We had left Louisville in the morning and planned to stop at the arch for sightseeing and a ride to the top.  Just across the mighty Mississippi our travel plans came to a halt.  For an hour we waited within view of the famous arch with is actually named the Gateway Arch.  It was designed as a tribute to the Louisiana Purchase as well as the starting point for the Americans who would start off on the wagon trails west.   We sat in our car looking at the arch for a while until finally I decided to grab my camera for an impromptu photoshoot from a location that normally I would not have the opportunity to shoot from.  Thinking Job still had his juggling squares we searched the car until we realized that he had left them in Maine!  Out came the socks and the shoot began.  An hour later the traffic issue had been resolved enough for the traffic to start trickling onward across the river and we were able to make our way to the arch.  As we left the highway we entered what I thought was a bit sketchy and then came the Mural Mile and the parking area along the banks of the river.  Walking past the many corvettes with their hoods up we walked up the hill to the base of the arch.  Then across the green park to the underground visitor center.  Unfortunately we had not made reservations and so the tickets for the elevator to the top had been sold out for the day.  We were able to tour the museum which delved into the history of the westward expansion.  As to be expected there was also a section detailing the different ideas they had considered for the monument and how the arch won over the other ideas.