Day 3 - St. Louis, Missouri

Day Three of the fabulous Lewis and Clark adventure was jam packed with great activities. Of course the day started with me drawing my typical 'sit in the back rows of the bus' card. But it really went uphill from there.

The first stop with our talented driver, Albert, was the St. Louis Arch. The Gateway to the West. What an imposing structure. Built in the early 1960's, it stands as a symbol and salute to the strength, courage, and endurance of the early settlers of this great country. We got to ride to the top of the structure and experience the imposing view of St. Louis, the Mississippi River, and a large swath of Illinois. We also enjoyed the Museum of Western Expansion located under the Arch.

View from the top of the St. Louis Arch 

 

After lunch and a tour of the old St. Louis Union Railroad Station, we headed to Camp River Dubois. This was the approximate site of the Lewis and Clark camp for the winter of 1803-04. Here, because they were prevented from entering the Louisiana Territory by the Governor, they stocked up, trained, loaded their boats, and added a few boatmen to their numbers. This site is directly across from the Missouri, so the men had the beginning of their journey in sight.

Marker at Camp River Dubois

 

Appropriately, from Dubois, we bussed across to the confluence of the two mighty rivers. The Missouri Department of Conservation has developed the Columbia Bottoms area into a composite of farm land and wild space, with abundant wildlife. At the end of the hiking and biking trails and the road is the viewing platform for the meeting of the Missouri and the Mississippi Rivers. Directly across the Mississippi you can see the Tower at the Camp Dubois site, giving perspective to their journey.

Confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers

We returned to our camp tired but full of exciting sights and experiences of the day. And, of course, looking forward to tomorrow's adventures. Thank you AC. 

We made it to the top

story by caravaners Dick and Lil Barrett