Independence Days

Jerry has always been an advocate of Ben Franklin’s instruction to observe Independence Day with fireworks and other celebrations. As a teenage, Jerry bought illegal fireworks. As a father, he would try to buy the biggest box but was held back by Anna Lee. He had more fun than Jeff and Cheryl lighting the rockets and sparklers. Now he is happy finding shows as we travel. This year he is very happy. Actually, he would still stop and shop at the fireworks superstores but Anna Lee doesn’t let him.

The campground we are in is on the grounds of a casino right across the Mississippi River from St. Louis. The Eads Bridge, built in 1874, is right near us. It was the first to use steel as a primary structural material. The mile-plus-long bridge is an auto, tram and pedestrian bridge. To avoid the hassles of parking, we took our folding canvass chairs and walked across the bridge to start our weekend celebrations.

Our Fourth of July started on the second with a two-hour parade in downtown St. Louis. It was great fun but we would have enjoyed more marching bands.

As we returned across the bridge, the two-hour air show began and we had a great view of the aerobatic planes twisting and spinning and the military planes roaring over the water in front of the Arch.

Wilted from the 106-degree heat index, we took a nap and were awakened by a reprise of the air show. Our mouths gaped as the planes made their turns right over our heads.

Right in front of our campground and across from the arch, we watch twenty minutes of fireworks light up the St. Louis sky.

On the third, we were on the Missouri River under a newly opened bridge. While the lights on the bridge went from red to white to blue, fireworks filled the sky.

On the 4th, we watched the fireworks show in Junction City, Kansas.

In reflecting on our time in Missouri, we found that the Show Me State showed us a lot and we hope to return for it to show us more.