Saturday, October 13, 2007

Above, Across and Down the River

Another shot from the top of the Arch, looking southeast across the Mississippi into Illinois. The dock in the foreground is the base of riverboats that can take you on a ride for a couple of hours. The cars in the lower left are parked on the levee, the old cobblestone slope from Wharf Street into the water. When the river is high this area is inundated.

A small barge is going downstream, heading south toward Memphis and New Orleans. The barge flotillas are usually much bigger, with many individual barges cabled together and a big push boat at the rear. They mostly carry coal and grain.

The first bridge is the main crossing for motor vehicles. The second is for the railroad. Old Man River is the reason our city exists.

TOMORROW: How Do You Get to the Top of the Arch?

4 comments:

Mary Stebbins Taitt said...

Very cool shot, nice in BW. I'd LOVE to go to the top of the arch. Like the repetition of form in the bridges.

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Kate said...

Ole Man River is one of the best parts of living in St. Paul. Most interesting photo!

Lynette said...

Vertigo set in the second I looked at your photo. However, I am glad that it's there because it reminded me of when I rode to the top of the arch with my then 5th-grade-younger-son and some of his fellow gifted and talented students. We'd ridden the train from Jackson, Mississippi, on a field trip of several days in St. Louis. I had to take Dramamine to make the arch work for me. Now I use SeaBand anti-motion-sickness bracelets, an acu-pressure godsend. Do I need to be wearing them when I look tomorrow? Thanks.