{"id":2011,"date":"2016-06-20T22:27:22","date_gmt":"2016-06-20T22:27:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/thewachs.com\/wachsacrossamerica\/?p=2011"},"modified":"2016-06-26T11:33:06","modified_gmt":"2016-06-26T11:33:06","slug":"free-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/thewachs.com\/wachsacrossamerica\/2016\/06\/20\/free-day\/","title":{"rendered":"Free day"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Today we headed across the Mississippi river to the St Louis zoo which is free. \u00a0Yeah, FREE! \u00a0They do charge for parking, however I am not much of a zoo guy so I dropped the fam off at the entrance then drove about a mile further into the Forest Park\u00a0where there were some covered pavilions and I was able to get some work done. \u00a0They saw elephants, apes, hippos, ROUSs (Princess Bride ref) \u00a0and despite the heat they also saw polar bears and penguins.<br \/>\n<a title=\"Kiddos at zoo\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/136797225@N05\/27566939260\/in\/album-72157670023715926\/\" data-flickr-embed=\"true\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/c5.staticflickr.com\/8\/7388\/27566939260_079a0d6e9e_n.jpg\" alt=\"Kiddos at zoo\" width=\"320\" height=\"240\" \/><\/a><script src=\"\/\/embedr.flickr.com\/assets\/client-code.js\" async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><br \/>\n <!--more--><\/p>\n<p>They texted me a little after noon to come pick them up and we found another shady spot in this park for our picnic lunch. \u00a0Forest park is over 1300 acres and was home to the 1904 World Fair. \u00a0It is a very nice park with lots of trees which provided shade to help us beat the heat.<\/p>\n<p>After lunch we went to the Science Center where our reciprocal membership got us free parking and free admission! \u00a0We&#8217;ve been to the <a href=\"http:\/\/thewachs.com\/wachsacrossamerica\/2016\/02\/21\/where-they-love-the-governor\/\">McWane Science Center<\/a> in Burmingham AL and <a href=\"http:\/\/thewachs.com\/wachsacrossamerica\/2016\/03\/17\/mods-amazing\/\">MODS<\/a> in Ft Lauderdale FL\u00a0while we&#8217;ve been on our trip. \u00a0Science museums tend to have very similar exhibits but they also have some\u00a0unique ones and this place was no exception. \u00a0As soon as you enter there is this giant &#8220;ball machine&#8221; filling the atrium. \u00a0I didn&#8217;t get a picture of it because (a) I was so mesmerized just watching it that I forgot to take a picture and (b) it would be hard to capture on film (or silicon). \u00a0It was like a giant Rube Goldburg machine with lots of balls and lots of different paths the balls can take. \u00a0There are a few ways for the balls to get lifted back to the top to start their rolling journey but one of them is powered by people. \u00a0There is a giant hamster wheel you get in and walk or run inside of to turn a cog which rotates a worm gear which turns a shaft with turns another gear which is attached to a chain which has buckets that lift the balls that lived in the house that Jack built.<\/p>\n<p>We went to a <em>Science Goes Splat<\/em> presentation where they dropped things from the top of a 4 story high atrium to see what would happen. \u00a0They dropped apples, water, bouncy balls, golf balls and arrows. \u00a0It was entertaining and well done. \u00a0Another area let you don lab coats and do some different lab experiments. \u00a0We did the forensics one together then we split into a couple different groups to do blood typing and learning to use a micropipette.