Saying Goodbye Saying Hello

Two years ago I did not think it was possible; I fell in love with St Louis. It's the Midwest for god's sake, no mountains, crazy humid, lots-0-mosquitoes. We did not make many friends (we never do) but the ones we made are golden. I could not have asked for a better school for Owen. Anywhere else will be a real adjustment for Owen and will never compare more favorably. The house, the neighbors, the location within the city...I could not have asked for better.


Our final week included (in between packing boxes)......

....as much time as possible with my wonderful friend and commuting buddy, Lynnea.

.... a year-end school picnic at "the farm"


.... a trip to visit my cousin at the Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage in north eastern Missouri.





Yet I am SOOOO glad to be home. Because home means Idaho and our best friends and the Tetons and no mosquitos. We love mountain biking and hiking and traveling to other places out west. We even love being liberal in a conservative stronghold. Times are changing here in good ole Idaho Falls and I like being part of that change.

75F and Sunny. Easy Come Easy Go

We began our week's commute thus: Slowly and gradually things warmed up. This weekend the glass was half full here in the heartland. Whereas Monday I was wondering how I was going to make it a whole 3 more months until I got to go home, by Sunday I was glad to be here. It is amazing how a little thing like weather can so affect one's outlook on life.

Saturday morning we left at 8:30 am on our bikes with a promise of temps in the upper 50s and did not get home until 8:30 at night. We spent the day participating in very urbane sorts of activities. After a parent/teacher conference at Owen's school we rode around town doing errands: art store for b-day party gift, REI, Whole Foods for lunch. After dropping our booty off at the house we rode the length of Forest Park, something Tony had never done before, and then took the train from the Central West End into down town to check out the Home and Garden Show. Very anti-climatic. It was more a consumerism nightmare than anything else. I figured it would be all earthy and crunchy, a real tree-hugger's destination. Instead it was Ginzu knives and earth movers and 40K terrariums. It was held at the indoor football arena and was packed with vendors and buyers. Yikes. With all the walking, we did manage to work up an appetite and ate at the best Japanese restaurant I've experienced to date.

Sunday was a day of hot weather and riding around while Owen attended a birthday party. I was hoping it would last. Alas, all good things must come to an end.

Forecast for Monday and rest of week? Winter snow mix with chance of 6 inch accumulation over night. Now the cup is back to half empty.

Shame on Yew, Dougie Few!

We are lucky enough to have a grocery store right behind our neighborhood. There are two ways we can arrive there from our house. Get in the car an go right on Yale Ave (0.30 mile), right on Delmar (0.33 mile) , right on Midland Blvd (0.43 mile), right on Vernon Ave and into the supermarket parking lot and locate a parking space (0.42 mile). ...for a total of 1.48 miles.

OR

We can get on our bikes (or walk) and take the path right next to our house (0.07 mile) to the neighborhood behind ours, take a right down Pennsylvania Ave (0.17 mile), cross Vernon Ave and arrive at the bike rack in front of of the supermarket (0.08 mile)....for a total of 0.32 mile


On Friday morning I realized I did not have enough change for train fare so Tony volunteered to go to the grocery store to get milk and money. A half gallon of milk cost about the same as the fee the bank charges us for not getting an account here in MO so we always get cash at the grocery store. Well he grabbed the keys and started to go so I volunteered to go on my bike (hint, hint) if he wanted to take over lunch-making duties. He declined.

Owen came downstairs and wanted to know where dad was and I told on him. "HE DROVE? That's stupid" Yeah, well.....


So when Tony returned I asked him if he felt dirty. Our car wouldn't have budged in over a week if it weren't for him. He looked sheepish and mumbled something about it seeming so cold outside and being a wimp. But then he came around and said it WAS stupid and that he did, in fact, feel dirty.


Now, if only the rest of America could be cowed so easily progress could be realized. It IS shameful to get in one's car to drive less than a mile. Everyone should feel it. This global warming thing ain't a hoax people. It's not some ploy of the liberal media to dupe you republicans just for kicks. If everyone changes their habits just a little it may start to make a difference. Please.

Committed, as it pertains to commuting.

Commit, according to http://www.dictionary.com/: #4. to bind or obligate, as by pledge or assurance As in, "I am a committed cycling commuter and I feel good."

or is it....
#8. to place in a mental institution or hospital by or as if by legal authority As in, "She ought to be committed, dragging her kid around like that in this downpour!"

When we came back to St Louis we decided that we would commit ourselves to weekday travel via any means other than our car; our options being mt. bike, scooter, feet, tandem, train. So far, being committed does not feel too challenging. It is only September, which feels like July in Idaho, except for the humidity and possibility of copious quantities of rain. Our daily commute to school is a minimum of 6 miles on bike per day for Owen and 20 for me. I ride home from his school and save myself the $2 train ticket. With all the other places I went, last week I managed 135 miles on my mountain bike...and we played hooky from school one day since cousin Alaina was in town.....and I picked Owen up in the car one afternoon because I was babysitting baby Lilly. This week I had to go out of town 2 days so I won't be breaking my record and will be lucky to get much over 100 miles.

The thing is, it does not feel like a big deal. In fact it greatly reduces a number of stresses in my life. I am a nut case in traffic jams and the drive to Owen's school is the worst, due to construction. I don't have to stress about not getting exercise because it is exercise; although it lacks the drudgery of exercise. It gives my day a rhythm it is sorely lacking without employment. Plus I spend a lot less money. Train tickets to school are running us about $30/wk. This is equivalent to what I would spend on gas if I ONLY drove to and from school. But when I am behind the wheel of a car I am likely to get distracted and pull into a coffee shop, Wild Oats, the bookstore or any other place that wants to separate me from my cash.

