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    Ronald J Foster Heritage Trail

    Ronald J Foster Heritage Trail

    4.5
    (2 reviews)
    11.3 mi

    First time riding a trail in Illinois. When I researched the many trails around Edwardsville this…read moreone was about the mileage I wanted to ride. It's a little over 24 miles out and back from Glen Carbon to Marine. I was really impressed by this paved trail. It is a very pretty trail with lots of wooden miles, several bridges over creeks, and some great views when it opens up to vast farmland. The trail is well maintained. The pavement is pretty smooth for the most part. There are no drastic elevation changes so I'd consider the difficulty level to be easy. I look forward to riding more of this trail system soon.

    For nearly 25 years I've been using this trail for walking and biking. There's nothing like it,…read moreeven though there are now similar trails around the area. Its part-history, part-recreational, part-exercise for me. History: this once served as the Illinois Central Railroad line, which was defunct for a long time before it became one of the nations first 'rails-to-trails' projects. There were historical markers along the trail that talked about the village of Glen Carbon's mining history, but I think they removed them due to numerous episodes of vandalism. The trail was a rocky, unpaved trail for a long time, until last year (2015) when the whole RJF bike trail was completely paved. The trail itself has a history, as it has been added on to (extending from Old Troy Road to Kuhn Station one year, and later from Kuhn Station to the village of Marine), and it has connected to other bikeways as well. Signs have also been added, but the mile markers are now gone. The trail has always been a part of the community and stands out as a piece of Glen Carbon history. So bring your bikes, or your energy to run, jog and/or walk!

    The Captain’s Return

    The Captain’s Return

    5.0
    (1 review)
    24.6 mi

    You will find this nice sculpture on the Mississippi Riverfront, in St Louis, just behind the…read moreGateway Arch. It is the work of Harry Weber who completed the piece, which is made of bronze and sits 22 feet tall, in 2006 The 3.5 ton sculpture depicts explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark and their Newfoundland dog, Seaman. It is owned by the city of St Louis and was commissioned by the Greater St. Louis Community Foundation to commemorate the bicentennial of the explorers' return September 1806. According to Weber, it "took seven months of long hours to complete the structure in clay, make molds and reassemble it like a giant jigsaw puzzle. It is a nice sculpture and Weber does a great job encapsulating Lewis and Clark's feeling of accomplishment, sacrifice and pride. It is very detailed and well done. The viewer can really connect to the piece. The sculpture is designated a national Lewis and Clark site by the US Park Service and spending on how high the Mississippi River gets, sometimes the statue is submerged in the river. In 2014, the statue was removed and restored to repair damage it had received from the flood. In 2016, the statue was returned to the riverfront to a location slightly south and about 17 feet higher than before. Before it was moved, during a flood situation, it would look like the duo were sailing into shore Anyway, as with most sculptures that I have visited and reviewed, this is not a long stop. I was there less than 10 minutes. So, you may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other attractions in the area, or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip. I would recommend checking out the Gateway Arch and Park while visiting this sculpture.

    Photos
    The Captain’s Return
    The Captain’s Return
    Me from Pacific  Coast Arriving at the Mississippi River.

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    Me from Pacific Coast Arriving at the Mississippi River.
    Little Brick House

    Little Brick House

    4.0
    (1 review)
    16.5 mi

    Beware!!! Google maps will take you to the wrong location! I'm on your side Apple Maps, you never…read moredo me wrong! From the Vandalia State House, take 185/40 (N. Kennedy Blvd) north, turn left/west on W. Randolph Street, then right/north on N. Perkin's Street one block to W. St Clair Street. Turn left and it's up on the little hill on your right/north side. I absolutely love state capitals, which would lead me to enjoy past state capitals. I had been in rural Illinois a few times and always wondered what Vandalia had to offer being that it was second Illinois Capitol City (an oldest one still existing, unlike Kaskaskia which is now under water). I followed Vandalia's tourist page to the few landmarks that existed. One was what is called "Little Brick House". It's an n example of simple Italianate architecture that has been preserved by the Vandalia Historical Society. It is listed on the National Registry of Historic Places and is thought to have been constructed in the mid 1800's. According to the website, "Josephine Burtschi, local artist and historian, was born in this house. In 1956 she purchased the house and started restoring it to its original appearance. Over the years, the Little Brick House has been renovated and furnished with period pieces, antiques, and early Vandalia artifacts. Contained within the six rooms are furniture, china, engravings and books acquired from descendants of state officers, legislators and the Ferdinand Ernst Colony who lived in Vandalia when it served as capital. The library, called the Berry-Hall room, pays tribute to James William Berry, the first talented artist of Illinois, and to Judge James Hall who established Vandalia as the first literary center west of Cincinnati. (http://www.vandaliaillinois.com/littlebrickhouse.html)" There's a little history for ya!

