TheSouth

Day 0

Thursday, 26 May 2011
Baltimore, MD to St. Louis, MO
No Riding.

May 26, 2011 was a normal day for us, except that it was completely different. We awoke slightly later than usual, drove to the airport, and boarded a plane for St. Louis. Last year's tour ended under the Gateway Arch, so this year's tour would start at the same place.

Our flight was a little late getting off, but arrived on time. We grabbed a huge rental SUV and drove to South Side Cyclery, where I had shipped my bike. The bike was ready--except that the front rack was not attached--because I told them not to bother trying--and unlike many shops, they were paying attention. We loaded the bike into the back of the Durango and headed back toward downtown.

We probably could have jammed a couple more bikes and Balint in there easily.

I wanted to visit the site of the prehistoric city of Cahokia, but it was raining. So instead we toured to the equally significant ancient brewery of the Anheuser Busch peoples.

We got certificates for completing the 45-minute beer tasting course. Who says a vacation
can't be educational? Don't worry, none of that beer went to waste.

It turns out that much of the brewery tour is outside, where it was rainy and cold. No tornados today, though.

Apparently the Clydesdales live part-time right at the brewery.

The horses have some pretty nice digs.

These are the beachwood aging tanks. The guide said you'd have to drink one beer an hour for
something like 137 years to drain one of these. These babies are stacked about five deep.

Opportunities like this don't come around every day.

Not sure why this trough is such a great photo opportunity. Maybe I would know
if I listened to the guide.

This place reminded me of March of the Penguins--but without the cold and snow and penguins.

At the end of the tour they dump you out in the Hospitality Room--where they force you to drink a couple more beers. Then they steer you into the gift shop--where you are sorely tempted to buy stuffed clydesdales and beer glasses that say "Michelob."

Eventually we got away and drove downtown to the hotel. Our room wasn't ready so we spent a half hour working on the bike--attaching the front rack and making various other adjustments. Finally we got in the room, settled in, and went for a walk. I insisted we visit one of the most historically significant places in the world. Here's a picture of me standing there:

This is--near as I can tell--the location of first base in old Busch Stadium. This is the place where
Doug Mientkiewicz recorded the final out of the 2004 World Series--ending 86 years of frustration for the
Boston Red Sox. The Sox victories over the Yankess and Cardinals in that postseason were so crushing
that both teams tore down their stadiums shortly afterwards.

And then we had dinner and took a typical tourist picture: I call this: "Fountain with Running Near-Naked Man
in Front of Couthouse and Arch and Hyatt."

Tomorrow the riding begins--about 75 miles down the Mississippi River floodplain to Chester, IL. Linda will be carrying my bags for the three or so days. The weather is supposed to be fairly nice, and actually a bit cool. And the recent floods should not be a problem this far north.

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