<br \/>\n <a title=\"Mad scientists\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/136797225@N05\/27768714551\/in\/album-72157670023715926\/\" data-flickr-embed=\"true\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/c8.staticflickr.com\/8\/7416\/27768714551_de361ea443_n.jpg\" alt=\"Mad scientists\" width=\"320\" height=\"254\" \/><\/a><script src=\"\/\/embedr.flickr.com\/assets\/client-code.js\" async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><br \/>\nWe finished our time at their maker space area where the kids had access to lots of raw materials and built whatever contraptions they wanted to try to fly in these vertical wind tunnels. \u00a0Another one let them design a sail for a &#8220;boat&#8221;. \u00a0The kids had a ton of fun and the staff had to kick us out because they were closing.<\/p>\n<p>Back at home the kids and I went to the pool to cool off. \u00a0Can&#8217;t beat a good day filled with fun free stuff!<\/p>\n<div id=\"flickr_72157670023715926_4509\"><div class=\"slickr-flickr-slideshow landscape medium \"><div class=\"active\"><img src=\"https:\/\/farm8.static.flickr.com\/7121\/27232539794_4ba846d85b.jpg\" title=\"Fountain at zoo\" alt=\"\"  \/><p>Fountain at zoo<\/p><\/div><div><img src=\"https:\/\/farm8.static.flickr.com\/7563\/27566939620_69c52c1645.jpg\" title=\"The girls\" alt=\"\"  \/><p>The girls<\/p><\/div><div><img src=\"https:\/\/farm8.static.flickr.com\/7436\/27768713471_2f557a872c.jpg\" title=\"Hippo\" alt=\"\"  \/><p>Hippo<\/p><\/div><div><img src=\"https:\/\/farm8.static.flickr.com\/7436\/27566939390_ab8870d4cb.jpg\" title=\"Hippo\" alt=\"\"  \/><p>Hippo<\/p><\/div><div><img src=\"https:\/\/farm8.static.flickr.com\/7343\/27232770653_5a9cfdff1a.jpg\" title=\"Boy and bear\" alt=\"\"  \/><p>Boy and bear<\/p><\/div><div><img src=\"https:\/\/farm8.static.flickr.com\/7454\/27566940190_850aa9220d.jpg\" title=\"Polar bear\" alt=\"\"  \/><p>Polar bear<\/p><\/div><div><img src=\"https:\/\/farm8.static.flickr.com\/7331\/27232770493_8536f08e04.jpg\" title=\"Bored\" alt=\"\"  \/><p>Bored<\/p><\/div><div><img src=\"https:\/\/farm8.static.flickr.com\/7386\/27768716071_0fd3ddba3d.jpg\" title=\"ROUS\" alt=\"\"  \/><p>ROUS<\/p><\/div><div><img src=\"https:\/\/farm8.static.flickr.com\/7386\/27768715781_b1fd609865.jpg\" title=\"Snake tamers\" alt=\"\"  \/><p>Snake tamers<\/p><\/div><div><img src=\"https:\/\/farm8.static.flickr.com\/7388\/27566939260_079a0d6e9e.jpg\" title=\"Kiddos at zoo\" alt=\"\"  \/><p>Kiddos at zoo<\/p><\/div><div><img src=\"https:\/\/farm8.static.flickr.com\/7363\/27232539094_f7d24099ff.jpg\" title=\"Elephants\" alt=\"\"  \/><p>Elephants<\/p><\/div><div><img src=\"https:\/\/farm8.static.flickr.com\/7558\/27566939150_8629126b52.jpg\" title=\"Penguins\" alt=\"\"  \/><p>Penguins<\/p><\/div><div><img src=\"https:\/\/farm8.static.flickr.com\/7345\/27232538944_79c1fd99e3.jpg\" title=\"Fur\" alt=\"\"  \/><p>Fur<\/p><\/div><div><img src=\"https:\/\/farm8.static.flickr.com\/7294\/27232770173_eaa9c372c7.jpg\" title=\"Picnic\" alt=\"\"  \/><p>Picnic<\/p><\/div><div><img src=\"https:\/\/farm8.static.flickr.com\/7633\/27768715381_9d5e750eb8.jpg\" title=\"Hamster wheel\" alt=\"\"  \/><p>Hamster wheel<\/p><\/div><div><img src=\"https:\/\/farm8.static.flickr.com\/7685\/27566939930_aa60d7212c.jpg\" title=\"Huh?  What?\" alt=\"\"  \/><p>Huh?  What?<\/p><\/div><div><img src=\"https:\/\/farm8.static.flickr.com\/7050\/27232769913_2f4652af12.jpg\" title=\"Tornado\" alt=\"\"  \/><p>Tornado<\/p><\/div><div><img src=\"https:\/\/farm8.static.flickr.com\/7382\/27232538714_15bdecb914.jpg\" title=\"Shifting plates\" alt=\"\"  \/><p>Shifting plates<\/p><\/div><div><img src=\"https:\/\/farm8.static.flickr.com\/7474\/27768714791_a04b187589.jpg\" title=\"Tornado\" alt=\"\"  \/><p>Tornado<\/p><\/div><div><img src=\"https:\/\/farm8.static.flickr.com\/7055\/27566939840_77572329a6.jpg\" title=\"Wind power\" alt=\"\"  \/><p>Wind power<\/p><\/div><div><img