riverbank. 

Here it is a little zoomed in. See the street lights?

Once back on the ground I took this photo. See the handrail towards the lower part of the picture centered between those two trees? The river was covering the walking path and parking lot along the riverbank.

I recommend taking the trip to the top at least once in your lifetime should you have the opportunity and lack acrophobia and claustrophobia; fear of heights and enclosed spaces.