    Gateway Arch

    Gateway Arch

    4.2
    (983 reviews)
    24.9 mi

    This is such an amazing architectural accomplishment that everyone needs to experience it. Even if…read moreyou aren't willing to go up to the top there is a free museum on the ground level that is very interesting, as well as a historical movie and a virtual reality experience. This is the smallest national park, and you will need to park in a parking garage, private lot, or use street parking. But it is just a short walk of a few blocks to get to the Arch. It is recommended to purchase tickets online because they often sell out. But today, a Monday morning, I just walked in a purchased a ticket for the next tram to the top. If you are claustrophobic you might not be able to ride the tram to the top. The cars are very, very small. There are five seats in each. But if you handle the tight space it is totally worth it to ride to the top. Once at the top you are allowed to stay for ten minutes, then you board the tram for the return trip down. The gift shop is worth a look, my favorite is the large collection of exploration history books. Many books about Lewis & Clark, of course, also other many other books about exploration and early history of St. Louis and the West. Books on pioneering women too, and Sacagawea. The tram ride was a bargain at only $17. While I didn't have time to view the movie today I have seen it before, on my last trip, and it is definitely interesting.

    In considering the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, I was scratching my head as to the number of stars I…read moreshould assign. I'm going to go with 4 stars since I would not feel compelled to visit it each time in St. Louis, which is infrequent to begin with. That said, these are 4 very strong stars. The Gateway Arch is highly symbolic. It represents the critical mass of westward movement in the United States to lands on the other side of the Mississippi River. It's interesting to note that the center point of America's population inches west and south with each passing year, but is still in the Midwest and not excessively far from this national park and monument. The Gateway Arch is the work of architect Eero Saarinen. It's debatable if this, a stainless steel arch over 600 feet high, is his most famous work ... or if it's the soaring reinforced concrete TWA Terminal at New York JFK Airport resembling the outstretched wings of a large bird. Less known is his design of Terminal 1 at nearby Saint Louis Airport, with its series of connected cross vaults. That someone would envision such a project is almost dizzying. The Gateway Arch manages to look both spindly and stout. Standing at its base, one sees just how massive the base of the legs on each side of the arch are. This then explains how it's possible for the legs to taper as the structure continues upward. The arch was designed to be large enough to have some visitors at the top and steady enough but flexible for forces such as wind. There was a lot of planning and detailing involved. The overarching feature - no pun intended - is that the monument is the reciprocal of a catenary curve, meaning the shape of a necklace or chain held by each hand and allowed to dangle downward. If you let a chain hang, it wouldn't be a circle. It would form the catenary shape we are all accustomed to because all the vectors of the forces are in balance at that point. While the arch is the main event, a lot of planning went into its site, its plaza, its building podium, the inclusion of many spaces such as a theater, and, of course, the little train of funicular bubbles in each leg of the arch allowing tourists to ride to the top. Going to the top of the arch is the high point of the experience. (I unintentionally keep backing into puns.) Note that the individual glass compartments for the ride up are small and those prone to claustrophobia might have difficulty with this. The lobby has restauration, gift shops, articles from the arch's construction, and a theater. Visiting the theater is very informative since a short movie chronicles the conceptualization, design, construction, opening, and operation of the arch. The biggest "ah" moment in the film is when the keystone of the arch is slid into place, over 600 feet up in the air, and fits snugly and with the small tolerances intended! Clearly, the small observation leg at the top of the arch is narrow and people's visits need not be that long. There is a small ribbon of windows on each side. On the eastern side, one sees the endless prairie-like land of Illinois across the Mississippi River. On the western side, one sees the city of St. Louis and its suburbs. The arch was thought of after significant parts of St. Louis's city center had been developed. One could only wish that they could have foreseen this monument and left a vast mall type lawn open to its west. That's not the case. The arch is something one needs to see at least once. I've seen it twice over several decades. It's also amazing how, depending on where you are in St. Louis or if across the river, each vantage point on this unique monument is slight different owing to its dynamic design. The Gateway Arch is part of the national park system. There is a fee to visit it, but it's fairly priced. It is, without a doubt, money well spent to experience it at least once.

    Photos
    Ludacris
    Ludacris
    This thing is BIG
    This thing is BIG
    Gateway Arch

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    Rest Area - diyfood - Updated August 2026

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