Two things led to a summer weekend trip to Milwaukee: 1) we had a free night at a Marriott and 2) Brad Compton loves the Dodgers, who were scheduled to play the Brewers. Brent and Connie were in charge of making the arrangements. Come trip time, we stayed at a Holiday Inn and the Brewers played the Padres. This may be the last trip the two of them are assigned to plan.
Our hotel was in Port Washington, just north of Milwaukee on Lake Michigan. With great views of the Port Washington Marina and Pierhead Light, Connie had plenty of opportunities to share pictures with her Instagram consort, SofaSlayer. Brad, being from Shelbyville, had a difficult time admitting that he liked Port Washington and Lake Michigan. He was quick to point out the similarities between the two towns and their respective lakes. Nobody else could see the similarities. Obviously.
Although Veronica, our not-so-trusty GPS system, failed at navigating through Milwaukee, we still managed to tour the Miller Brewing Company before the game. We're no strangers to brewery tours--we've got Anheuser Busch, Schlafly, Coors, and Guinness all under our belts--so we know how this system works: listen to a story, view a few buildings, do some tasting, and visit the gift shop. What we weren't expecting at Miller was a visit to the storage caves predating refrigeration. A welcomed surprise on a warm day. After the brief cave visit, we were off to get our samples and... visit the gift shop. Off to Miller Park!
Amanda likes baseball. She likes the atmosphere, the energy of the crowd, the stadium food, and the beer. But there was really one reason she agreed to this journey--The Klement's Racing Sausages. The bratwurst, the Polish, the Italian, the hotdog, and the chorizo are the five competitive weenies that race at the bottom of the sixth inning at all Brewers home games. Each traveler picked a sausage to cheer on during the race (Amanda, the Polish; Connie, the hotdog; Brad, the chorizo; and Brent, the bratwurst). Bets were made. And the much anticipated race ended as quickly as it began. The bratwurst won the race. Kudos to Brent, whose weenie picking skills are superior to his team picking skills. With a Brewer loss, this was one more professional team that has lost in his presence...
Heading back to Port Washington, we decided to stop at Five Guys for some gnash. Although our ride lost some rubber on the way, we made it safe and intact. This was Brad's first Five Guys experience. Living in a county deprived of restaurant chains, we were excited for Brad. His wife, on the other hand, had a cheese sandwich. Reminiscent of our Rendezvous Memphis trip where Connie exclaimed that there were herbs in the bread of her cheese sandwich, we continued to eat without uttering a word while food flew and dripped in our decadent eating frenzy.
And as we travel back to central Illinois, we can't help but think that, "yesterday, we had it all." However, we should remember that one thing we do still have is... a free night at a Marriott!
Join us as we travel across the globe with a gnome named Barron.
Sunday, July 22, 2012
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Where the heck is Orcas Island?
One day Amanda told me that she wanted to go to Orcas Island. Where? Orcas Island. Repeating it didn't help. Orcas Island is part of the San Juan Islands in northwestern Washington, near British Columbia, Canada. How she knew about this place is somewhat of a mystery, although I suspect it has something to do with either a made-for-TV movie or a Nora Roberts book. But how we discovered the island is far less important than our experiences getting to and on the island.
Spring Break 2012 planning was underway by August the previous year. Amanda had just accepted a new position and we were ready to book a celebratory trip. This probably goes without saying, but there are no direct flights from anywhere in the midwest to Orcas Island. So, we booked two tickets from St. Louis to Seattle and decided to work out the details later. The details, as it turns out, fell together nicely.
Still skeptical about this alleged island in the Salish Sea, I decided to negotiate a few other stops while in the Evergreen State--Seattle's Space Needle and Pike Place Market, Olympic National Forest, and the Pacific Coast. Barron Ambrosia, our travel companion gnome, negotiated a couple stops of his own--Forks and La Push (yes, Barron is a Twilight fan).
