Joy Riding 2013: 10 August 2013, Charlotte, North Carolina

I did my 4:30 am trick again, except it was 5:30 East Coast time. We are going to power drive home. Paul and I both are pretty tired to begin with so we swap drivers fairly often. When we get to St. Louis, I can't help but pull over for a look at The Gateway Arch.

Both a Cardinals vs Cubs game and a soccer match are going on within a 5-block radius of The Arch. Parking everywhere for an RV was $25. Hmmm, I had read somewhere there was free RV parking, so I persevered until we found a Park Ranger and she pointed the way.

So this parking is alongside the Missisippi River, under the highway. Looks like a good place to get mugged. Paul and Maxwell go outside while I change and Maxwell comes back in and said he thought there was a gang outside. I said what makes you say that? He said they looked kind of rough and were yelling. I heard yelling and look out the window. I see a pack of men waving a large flag (I later learn it was a Yemenese flag) and screaming. At Paul. Who is taking their picture!!

The Arch is really is a beautiful work of art. I never realized it was called the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial honoring Thomas Jefferson.