respublica

Here's one way to get out of the I-64 traffic jam

The lane work on I-64 just west of Busch Stadium has traffic backed up and stopped every single day, at least every week day. After trial and error to avoid this on trips back and forth from Illinois we found what seems the best way to avoid it.

When heading west from the Metro East, get off on the King Bridge and take Broadway to Washington and Washington to Jefferson where you can get back on 64. Washington Avenue is an interesting stretch downtown, fun to see all the different shops and restaurants and interesting people walking around. When we got back on 64 at Jefferson yesterday there was almost no traffic behind us which told us traffic was really stalled at the construction site.

Now MoDOT is going to redo the Blanchette Bridge out in St. Charles. Wow. That will be a nightmare for those people who live through daily jams as it is. And the Eades Bridge is going to be redone as well which eliminates one of the two alternate ways to avoid the 64 construction.

 

As I harp on St Louis traffic once again

MoDOT has really made moving through St Louis miserable this season, I know I say this all the time, but man, getting from the Illinois side through downtown is horrible. Traffic backs up into Illinois and pretty much stops just east of the stadium. Not to mention the times when someone thinks it's a good idea to work on the Poplar at the same time.

Now MoDOT is shutting off the ramp to 70 from the Poplar. Oh what joy it will be to travel from the Metro East to St. Louis. Don't bother thinking it may work to go 255 to 270 to wherever. MoDOT is doing something near the Chain of Rocks bridge and that backs up as well. 

And it goes without saying all the overpass roads being closed for work such as Murdock which puts people in Webster and Shrewsbury etc without a good way home from 44. 

Katie's home

From Russia with many stories to tell but they will have to wait while she plays with Drew, visits with Charlile and catches up on sleep.

But we're looking forward to pictures.

On her way home

Katie was in Russia this past week and is now on her way home, in the air somewhere between Munich her home boys. 

Communication was spotty if at all while she was there but we did get one photo she took while in Moscow's Red Square the last night there. We are all looking forward to seeing what pictures she got on her camera.

Very cool.

Travel is hard

We've been gone most of 8 days and the last two seem more than Ferdie can bear. He's ok though, spent the night with Christian and Connor while their mommy did the dog work. The pic is how Ferdie looked late yesterday afternoon.

Ferdie's home

And so are we...at least for one day.

Last night we picked up Ferdie from Kennelwood Village after landing at Lambert. He was so happy to see us he was almost dizzy, staggering in circles trying to find our car in the dark.

It is good to be back with him again.

What the Blue Umbrella sees

No one seems to want the pretty blue umbrella today, it's too nice out on the beach for just sitting.

White caps, but not too rough, warm water, soft sand.

There goes a seagull

And a young boy

Maybe this guy could make use of the umbrella

Nope

The Pied Piper of Seagulls

Sunrise

Well, hello my mother in law.

Seagulls

They're everywhere around here and are darn cute. No matter how many signs there are telling you not to feed them, they still come right up to you and beg.

If we can't have Ferdie, a seagull will have to do.