Confluence II

Last January, I described my attempt at visiting the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge and trip to the Confluence. This past weekend, we went with my parents on a much more cheerful day.



The Old Chain of Rocks Bridge now has a parking lot attendant on the Missouri side to help deal with the problem of vehicle break-ins. We crossed the Mississippi River on foot. My camera's batteries gave out part way, so I just had to pay attention to what I saw: the big brown river; the blue sky; the swamp on the Illinois side where snapping turtles sunned themselves on logs, only to slip into the water when we made too much noise. Although the bridge, originally part of the Old Route 66, is now only for pedestrians and cyclists, when we were halfway over a police car on patrol made its way slowly across. The officers saw us and stopped, and Ben got to sit in the driver's seat and work the siren--easily the highlight of his trip.

After a picnic, we drove on to the Confluence, where the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers meet. The waters were high thanks to the recent rains. Under a blue sky, the silence felt lovely instead of forbidding.