Looking up the Cumberland River from Fort Donelson.
My campsite Monday night.
Straight down from the top of the arch.
Me on top of the arch.
White Haven, U.S. Grant's home near St. Louis.Hey Everyone!! (had to mix it up a little bit there)
I'm writing tonight from Kansas City, Missouri. Not a whole lot of driving today, just a lot of fun at my favorite places...National Parks. I started off my morning being awakened by a train passing by about thirty feet away from my tent, which wasn't really a problem except for the small fact that it was 5 am! After a few attempts to fall back asleep I decided it would be best just to head out. So I took a shower and packed up camp.
Leaving the campsite was easy and I was soon seeing and crossing the Mighty Mississippi for the first time in my life that I can remember (after 4yrs old). After getting a little turned around, I arrived at the Jefferson Expansion National Memorial just after 8 AM. I believe I was one of the first "visitors" in the park that morning. I say "visitor" because there were tons of people running through the park and up and down the stairs in front. The arch was awe-inspiring to say the leas. It stands at 630 ft tall and looking up at it from the ground I could not believe I was going to the top. Once underground I began by looking at the massive museum underneath the memorial. This museum traces a century of American history and is one of the most interestingly designed museums I have ever seen. I did find an error in the museum, though. [please hold the laughter down :)] As I read through each year I found myself on the year 1860. Of course one of my favorite years! I decided to read the entire placard and much to my dismay they said the secession convention in South Carolina was held in Columbia!! You can understand why this upset me! If there had been a ranger around I would have had to say something. Luckily, it was my time to go up the arch so my disgust quickly faded.
The top of the arch is really great - you can see everything and riding to the top was quite the experience. On the way up I rode with a group of ladies from the west heading to Minnesota for a grandson's high school graduation. They were delighted to hear I was from Charleston and about my adventure. I enjoyed meeting them. At the top I got some good pictures, even one of me; I asked the Ranger to take it and we joked about being asked that all the time (reminded me of Fort Sumter...). On the way down from the top I rode with an older family from Great Britain. They were great! We talked about the differences in American baseball and British cricket. They also inquired where I was from and heading, and it turns out we are on very similar trips, they are making the small stops I am on their way to Seattle. They are going much slower and don't plan on being in Yellowstone till late June. I told them to come see me in the Northeast Station and gave them my name. After that I watched the video and then made my way out of the park. From there I headed to the Grant National Historic Site, White Haven.
A beautiful farm home and barn still remain at this site, and they have done an amazing job there! It was free admission and I took a guided tour through the house. The museum was so big and full of information I could have spent the entire night reading and still not be done by now. There I talked to a Ranger about Grant and found a really good book which I'm looking forward to diving into. I also met a girl who was on the tour with me who was starting her first day there with the Park Service, so we had a little connection in that sense. From there I headed west once again (in a very straight line) to Kansas City. As I drove I was hit by a very typical (in my mind) mid-western storm.
Reaching Kansas City I met up with Laura Kelly's friend Jackie, who took me to dinner at Winsteads drive-in diner and then (since it was raining) we did a short loop around the plaza (modeled after Seville, Spain) and then went to a movie. It was nice to return to civilization for a quick hour or two, and that was the conclusion of my day. Now according to my GPS I am roughly 915 miles from my home in Mount Pleasant and 915 miles away my temporary home at Yellowstone, literally halfway. Tomorrow I head to South Dakota and pull out my jacket and jeans. Until then stay safe and keep sending those emails - they really do help!!
Sorry it was so long this time!
Yours Truly,
-- Brent Everitt
Visitor Use Assistant
Northeast Entrance Station
Yellowstone National Park
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