Day 2. Aug 13

We woke up in Mascoutah and had a nice breakfast at the Best Western. I just love those waffle makers!

Driving through St. Louis was wonderful. It was so green and clean. Flowers, landscaping, bridges, the arches - Gateway to the West, Busch Stadium (home of St. Louis Cardinal baseball), all while driving right through downtown.  Washington University of St. Louis was one of the law schools John III considered. It was beautiful, too. Would have loved to have stopped, but on we go.

Heading toward Kansas City, I realized we were very close to Glasgow, Missouri, where my paternal grandmother grew up.  After some deliberation and quick research, off we went!  The "highway" was so pretty and green and well-kept, and very much like a roller coaster ride! It was fun! No traffic made it more fun because with all the up, down, and curves I'm sure it could be scary meeting other cars. The town of Glasgow is idyllic to me. I had called ahead and we met the cemetery caretaker (also undertaker, grave digger, fireman, EMS) Scott, there. He showed us the Steinmetz plot. There were only a few there with iron fencing around them. He says, "you can tell they had money!"  We told him our next quick stop was to be Hazel Ridge, the old Steinmetz property. We have a picture of it, from "back in the day," and I always dreamed of being able to see it.  It has the plot number on it, and with a bit of quick research, I was pretty sure I could come close to locating it. Then he said, "Evelyn Steinmetz Brucks lives a couple of houses right up there. She's in her 90's. I'll bet she'd be tickled to meet you. Want me to take you up there and introduce you?" Why, YES!
I'm telling you, that was a gem. Evelyn's daughter was there, and we had the best time yacking it up and remembering my grandmother together.
When it was time to go, Jane Ann rode with us to show the old property! Her brother has actually bought back some of it. Isn't that cool?

When we left, we got to drive a whole lot of miles on no-traffic two lane highway that was just beautiful. We wound up hitting the next Interstate north of Kansas City.

The nation should not want for lack of corn. Miles and mile of corn, as far as one could see ahead, out to the side, and behind! They were only interrupted by the many casinos.

Spent the night in the Comfort Inn near the Sioux Falls airport.