Pre-trip Prep:
Information about the Arch, how to buy the tickets, National park pass and pay for parking online here.
The Lewis and Clark Trail has several
points around St. Louis see http://lewisandclarktrail.com/
for an interactive map.
The National Park Service also has a good informational site here.
I went here to download information on the Old Courthouse in St. Louis, though it is a very 'schoolish' format, I hope the information sections will be a good base overview and at least it is written for an adult to interact with, though it does offer a 'read to the class' blurb for each area. My goal is not to drill them with information and facts, but to have them both available so I can answer any questions the kids may have and they do point out things I may have otherwise missed.
Here is where I got a second teacher-led self-tour guide this time for the expansion museum at the arch. Both offer further interest-led reading lists which may come in handy!
There is also a Junior Ranger Program at the arch.
Pre-prep done:
Tickets
Parking
National Park Passes
($44)
Hotel room that sleeps 6, with wi-fi, pool, breakfast for 2 nights
($180)
Printed free maps and directions using google maps
Printed free guide info for walking/self-guided tours
Created St. Louis file on laptop (coming with us) with files and information
and history
Ordered (and received) Modern Marvels: The St. Louis Arch dvd-via netflix, which
the kids watched on the way up.
Replaced brake pads, headlight-again, wipers, cleaned and vacuumed van
Full safety-check on tires, brakes, fluids
Free via Mr. Holmes
Restocked first aid kit
+++++
FRIDAY:
We were on the road by 9:30, our first stop was the library and the kids got
the equivalent of brain candy for the ride.
Over the Hedge and so forth.
Matt picked up David Sedaris and I nearly drove us off the road laughing at
the reading of 'Six to Eight Black Men'.
We got to Nashville and our first stop with no troubles, the kids were SO great about riding the whole trip, even after the 12th hour of being in the van...
We went to the dragon park, Civic Square and hit the road, traffic in Nashville was CRAZY, the town hall VP debate is being held there and everything was blocked off.
Back on the road, we stopped at the KY border and then for late lunch just after that. Kaitlin calmly announced she had reached the point of being so hungry she could eat cardboard. Oops! I had snacks, they just never said anything until they were all about dead. So we refueled and got back on the road.
We had replanned the route last-minute to loop through Indiana and stopped to geocache there, which turned into an ORDEAL, but we found one, finally.
Back on the road and a near dead-west straight shot to O'Fallon, where we enganged in 'Where is the Hotel'.
Got here about 10:30 and crashed, we were all wiped out! We left our house at 6:30 and 16 hours later, finished up the 8-hour drive to our current location.
The good news is, gas is cheaper up this way! $3.33 in KY.
The bad news is, I can't get at and/or
deleted about half my pictures from the drive up.
Working on getting some on here.
PICS:
On the road!
Dragon Park
Kaitlin playing in a storm drain
Okay, it was actually a tunnel at the park
Civic Square in Nashville
Parking garage-earthcache
They left the walls unfinshed so you can see the bedrock layers below Nashville, and there are springs and waterfalls here and there, though with the lack of recent rain, there were none flowing fully.
Kentucky-3rd state of the day!
Ohio River Bridge
Quick peek of the Ohio River!
In Indiana!
And a geocache!
Perfect for 4 kids who have been in
a car all day!
Jump, jump, jump you guys!