Enjoying some more St. Louis sites before the open road leads to more open spaces

This is my 19th day of this virtual tour which has covered 331.4 miles meaning that I am averaging 17.4 miles per day.  I have not taken a complete day off from cycling, but on two days I cycled only a half dozen miles which brings down the average.

This relief map shows the elevations that I am avoiding by following the Pacific Railroad Route heading west.  St. Louis became a natural settlement due to the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers which were the interstate highways of the country before roads.  

The Missouri River is 2,341 miles long and its tributaries provided a network into the west for traders, explorers and settlers.

The Mississippi River is 2,348 miles long and it runs from Minnesota south to the Gulf of Mexico.

When railroads began to head west, St. Louis was a very sensible place to start.

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One benefit of this trip is learning about the places I visit. St. Louis has a rich music history that may be overshadowed by other U.S. cities.  The Blueberry Hill Club had Chuck Berry as a monthly regular performer. 

You can enjoy the venue for a meal or beverage. Great to sit outside. 

Scott Joplin wrote the 'Entertainer' and developed ragtime in St. Louie. I became a fan of this style from the movie 'The Sting.'

This train station is in Kirkwood.  This is not the original station, but from 1890 and is being renovated.  Like so many structures of the 1800s in the U.S., the original was destroyed by fire.  This was the first planned city west of the Mississippi and was named after a surveyor and engineer for the Pacific Railroad.

Tonight I stayed near Six Flag amusement park in Eureka.  I have never been to a  Six Flags park, but I have enjoyed others.  Roller coaster rides are my  favorite.

The Missouri Botanical Gardens is the second largest in the U.S. What a great way to spend an afternoon walking the grounds.  I have enjoyed my time in the St. Louis area and wholeheartedly recommend a visit. I hope that this post gave some interesting information and may spark the search for more information.