2023 CANYONLANDS ADVENTURE - GOING TO THE TOP OF THE ARCH

 

DAY #14 – SATURDAY – JULY 15, 2023

TOPEKA, KS – MT. VERNON, IL

392 – MILES / 4,462 – TOTAL MILES

The Country Inn & Suites here in Topeka was a very nice hotel. The rooms were clean and the bed comfortable. Today was another early departure, and because our bus driver John was doing the job of baggage handler, we had to have them outside our room by 6 a.m. so that he could get everything loaded by our 7:30 a.m. departure time.

After having breakfast and making one final check of my room, I grabbed a cup of hotel coffee to take with me on the bus.  I boarded the bus at 7:20 and by 7:30 almost everyone was seated and ready to depart. I said almost everybody because the usual parties were late again. So, we waited, and we waited and we waited some more. At 7:40, Michelle tried calling the four missing travelers and no answer.

She then went to their rooms.  While she was doing that Dan and I got off the bus to make a stop at the restroom and grab another cup of coffee. When we go to the breakfast area, what do we find. Yep, our four missing travelers sitting at table finishing up breakfast like they didn’t have a care in the world.

Dan, and I went over to let them know that Michelle was looking for them and that everyone was on the bus waiting. The #1 complainer of the group acted surprised claiming that they were told we were scheduled for an 8 a.m. departure.  Dan and I both told them it was 7:30. To which she replied, “when did she change it.”

Just in time Michelle spotted us and came over and told them everyone was waiting, and they needed to board the bus “without further delay.”  Our #1 complainer said they thought it was an 8 a.m. departure. Michelle told her no it’s 7:30 and asked that they get onboard as soon as possible.

They said they had to go back to their rooms and get their carry-on bags and take care of some personal needs. So, the rest of us waited and waited.  Finally, they boarded, and we pull out of the hotel, 20- minutes late at 8 a.m.

Our #1 complainer, proclaimed to anyone and everyone who would listen that “if she is going to change the departure time, she needs to make sure everyone gets notified.” A couple of people told here that everyone else heard “7:30” and they didn’t know where they got 8 a.m.

Anyway, we pulled back onto Interstate 70-east and headed toward our first stop of the day in Kansas City. An hour and a half later we pulled into the Hallmark Greeting Card Visitors Center.  Since it was a weekend, a guided tour of the plant was not available, but a very nice lady who worked in the visitor’s center gave us an overview of the company and we were able to watch a brief film about the company’s History.

Hallmark Visitor's Center

It was here in Kansas City a young teenager from Nebraska named J. C. Hall, arrived in 1910 with two shoeboxes of cards under his arm. From that humble beginning, J. C. Hall founded the Hallmark Greeting Card Company, that is today the best known and most successful greeting card company in the world.

After our greeting and orientation, we were free to walk through the small but very nice museum that was filled with artifacts and exhibits from those early days right up until the 202s official White House Christmas Card.

Now, You would think that this being the Official Hallmark Visitor’s Center they would have a selection of greeting cards and other Hallmark Gifts for sale. Well, they don’t. Those in our group that wanted to make a purchase were directed to their retail store at a nearby mall. Needless to say, some in our group were disappointed. I wasn’t one of them.

After spending a little over an hour at Hallmark, we made out way back to the interstate and began our trek across the Show Me State of Missouri. We went right through downtown Kansas Center and a few Minutes later we pass the Harry S. Truman Sports Complex off to our right. This is the home of Arrowhead Stadium, where the Kansas City Chiefs Play and to Royal Stadium with the Kansas City Royals play baseball.

Some two hours later we stop in Columbia Missouri for our Lunch break.  There are several choices here and thankfully everyone goes in different directions.  Most of the choices are fast food, like McDonalds, Burger King, and Wendy’s. A couple of people chose the Cracker Barrel.

With Everyone going to different places, none of the restaurants were overwhelmed and service was generally pretty quick. Myself and a couple of the other back of the bus bunch chose Wendys. Lunch generally takes close to an hour and since our service at Wendy was quick, I still had about 30 minutes before I needed to be back on the bus. So, I walked across the street to the “Quick Trip” for a cup of coffee and a few afternoon snacks.

