St. Louis Missouri for Dinner!
Left Norwalk 0835 Friday morning, was in O'Fallon Ill by 5:30 PM. Rode all that way to buy a cool T-shirt I had seen at last years Ohio Bike Week! Then another 10 miles to the Casino Queen for shots of the arch from the East Bank, then across the river for some St. Louis culture and a tour of the Archway Park! Awesome trip!
Rode about 100 miles back toward home to Effingham Ill and got a room at about 1:30 am, then the rest of the way home Saturday for a total of 1035 miles! More later!
Click HERE to go to the WEBSHOTS album of this trip!
Trip Data:
0825 Friday Hit the Road!
1125 Friday at Tim Hortons Huber Hts. for Egg Salad and Coffee.
11:45 Shell Gas 144.2 miles 3.9 Gallons 41 mpg
1:40 PM Rest Stop just W of Indianapolis 322 Miles on Trip
5:00 PM Exit 30 in Illinois 476 Miles on Trip. 4.4 gal 34.8 mpg(Yea, rode it HARD!)
5:20 PM at O'Fallon Ill, Frieze H.D. till 6:00 PM
6:00 PM left O'Fallon HD and took Rt. 64 up to the Casino Queen Exit, East St. Louis.Took a little break there. Was Stopped by Huge Security guy named Corporal Jones. Said I had to have Lens cap on Camera to take it into the Casino. I explained I just wanted a bite to eat on the deck overlooking the West Bank and Arch for pictures, and that I had left Ohio at 8 am to ride down to do just that. He informed me there was NO RIVER ACCESS or View from the Casino, then paused, and asked if I had a little time. I said yes, he said get in my truck. He then drove me off the property, around to the river access which is a RR Tracks owned by Cargill, drove over the tracks onto the East River Bank and parked. Corporal Jones told me to take my time and take as many pictures as I wanted. I didn't keep him too long.
Upon returning to the Casino, I put the camera in the bike and walked into the Casino to cool off and eat. BUT, my goal was still BBQ in St. Louis, Mo. and decided to have a cold refreshment and hit the road again. May have been at the Casino Queen 45 Min tops!
7:30 PM Hit the road,over the Eads Bridge into St. Louis, Parked down on the Ancient Cobblestone (OFFROAD FOR AN ELECTRA GLIDE HD) streets down by the river just east of the Casino. Walked that area asking about BBQ. GUESS WHAT? No BBQ!!! Talked to a Street Musician named LLiam Christy who gave me exceptional directions to a place called the Shaved Duck. After walking the neighborhood taking pictures for a while and strolling through the Casino, again HOPING to find BBQ, I got on the bike and rode over to the Archway Park.
As I parked in the Parking Garage on the roof, and as I was getting the camera out a security guard rode up on a Mt. Bike. Again with the Security! He had a Harley and we talked bikes, he assured me my ride would be safer here than in the city, so I walked the park with no worries about that. Had a few casual conversations with other visitors. Got some awesome night shots of the Arch. Alas, the visitor center closed at 5:20 PM (What's Up with that?) so I was headed back to the bike when I hear someone hail me, it was a young couple, Kristen and Charles. She is going to College soon to take Digital Imaging & Photography, and my Camera strap says NIKON D300 and that is her dream camera. So we talked shop and I took a couple of pictures of the two of them. Those are the kind of moments I enjoy on the road.
Ok, now for the really cool part of the trip! I was in search of BBQ, I KNOWWW! There was an Authentic Irish Pub Tigin within sight and walking distance of the parking garage, so I walked over and upon walking in was immediately sold on it! The food I observed on the patio on the way in was awesome, and remember I'd only had an Egg Salad Sammich at about noon and was famished by this point! Sat at the bar, waitress walked up and asked my name, kinda caught me off guard so I answered "Moore" as in leaving it for a reservation. She said "No honey, your first name." To which I squeaked "David." She said Hi, I'm Kimberly and it was all smooth after that. Told her of my ride and quest for Authentic St. Louis Food (Did not bore her with the BBQ part!) and Kimberly talked me through the menu. I Told her I liked Guinness and Budweiser and wanted something in between. She poured me a Smithwick, (pronounced Smithick), and yes, it was exactly half way between Guinness and Bud!
I then ordered Corned Beef Rolls and a Cup of Irish Brat Stew. They are pictured above and were awesome and well worth the long ride! Not to mention the banter with Kimberly. She knew how to work a guy for a tip! I was Road Dirty and TIRED and she was still very helpful and nice! I bought my Glass and a T-Shirt and hit the road!
It was sprinkling when I walked out to the street, so I hiked to the bike, strapped on the helmet and HIT THE ROAD! Rode to Effingham Ill, about an hour and a half ride, 100 mile I believe and stopped for a room. NONE TO BE HAD! Last place I check was an OLD HOWARD JOHNSON'S! Had one room not sold yet because NO AC! Hey, I have it at home and never use it! Gave me a $39 rate and the room turned out to be a conference room/King sized bed room Combo! PERFECT! Spread my gear out on the huge conf. table and, booted up the Laptop and stared the camera loading pic's to it and Hit the shower! Left a hellofa ring around the shower and hit the BED about 2 am.
I awoke up in Effingham Illinois to TV news nuthin' but Lebron James' 1 second shot against the Magic. Loaded up FAST and hit the road. Stopped in Indy for gas, then the highway became a LONG HOT PARKING LOT FOR ABOUT AN HOUR! On a Harley with no water or AC that was rough! Turned out someone lost A WHOLE FREAKING HOUSE OFF A TRUCK! Had front end loader there picking up the pieces when I FINALLY got that far.
Next stopwas in Terre Haute Ind. for a T-Shirt and found they had a 1952 165 cc Hummer with the original Winter Windscreen. I had the exact same bike in a 1954 complete with the windscreen! (See my original first post all the way to the bottom!)So shot some pictures, hit the road. 
Was home by 5:39 PM for a trip total of 1035 Miles!! Emptied bike, brushed my Teeth and hit the road for an evening with special friends!
All in all, 1035 awesome MILES! No Rain! Bike ran better than EVER! Got over 40 MPG when I rode decent, and at 85-95 IN TRAFFIC cruising speeds still got 35 MPG. I love my American Harley-Davidson!
Ride truths learned on this trip:
Bug Spray off the top of the windshield acts like Hair Jell!
You can't stargaze at 85 mph on a Harley!
You let ONE trucker out when he's had his turn signal on for the last 4 cars and you just made 100 trucker friends!
You can pass a State Cop in Indianapolis at 70 mph in a 55 zone if you smile and wave on the way by!
ALWAYS have water in easy access on the bike!
After riding 625 miles and being up for 20 hours straight, you don't have to take a bath to leave a ring around a bath tub!
Always have Beef Jerky on the bike!
NEVER waste your time on GPS! Ride Dammit! Ride!
Do I have to say it?
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