We arrived in Seattle on a rare, sunny Saturday. After a quick nap, we headed to Sky City at the Space Needle for dinner. We were expecting the Space Needle to be a little cheesy (even for us). Completely wrong. Amazing views, great food, and an out-of-this-world dessert (the Lunar Orbiter) made for an enjoyable first night in Washington. We even left with a mini-iron replica. Yes, I admit this.
Before leaving Seattle the next morning, we stopped at Pike Place Market to "quickly" look around. Several hours later, we arrived back at the car with primroses, bread, wine, fish spread, Indian spices, lentils, cherries, soup mix, and, of course, two coffees from the original Starbucks. At the time of publishing this post, we're still wondering how to get some of this on the plane. It was definitely time to leave the city.
Across the lush, densely-forested Olympic Peninsula to La Push, where we would spend the night at the Quiluete Oceanside Resort. Being a romantic, I splurged by spending an extra $10 on a room with hot water. Seventy-nine dollars for a room with an ocean-view? Is this possible? Our expectations were not high. But before we could find out what we were getting ourselves into, we had to make a stop in the town of Forks (for Barron Ambrosia, of course)...
Forks, Washington--made famous by the Twilight Saga books and movies--sits about 15 miles from the Pacific coast at the edge of the Olympic National Forest. For kicks, we took pictures of our travel companion, Barron the gnome, with the town's signature welcome sign. Locals are used to parents making the pilgrimage with their teenage daughters to do exactly what we were doing. But when two thirty-somethings show up with a gnome to take pictures, people stare. I'm positive we were the talk of town that night. There are two Twilight-themed gift shops in downtown. Being Sunday, we were lucky that one was open. Amanda made a few purchases for her Twi-Hard friends. Then we left as quickly as possible as if, somehow, the length of time spent in Forks can make the journey less pathetic. Continuing on to La Push (also referenced in Twilight), we were notified by a large, plastic sign, when we crossed the treaty line, indicating where vampires are not allowed to cross.
Quiluete Oceanside Resort is on First Beach in La Push, a wild and wonderful beach that looks like something off of a Pacific Northwest postcard. The water is dotted with haystacks, giant rocks jutting from the water into the air. Within ten minutes on the beach, we spotted gray whales just off the shore. After Amanda composed herself, she exclaimed two things: 1) Cue the deer! (A reference to the movie Funny Farm - we quote this a lot) and 2) Sea World is now dead to me.
So what about this $79 ocean-view room? Absolutely fantastic! The resort looks fairly new and is maintained well. The room was very spacious and included a kitchenette. There is no television and no telephone, but who cares?! The view of First Beach with its whales, haystacks, and giant driftwood trees would not allow time for TV anyway! One afternoon did not allow enough time to fully enjoy First Beach. As the sun sank into the Pacific, we cooked an eclectic meal in our kitchenette, all compulsively purchased earlier in the day at Pike Place Market.
And then, we went looking for this place called "Orcas Island." Several hours and two ferries later, we arrived. Our cottage was located on Buck Bay near the community of Olga. The island is rural and agricultural with an artisan population, giving it a unique and laid-back vibe. Next to our cottage was a shellfish, chicken, and horse farm. The island is mountainous with multiple state parks.
It only took us one day to develop our routine. Mornings began with a short walk to the Olga Cafe, located in the town's former strawberry packing facility. The front of the building is a cooperative artisan shop, the back side the restaurant. The cafe's specialty breakfast is baked eggs. You can get your eggs one of six different ways (sometimes a seventh way, depending on the special). Amanda's recommendation: Dungeness Crab Baked Eggs. Brent's recommendation: Salmon Baked Eggs. One thing we both agree on: the raspberry jam is like a dessert in and of itself. After dining at the cafe, we walked a quarter mile to the old Olga pier where we watched otters swim, feed, dry off, and then repeat their routine. Later, we then return to the cottage for a nap. In the afternoon, we drank Wet Orcas (champagne with blueberry and pomegranate juices) from our patio while we watched the bay. Then, we would walk down to the bay to enjoy our Orcas on a log that we declared as our own. Evenings included a dip in the hot tub followed by scary movies. Yep, island life is rough!