src=\"https:\/\/farm8.static.flickr.com\/7424\/27232538554_f8959fc390.jpg\" title=\"Powered by bike\" alt=\"\"  \/><p>Powered by bike<\/p><\/div><div><img src=\"https:\/\/farm8.static.flickr.com\/7351\/27772157121_2679cdb815.jpg\" title=\"Levetation\" alt=\"\"  \/><p>Levetation<\/p><\/div><div><img src=\"https:\/\/farm8.static.flickr.com\/7456\/27232538204_784b72c0b7.jpg\" title=\"Rematch\" alt=\"\"  \/><p>Rematch<\/p><\/div><div><img src=\"https:\/\/farm8.static.flickr.com\/7053\/27768713961_9f664a3b5b.jpg\" title=\"Mindball\" alt=\"\"  \/><p>Mindball<\/p><\/div><div><img src=\"https:\/\/farm8.static.flickr.com\/7416\/27768714551_de361ea443.jpg\" title=\"Mad scientists\" alt=\"\"  \/><p>Mad scientists<\/p><\/div><div><img src=\"https:\/\/farm8.static.flickr.com\/7098\/27232538444_37487cf3b2.jpg\" title=\"CSI\" alt=\"\"  \/><p>CSI<\/p><\/div><div><img src=\"https:\/\/farm8.static.flickr.com\/7417\/27232539854_0ed84b9701.jpg\" title=\"Pipettes\" alt=\"\"  \/><p>Pipettes<\/p><\/div><div><img src=\"https:\/\/farm8.static.flickr.com\/7370\/27746849572_a50183ba4f.jpg\" title=\"Blood typing\" alt=\"\"  \/><p>Blood typing<\/p><\/div><div><img src=\"https:\/\/farm8.static.flickr.com\/7138\/27235870904_58212333ea.jpg\" title=\"CSI\" alt=\"\"  \/><p>CSI<\/p><\/div><div><img src=\"https:\/\/farm8.static.flickr.com\/7077\/27566939790_476886c37a.jpg\" title=\"Makerspace\" alt=\"\"  \/><p>Makerspace<\/p><\/div><div><img src=\"https:\/\/farm8.static.flickr.com\/7129\/27235861254_8b83a298f9.jpg\" title=\"Test flight\" alt=\"\"  \/><p>Test flight<\/p><\/div><div><img src=\"https:\/\/farm8.static.flickr.com\/7256\/27232537974_dce671f2cc.jpg\" title=\"Tractor\" alt=\"\"  \/><p>Tractor<\/p><\/div><\/div><script type=\"text\/javascript\">jQuery(\"#flickr_72157670023715926_4509\").data(\"options\",{\"delay\":3000,\"autoplay\":true,\"transition\":500,\"link\":\"next\",\"target\":\"_self\",\"width\":\"\",\"height\":\"\"});<\/script><div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Today we headed across the Mississippi river to the St Louis zoo which is free. \u00a0Yeah, FREE! \u00a0They do charge for parking, however I am not much of a zoo guy so I dropped the fam off at the entrance then drove about a mile further into the Forest Park\u00a0where there were some covered pavilions [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_s2mail":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[72,71],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/thewachs.com\/wachsacrossamerica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2011"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/thewachs.com\/wachsacrossamerica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/thewachs.com\/wachsacrossamerica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/thewachs.com\/wachsacrossamerica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/thewachs.com\/wachsacrossamerica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2011"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"http:\/\/thewachs.com\/wachsacrossamerica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2011\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2026,"href":"http:\/\/thewachs.com\/wachsacrossamerica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2011\/revisions\/2026"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/thewachs.com\/wachsacrossamerica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2011"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/thewachs.com\/wachsacrossamerica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2011"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/thewachs.com\/wachsacrossamerica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2011"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}