Will we continue through the winter? I say yes and Owen says no. "There is no bad weather, just bad clothing choices.", I tell him. It remains to be seen, I suppose.
Commuting to the climbing gym

Nellie's Maiden Voyage.

Nellie is an active member of our family and as such is invited on most of our outdoor adventures. She is very athletic and dedicated to being in the front of the pack on all group rides or runs. She prefers to be part of the break away rather than hang with the peleton. Very few, if any, mortals can drop her.

Needless to say she was less than thrilled when we took up kayaking. She has no thumbs so she just can't hold onto the paddle. She goes to great lengths to sneak out of the house and into the car if she suspects we are going to go somewhere without her. She quickly learned that when Owen's yellow boat makes it into the pile of gear going to the car, she is not invited. She was determined not to be left looking out the window from on top the couch when the car drove away this day.

This day we were going to paddle a section of the Illinois River, near the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers. It was going to take under four hours and involve no skill, just muscle. There is quite a bit of river traffic, barges, ferries and such, but besides the wakes that these create it would be smooth sailing.

"Why can't she go?", I want to know. "There is room in the cockpit of my boat and I want her to come. She will have a blast and she loves to swim."

"I just don't think it is a good idea.", responds the curmudgeonly husband who is trying to put the kibosh on our fun. Its always just me and the boys. Sometimes its good to have another female around.

Well, I got my way.

I wish I had not.

St. Charles, MO

A short drive west of St Louis, the town of St Charles has the distinction of being Missouri's first state capitol. Located on the Missouri River, it was founded in the late 1700s by a French Canadian fur trader and became an important center of commerce. The famous frontiersman, Daniel Boone became one of St. Charles first settlers and was later appointed magistrate of the county. In May of 1804 Lewis and Clark stopped here to purchase the last of their supplies before continuing on their epic journey. In fact, St. Charles is the home base for the replica boats of the Discovery Expedition.

The historic downtown retains its colonial charm with its brick buildings, sidewalks and narrow streets. However some of the charm is lost with the crush of tourist traffic. This area would benefit from a designation as a car-free zone. There is a nearly empty, huge parking lot devoted to Katy Trail users where the crowds could park and become pedestrians.

St. Charles is the current eastern terminus of the Katy Trail, America's longest Rails-to-Trails path. I say current because according to my guidebook, published in 1996, it is set to continue on to Machens, Mo and from there meet up with a network of trails coming from St Louis. I can confirm that in the past 11 years no progress has been realized. Much to Owen's chagrin we discovered this while attempting to make our way to Machens without benefit of a crushed gravel path.
















One meltdown (literally, as it was in the mid-90s and extremely humid) and 4 or so miles later we turned around to try our luck in the westerly direction. But not before discovering a fantastic network of trails hidden in the riparion region astride the southern banks of the Misssouri River. Subsequent to another 15 miles and a couple buckets worth of sweat we called it quits and headed to the Trails End Brewery for some cool beverages and cheesecake.

Leaving Home: St Louis, MO bound, 1,400ish miles

23 -26, August, 2007
There was a while there that I considered staying with Owen in Idaho and sending Tony on his merry way as a solo agent. But then I reconsidered. Yes I do love Idaho and out west. Yes I will miss yet another ski season and snow in general. But I also love my husband and, dang, we actually had a great time last year. Plus, there is something that feels very homey about the mid-west. Oh yeah, I am FROM the mid-west. That explains it. But I do hate the traffic and the crowds and the bugs and the heat and no mountains or snow. And I do love the ethnic food and the neighbors and the school and Whole Foods and the diversity and culture. I am NOT a city girl but all in all I love St. Louis. Besides, I have always told myself I could live anywhere for a few years....except D.C and New Jersey. I have to draw the line somewhere.


Our trip over was a good omen, lot-o-fun. We stopped to check out the Big Kahuna and Lunch Counter rapids along the Snake River, a kayaking goal for next summer.....























Checked out the trains in Laramie........
























Stop at Doug's favorite brewery in Fort Collins, where he not-so-secretly wants to work upon completion of his PhD program......

















We got to see the Guinness Book of World Record's Largest ball of twine and sleep under a full
moon along the shore of a beautiful lake in Kansas.........


















And visited the quaint, historic town town of Rocheport, MO and breakfasted at its General Store....


























Our final night marked my 30th night of camping this summer and Owen and Nellie's 28th. But now that I am back in the mid-west I imagine we will be spending more nights in our beds and less out of doors. Too bad.

So now what am I going to write about? Anywhere in the midwest the adventurous stuff tends to be a bit more tame and urbane but not all together impossible to find. It just takes a little more effort to uncover.

I guess I will concentrate on the sustainability aspect of our lives. Actually it is easier to live a sustainable lifestyle here since there is a culture that supports this way of thinking. Yeah, I have still managed to relocate to another red state but it is only red due to the large rural component. The urban areas of Missouri are decidedly blue, thank the lord. Here in University City we have mandatory recycling, two depots for the light rail system, a great bus system, a 3 day weekly farmer's market, an independent film tivoli, no big box stores and very few franchises, a thriving and vibrant historic district filled with locally-owned businesses and of course the Washington University contribution of a liberal student populous.

Not bad, but it does not make up for the lack of moose-sighting potential or elevation differential.