Best Shortcut

The best shortcuts are those that contain some drama, that on good days race you through the byways untouched but on others may cause you to hand-conk your head in frustration. Getting cross-town from north to south sucks in St. Louis. There's no Forest Park Parkway, no Highway 40, and I-170 doesn't stretch far enough. So you have to crawl on Kingshighway or Grand and hit every pokey stoplight in the process. Enter Sublette, a north-south avenue that goes from Chouteau at the north, through the Hill, all the way to Pernod in Kingshighway Hills. Sure, there are a few too many stop signs -- welcome to St. Louis -- but it's a calm drive. Except for the train tracks. They, of course, have ruined many a high-strung asshole's day. The Zen among us, however, view this potential setback as a little bonus, a time-out train tutorial on graffiti, Union Pacific and the dearth of red cabooses in the twenty-first century. Where did they go, and is there a caboose cemetery somewhere? Relax, man. You can spare ten quiet minutes. It's not like you're a CFO or anything. Enjoy the pause in your day, and use it wisely.