We departed Columbia and resumed our trip east toward our Next stop of the day in St. Louis. Two and a half hours later we made our way through downtown St. Louis passing historic Bellefontaine Cemetery off to our left before making our way up past Busch Stadium to the Old Courthouse. John Found a parking place nearby and we left the bus to begin our tour of Gateway Arch.

Now, I have visited the Arch several time over the years and been to the top of the Arch three different times. Today I decided rather than going to the top again I wanted to spend my time walking through the museum. But as I was walking through towards security, Miss Jenny, one of the back of the bus bunch came up and asked me if I would go to the top with her.

Early on in this adventure, it was well known that Miss Jenny was scared of heights. Earlier in this adventure during our visit to the Royal Gorge Bridge, I had convinced Miss Jenny to walk across the Bridge with me. Along the way we got closer and closer to the side of the bridge.

Going to the Top of the Arch

Finally with a death grip on my arm, Miss Jenny finally looked over the sides of the bridge at the Arkansas River some 950 feet below.  Several times during our walk across the bridge we peered over the side of the bridge together. 

After our walk across the bridge, I suggested that we ride the gondola across the canyon. At first, she was dead set against it and I didn’t push the issue. A little while later, Miss Jenny came up to me and said, “I’ll ride it, it you will ride it with me.”

So, away we went. The Gondola Ride was included in our ticket, and we quickly got in line. Thank goodness the line was short, and she didn’t have much of a chance to change her mind. With her having another death grip on my arm, we boarded the Gondola with a couple of others in our group and began our trip across the canyon.

Miss Jenny at the Top of the Arch

Miss Jenny never releases the grip on my arm as she kept saying over and over, “Oh my Goodness, this is amazing.” When we got to the other side, she was in tears just about, telling me, “I can believe I did that. Nobody back home will believe it.”

So, fast forward to today, here in St. Louis.  Miss Jenny wanted to go to the top but would only do it if I went with her. So, we got in line and crowded into the small 5-person pod with three others for the almost 4-minute ride to the top.

Once we get to the top and exit the pod, we walked up to the top of the viewing area at the very top of top of the arch where the small windows are that afford you magnificent views of St. Louis on one side and the Mississippi River on the other side.  

“Oh, My Goodness, I never Thought I would see anything like this. Wow amazing,” was all Miss Jenny could say as we moved from window to window. We even took pictures so she could prove to her friends back home in West Virginia that she actually went to “The Top of The Arch.”

Back on the ground, we only had a very few minutes before we had to be back on the bus. I made a quick walk through the gift shop, but the lines were long, and I have several souvenirs from past visits, so I didn’t get anything.

It was a little after 5:30 p.m. when we pulled back onto Interstate 70 and crossed the Mighty Mississippi into Illinois. By crossing the Mississippi River, I considered us officially back in the east. A few miles later we merged onto Interstate 64 and headed toward Mount Vernon Illinois which would be our home for the night.

View from the Top

At 6:30 p.m. we arrived at Exit 95 on Interstate 64 where we were scheduled to spend the Night at the Holiday Inn. It was here that we encountered a serious problem. Usually, when we pull up to the hotel, Michelle goes in and picks up the packet that contains our room assignments and key cards.

This time we waited, and we waited until John our driver went in to see what the hold-up was. And we continued to wait. Finally, after about 40 minutes, Michell and John returned to the bus to explain that due to a slip up somewhere along the way the Holiday Inn did NOT have enough rooms for our group.

Michelle went on to explain that she had called some nearby hotels and had secured enough room to accommodate our group. A few of us would stay at the Holiday Inn. Others in our group would be staying at the adjacent Fairfield Inn and the rest would be at a nearby Drury Inn.

I, along with Dan and Sally and two other couples would be spending the night at the Holiday Inn. The rest would be taken to the Fairfield Inn and Drury Inn. The Holiday Inn was nice enough but I kind of hoped that I would get the Drury just because of the Nightly “Kickback” dinner that is served for guests. Plus, the breakfast was as good as or better and nothing was going.

But I was at the Holiday Inn and ended up walking down to a nearby Cracker Barrell for Supper. After finishing supper, I walked back to my room, stopping along the way to pick up a few evening snacks.

Tonight is my last night on the road. If all goes well, tomorrow night I will be sleeping in my own bed. We are still more than 600-miles from home and there are no planned tour stops. According to our schedule I should be arriving back at the 118 Park and Ride somewhere around 10 p.m.

The Adventure continues, for one more day.