Straying from our routine, we did check out Moran State Park, about five miles from the cottage, where we "climbed" to the top of Mt. Constitution and hiked to Cascade Falls. Traveling in the opposite direction from our cottage, we visited Obstruction Pass State Park, where we hiked to the beach to explore the tide pools. From Deer Harbor we took a wildlife boat tour, charted by Deer Harbor Charters. The tour took us out into the Salish Sea, around Spieden and Cactus Islands and out into Canadian Waters near Sidney, British Columbia. We were able to see many bald eagles, harbor seals, and sea lions. No whales :(
This is our last night on the island. Tomorrow we'll board the ferries and head back to Seattle for our flight home. Each day there are reports that orcas have been sighted from ferry boats. Will tomorrow be our lucky day? If not, one thing is for sure, we will be back...
Still skeptical about this alleged island in the Salish Sea, I decided to negotiate a few other stops while in the Evergreen State--Seattle's Space Needle and Pike Place Market, Olympic National Forest, and the Pacific Coast. Barron Ambrosia, our travel companion gnome, negotiated a couple stops of his own--Forks and La Push (yes, Barron is a Twilight fan).
We arrived in Seattle on a rare, sunny Saturday. After a quick nap, we headed to Sky City at the Space Needle for dinner. We were expecting the Space Needle to be a little cheesy (even for us). Completely wrong. Amazing views, great food, and an out-of-this-world dessert (the Lunar Orbiter) made for an enjoyable first night in Washington. We even left with a mini-iron replica. Yes, I admit this.
Before leaving Seattle the next morning, we stopped at Pike Place Market to "quickly" look around. Several hours later, we arrived back at the car with primroses, bread, wine, fish spread, Indian spices, lentils, cherries, soup mix, and, of course, two coffees from the original Starbucks. At the time of publishing this post, we're still wondering how to get some of this on the plane. It was definitely time to leave the city.
Across the lush, densely-forested Olympic Peninsula to La Push, where we would spend the night at the Quiluete Oceanside Resort. Being a romantic, I splurged by spending an extra $10 on a room with hot water. Seventy-nine dollars for a room with an ocean-view? Is this possible? Our expectations were not high. But before we could find out what we were getting ourselves into, we had to make a stop in the town of Forks (for Barron Ambrosia, of course)...
Forks, Washington--made famous by the Twilight Saga books and movies--sits about 15 miles from the Pacific coast at the edge of the Olympic National Forest. For kicks, we took pictures of our travel companion, Barron the gnome, with the town's signature welcome sign. Locals are used to parents making the pilgrimage with their teenage daughters to do exactly what we were doing. But when two thirty-somethings show up with a gnome to take pictures, people stare. I'm positive we were the talk of town that night. There are two Twilight-themed gift shops in downtown. Being Sunday, we were lucky that one was open. Amanda made a few purchases for her Twi-Hard friends. Then we left as quickly as possible as if, somehow, the length of time spent in Forks can make the journey less pathetic. Continuing on to La Push (also referenced in Twilight), we were notified by a large, plastic sign, when we crossed the treaty line, indicating where vampires are not allowed to cross.
Quiluete Oceanside Resort is on First Beach in La Push, a wild and wonderful beach that looks like something off of a Pacific Northwest postcard. The water is dotted with haystacks, giant rocks jutting from the water into the air. Within ten minutes on the beach, we spotted gray whales just off the shore. After Amanda composed herself, she exclaimed two things: 1) Cue the deer! (A reference to the movie Funny Farm - we quote this a lot) and 2) Sea World is now dead to me.
So what about this $79 ocean-view room? Absolutely fantastic! The resort looks fairly new and is maintained well. The room was very spacious and included a kitchenette. There is no television and no telephone, but who cares?! The view of First Beach with its whales, haystacks, and giant driftwood trees would not allow time for TV anyway! One afternoon did not allow enough time to fully enjoy First Beach. As the sun sank into the Pacific, we cooked an eclectic meal in our kitchenette, all compulsively purchased earlier in the day at Pike Place Market.
