Oh, it is so nice to be home! I spent the last week away at an FAA conference in St. Louis. Being trapped in a huge conference room with 1,000 people from 8:00 AM till 6:00 PM will make one yearn for fresh air, the open road and one’s bike. It was quite a change from the high miles and century riding in August.
One of the good points to the trip was that our hotel was a stone’s throw from the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial. That is the actual name of the Gateway Arch in St. Louis. Quoting from the National Park Service Website; “Thomas Jefferson’s vision of the spread of freedom and democracy from “sea to shining sea” inspired Eero Saarinen’s masterpiece of modern design. The 630 foot stainless steel Gateway Arch reflects St. Louis’ role as the gateway to the West.” http://www.nps.gov/archive/jeff/arch-ov.htm
This magnificent structure is really amazing to look at and explore. Built in 1965 and dedicated in 1968, the Arch is constructed in the shape of a catenary curve, 630 ft. high and 630 ft. wide. It was constructed with an outer layer of stainless steel, and an inner layer of carbon steel and concrete. And once I walked up to the base and looked up, I truly saw what an amazing structure it really is.
So, back to why this is here on my blog. My only escape from the meetings was to head out at every opportunity to walk, stretch my legs and take pictures! I also went out in the evenings after dinner to try my hand at long exposure night photography of the Arch.
So, since I had no opportunity to ride, here are a few of my favorites from St. Louis.
Enjoy!
More news and riding as the month gets going...
The Arch sometimes has an ethereal look to it...
I had to lay on the ground to get this picture. I used my little tripod, and about a one second exposure.
The Busch Stadium lights do a fine job of lighting the Arch.
I noticed some very interesting optical illusions that defy the fact that the Arch is straight and symetrical.
But, it is!
1 comment:
Hey nice pics, got your postcard today too!
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