Little Town, Big Things...

First let's start at the beginning: A Love's truck stop at the end of our first day of driving.  We stopped at one in the middle of the night to get some shut eye.  THAT really did NOT happen.  Our RV was about 180 degrees and...as it turns out, semi trucks are pretty loud when they are pulling in and out of the truck stop all. flipping. night.

Here's our little RV trying to fit in with the big boys.

Waking up...after not really sleeping at all...but ready for the day!

What a day!! We drove over 900 miles since noon yesterday!!  About 435 today, getting us into St. Louis around 3ish.  BUT, we stopped in a little town in Illinois called Casey that boasts EIGHT Guinness world records for "largest" things.  The sign that got our attention was "World's Largest Wind Chime."  We needed gas, so we thought, WHY NOT?  And here is what follows, mostly in pictures.

WORLD'S LARGEST WIND CHIME

World's Largest Rocking Chai

This is what I love about American small towns...

Not the largest, but a very big pencil

My kids in a cage...an interesting concept...

World's largest wooden clogs

World's greatest friend next to a metal cactus that she really liked.

World's cutest seven year old next to an almost fake, but totally real piece of American small town beauty.

We left that sweet little town with some silly souvenirs and smiles in our hearts.  It is so wonderful places like this exist in America.  I hope we can make more places like this.  Please, America, THIS is what makes us great, little towns making giant rocking chairs and wind chimes and sharing them with their fellow Americans.  It was beautiful and it makes me wonder how I can inspire our little town to attract visitors....maple syrup sculptures???? I could be onto something...

On our way out of town there was this sign:

Can ya read it? I mean, who doesn't want to go to "Effington" sometimes?

On to St. Louis!!! First sighting of the arch, the "Gateway to the West" goes to Karen...even though I was sitting in the front!  I swear I'm blind!

We quickly showered at the RV park (that blessedly has power and water hook ups AND free showers) and headed over on the Metrolink to the Arch.

Finn is a stinker, I'll give him that.

The thing is gorgeous.

Riding in the pod up to the top...

A word for those of you who have never been - the pod is an experience.  It is very small and does not have windows.  It freaked the heck out of Finn. He cried and was scared to go back down.  It does not go fast and is quite claustrophobic.  After having been to the top...it wasn't all that great.  The Arch is the tallest national monument in the country so it might be something you want to cross off your bucket list, but frankly...the thing is much more impressive from the outside.  Climbing the steps to the top of the Statue of Liberty was way more worth the trouble/bang for your buck so to speak (personally speaking).

View from the top - Cardinals baseball field to the left.

We topped off this amazing day with AMAZING BBQ ribs, brisket, smoked turkey ....mmmmm....even Finn ate!!  Every one was so happy.

Tomorrow: CityMuseum.  We. Can't. Wait!!!!  But for now, a good night's sleep.  You'll notice the boys have not posted.  I didn't have the heart to make them post tonight.  We are all so tired.  Hopefully tomorrow...unless we have played ourselves ragged at the 10-story playground.  It's possible.