And then, we went looking for this place called "Orcas Island." Several hours and two ferries later, we arrived. Our cottage was located on Buck Bay near the community of Olga. The island is rural and agricultural with an artisan population, giving it a unique and laid-back vibe. Next to our cottage was a shellfish, chicken, and horse farm. The island is mountainous with multiple state parks.
It only took us one day to develop our routine. Mornings began with a short walk to the Olga Cafe, located in the town's former strawberry packing facility. The front of the building is a cooperative artisan shop, the back side the restaurant. The cafe's specialty breakfast is baked eggs. You can get your eggs one of six different ways (sometimes a seventh way, depending on the special). Amanda's recommendation: Dungeness Crab Baked Eggs. Brent's recommendation: Salmon Baked Eggs. One thing we both agree on: the raspberry jam is like a dessert in and of itself. After dining at the cafe, we walked a quarter mile to the old Olga pier where we watched otters swim, feed, dry off, and then repeat their routine. Later, we then return to the cottage for a nap. In the afternoon, we drank Wet Orcas (champagne with blueberry and pomegranate juices) from our patio while we watched the bay. Then, we would walk down to the bay to enjoy our Orcas on a log that we declared as our own. Evenings included a dip in the hot tub followed by scary movies. Yep, island life is rough!
Straying from our routine, we did check out Moran State Park, about five miles from the cottage, where we "climbed" to the top of Mt. Constitution and hiked to Cascade Falls. Traveling in the opposite direction from our cottage, we visited Obstruction Pass State Park, where we hiked to the beach to explore the tide pools. From Deer Harbor we took a wildlife boat tour, charted by Deer Harbor Charters. The tour took us out into the Salish Sea, around Spieden and Cactus Islands and out into Canadian Waters near Sidney, British Columbia. We were able to see many bald eagles, harbor seals, and sea lions. No whales :(
This is our last night on the island. Tomorrow we'll board the ferries and head back to Seattle for our flight home. Each day there are reports that orcas have been sighted from ferry boats. Will tomorrow be our lucky day? If not, one thing is for sure, we will be back...
Friday, December 16, 2011
There are winter time travel restrictions, Connie.
Way back in September, we traveled with Brad and Connie Compton to Nashville for a weekend getaway. The occasion: Connie's thirtieth birthday. Turning thirty is monumental. Even though Connie is not happy about this at all, it's a big deal. There is cause to celebrate. However, Connie doesn't actually turn thirty until tomorrow--December 17th. Why celebrate three months early? Let's talk about Brad:
Brad is a creature of habit. His life is led by a strict code. His rules (and lists) keep life moving forward in an orderly fashion. When it rains, Brad issues the Compton Laundry Embargo. Brad doesn't use the dishwasher because "it might break." Brad uses their fireplace only once each year, then insists that the chimney be professionally cleaned before the next season. And annually in November... Brad enforces winter time travel restrictions. This makes traveling for Connie's birthday challenging. Thus, we celebrate in September.
In true Compton fashion, our first order of business upon arriving in the Music City was to "check in." This is a crucial step. Much like I can't have fun if I haven't seen my location on a map, the Comptons can't have fun until we've established traveler's residency. Our address for the weekend: The Nashville Doubletree. Allow me to point out that, while it served its function well, the Doubletree is no Marriott. But I digress.
There are two things that Connie likes above all others--wine and Jimmy Buffett. But I can't be sure of the order. Our agenda for the pseudo-birthday celebration was to visit Arrington Vineyards and eat at Margaritaville Nashville. Everything else was supplementary.
Arrington Vineyards is a half-hour drive south of Nashville. The tasting room sits on a hill overlooking the park-like setting, vineyards, and rolling Tennessee landscape. They allow bottles to be purchased for drinking on the facilities. My recommendation: the Guwerztraminer. Arrington hosts live music daily. We'll be returning.
