TWB Trip 1 2007 Experience : Day 21- St. Louis

FRIDAY JULY 6TH, 2007

TWB DAY 21

We started our day out by heading to Kansas University.

We celebrated Taylor Moore's birthday today!!! I think she just turned 21!

Today we woke up at 6:00; groggy and soaked in dew. We loaded up the vans and buses a little later than we were supposed to. Actually about twenty minutes later than we were supposed to. We had Pop Tarts and apples for breakfast as we made our way to Kansas University. We walked around the gift shop where the highlight of the day was using the internet to check the blog. We took another group picture at the Kansas University sign. We got back on the bus and traveled to Kansas City, where we had a bubble gum blowing contest in the parking lot between the Chiefs and the Royals stadiums, Nick Gillespie from the Grumpy group won with a 5 inch bubble. After the contest, we trekked across the great state of Missouri where we eventually caught sight of the city of St. Louis and the Gateway to the West. As we got closer and closer to the arch, tensions grew as we braced ourselves for the "Journey to the Top." Groups of five TWBers were squeezed into small, confined capsules. The four minute trip up was very rocky and shaky, but was well worth the slight nauseausness most of us acquired. From the tiny windows, we saw as far east and as far west as probably most of us ever have. After countless pictures, we squeezed back into the capsules and traveled 630 feet back down from the top of the arch. Following some prime shopping at the gift store, we headed to the great lawn in front of the arch where a classic TWB moment takes place - we formed words with our bodies. While we were in position for our first set of words, Kitch received a phone call from Grant saying that the battery in his camera had died. This gave numerous TWBers the chance to catch up on eliminating their farmer's tans. After Bob's race to the top to give Grant the spare battery (well, he really didn't race because he rode the elevator), we could take our pictures. The first phrase we spelled out was "TWB '07." Following that, we formed a popular phrase "Very Nice!", coined by the recent comedy release "Borat." After a few research presentations and pictures, we climbed back into the vehicles and into the great state of Illinois where we set up camp at South Shore State Park in the town of Carlyle. For dinner, the Dopies cooked teriyaki chicken, mashed potatoes, and corn and for dessert they served chocolate chip cookies; pretty sweet, huh? A note to the parents: this site has no pay phones, so parents expecting calls from their kids should not worry - they will have an opportunity to call tomorrow. Tomorrow we travel into the state of Kentucky and into the time zone of which most of us are accustomed. We will visit Churchill Downs and maybe a few other surprise places along the way. Two more days to go you guys!

Love,
The Happy Group

A note from Grant: Another great day in the life of TWB. We are able to gain a little bit more green vegetation in our lives as we are traveling east now. The only problem with this is humidity and bugs are increasing. I am having a hard time telling if the participants have chicken pots or lots of mosquito bites. The archway was very welcoming to us today. Even though it is know as "The Gateway to the West", I feel that it is the TWB gateway back to the east. This makes me feel the anxiety of the last few days. Wow, the T-dub 2007 experience has flown by this year. Bob and I were just talking about how we can't believe that there are only two days left. It has been such an exciting, awesome, fun, amusing, enjoyable, entertaining, comical, thrilling, and life changing year. I know in the back of my mind that these last two days are going to just fly by. I plan to try and take in every moment just to get me by till next summer. I know the future reunions and slideshows are going to be awesome. Well I have to run, dinner is ready! See you on Sunday! Grant

Check us out in our Kansas-wear!!