Spontaneous 1 Week Road Trip - Iowa/Missouri

This didn't happen in my 30th year, but it's close enough. I was 29 and 3/4. :) Tony and I decided to take one week off and just get in the car and go. No plans. Started in Des Moines, IA -- then to Iowa City, IA -- then St. Louis. MO -- then Memphis, TN -- then New Orleans, LA, then to Minneapolis, MN and back home to Des Moines, IA.

In Iowa City, we ate at The Vine and had delicious maple hot wings. We watched the last game of the Hawkeye season and they won!

Then we headed to St. Louis. We walked along the Mississippi river. I remember standing right next to the river and was just in awe at how spectacular nature is, and how old the city of St. Louis was -- Many people throughout history stood in the exact same spot -- I now know why they call it the MIGHTY Mississippi.

Then we went to the Gateway Arch. It was amazing to be so high up and it was cool to ride up in a spaceship like vessel to the top. Cool fact: the arch is as wide as it is tall! We also visited the FREE zoo and saw amazing animals. When I see animals like tigers, huge turtles, monkey, birds, etc. I am reminded how unique all living creatures are and how AWESOME God is to create all of us.

We ate delicious BBQ at Pappy's -- visited by the Man vs. Food television show. We had pulled pork and beef brisket, along with baked beans, green beans and coleslaw. The line went out the door and around the corner, but thankfully we got there early enough that the wait was not very long. Everything was perfection.