Postcards from the Open Road: The Gateway Arch

Unfathomable joy in 14 photos!

Our coddiwomple took an unexpected turn when we decided to include a stop in St. Louis, a city that was not part of our initial itinerary. This detour, prompted by our re-routing to see Rachael Kleidon in Virginia, led us to an incredible highlight.

I’m not sure what I expected, especially since the Gateway Arch sits on the edge of a congested St. Louis. But we found a pathway into magic—even in a city.

We ferreted out areas to “off-leash” it at sunset when we approached from our hotel to the north. We were staying only a quarter of a mile away, which helped.

That side of the grounds was empty of people.

But the absolute dream came at sunrise on Saturday morning. For two hours, we ambled without seeing another human near us, and Samwise and Emily were free to roam, chase squirrels, and watch the geese.

There were moments I had to stop and look around us, wondering, “Is this real?”

The early light was ethereal. Splashes of pink, orange, peach, and golden yellow highlighted a blue sky. Clouds spread themselves about as if placed by an artist, hoping for the optimal background. The setting was surreal, especially with the unexpected solitude.