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The Arch



I have been wanting to go up to the top of the Gateway Arch since the first few times I visited St. Louis a few years ago. Unfortunately for me, no one wanted to go with me. Something about a cramped pod experience that they did not care to relive. I would have gone alone once, but on that particular occasion it was a weekend and there were patrons lined up far outside the security gate and I was not going to imposition my wife and in-laws to wait for me to wait in line. I ended up having to wait until I lived here to go.

I thought that a Monday morning would be my best chance to get to the top without waiting in too many lines, and I was right. This morning I asked Jupiter if he would go up with me since no one else wanted to. He said he would, perhaps not knowing what I was talking about but excited about going on a ride, and so we went.

On our way up Jupiter and I were the only ones in the pod. It was far from cramped for just the two of us. It looked like something from the future if my perspective was that of a person living in the 1960's. It was comfortable for the two of us, but I could see how it could get easily cramped with a full pod.

At the top we looked out over the riverfront and over downtown St. Louis. It was a sight to behold. Jupiter was very interested in all the moving trucks driving on the road beneath. I saw the stadiums, the capitol building, and a lot of other neat buildings. I also saw some moving trucks.

On our way back down we had a couple of passengers with us. They were a nice couple from Florida who were up north for Thanksgiving and stopped in Chicago and here in St. Louis on their way back home to see the heights. Even with the four of us in the pod, I did not feel cramped. There was even enough room for the man to show me pictures of he and his wife in the Sears Tower (yes, I am still calling it that).

When we got back down, there was a museum under the arch that we did not spend to much time in. Jupiter does not have the patience for me to read all the signs describing what we were looking at. As with many museums, I will have to go another time when I am either alone or with someone who has more patience.

I am glad that I finally got to go up in the arch and that I got to take my little guy with me. Unlike the naysayers who would not go with me, I would have no problem visiting it again sometime.

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