Tuesday, July 25th, 2023

Starting mileage: 10,869, Distance travelled: 311

Miles walked: 4

We had some time to visit the St. Louis Zoo before heading out to our next destination in the afternoon. Unlike other non-profit zoos, this one is free to the public, relying on public funding, philanthropy and corporate sponsorships. We were very impressed with the habitats, facilities, and landscaping. Probably everyone’s favorite moment was watching a 2-year old chimp swinging and leaping around her play area. The heat of the day made it impossible to see several animals who were hiding out in the shade. Brady was our primary photographer for the visit, taking over 200 pictures in just about 2 hours.

After leaving the zoo, we drove to Ted Drewes, an iconic frozen custard joint recommended to us by many folks. We made sandwiches which we ate in the parking lot before grabbing our dessert, the classic Concrete that made Ted Drewes famous. It’s the thickest malted milkshake you’ve ever had, able to be turned upside down without spilling, that is before it melts in the 95-degree heat. We found out when we arrived that it’s also located along the historic Route 66.

With bellies full of delicious concrete, we hit the road east to Kentucky, passing by the Arch one last time.