Off to Margaritaville Nashville. This was our third trip to the establishment with the Comptons. The first time was before it had opened. Connie wanted a picture with the building that would become Margaritaville Nashville. She's obsessive (and a bit creepy) like that. The second occasion was on our way back from the Margaritaville Beach Hotel in Pensacola, Florida. You're welcome, Jimmy Buffett. Unlike our second trip, we managed to escape from the gift shop without a single purchase. I think Jimmy is doing just fine without us making extra purchases.
On down Broadway to Tootsie's World Famous Orchid Lounge. Our goal: catch the day's performance by Jake Maurer. Mission: Not accomplished. Tootsie's website, much like its facilities, needs a bit of updating. We missed Jake by several hours. Tootsie's is legendary. Many of country music's pioneers played or hung out there as has many of country's contemporary artists. If its walls could talk, they would have stories of Patsy Cline, Hank Williams, and Waylon Jennings. And once they'd told those stories, I think the walls would say, "Please wash us." The lounge smells a bit like stale vomit. The celebrity photos are covered with a yellow tint I can only imagine is years of cigarette smoke. And I didn't attempt to dance because my Sperry's kept sticking to the floor (nod to the Kliers). But somehow, it all works for Tootsie's. Although we missed Jake Maurer, we were able to listen to plenty of live music from other budding musicians.
We concluded the night by stopping at the Second Fiddle for more live music and a visit to Joe's Crab Shack for a snack. Connie was able to pet a horse. Her pseudo-birthday now complete.
While we take plenty of jabs at Brad, his travel embargo works well for his wife. Tonight, we'll celebrate Connie's thirtieth birthday AGAIN. But this time in a local venue. Although the entertainment will lack fame, no celebrities own the establishments, and the restaurants don't include gift shops, there are plenty of places in Charleston where our Sperry's will stick to the floor... Happy birthday, Connie!
In true Compton fashion, our first order of business upon arriving in the Music City was to "check in." This is a crucial step. Much like I can't have fun if I haven't seen my location on a map, the Comptons can't have fun until we've established traveler's residency. Our address for the weekend: The Nashville Doubletree. Allow me to point out that, while it served its function well, the Doubletree is no Marriott. But I digress.
There are two things that Connie likes above all others--wine and Jimmy Buffett. But I can't be sure of the order. Our agenda for the pseudo-birthday celebration was to visit Arrington Vineyards and eat at Margaritaville Nashville. Everything else was supplementary.
Arrington Vineyards is a half-hour drive south of Nashville. The tasting room sits on a hill overlooking the park-like setting, vineyards, and rolling Tennessee landscape. They allow bottles to be purchased for drinking on the facilities. My recommendation: the Guwerztraminer. Arrington hosts live music daily. We'll be returning.
Off to Margaritaville Nashville. This was our third trip to the establishment with the Comptons. The first time was before it had opened. Connie wanted a picture with the building that would become Margaritaville Nashville. She's obsessive (and a bit creepy) like that. The second occasion was on our way back from the Margaritaville Beach Hotel in Pensacola, Florida. You're welcome, Jimmy Buffett. Unlike our second trip, we managed to escape from the gift shop without a single purchase. I think Jimmy is doing just fine without us making extra purchases.
On down Broadway to Tootsie's World Famous Orchid Lounge. Our goal: catch the day's performance by Jake Maurer. Mission: Not accomplished. Tootsie's website, much like its facilities, needs a bit of updating. We missed Jake by several hours. Tootsie's is legendary. Many of country music's pioneers played or hung out there as has many of country's contemporary artists. If its walls could talk, they would have stories of Patsy Cline, Hank Williams, and Waylon Jennings. And once they'd told those stories, I think the walls would say, "Please wash us." The lounge smells a bit like stale vomit. The celebrity photos are covered with a yellow tint I can only imagine is years of cigarette smoke. And I didn't attempt to dance because my Sperry's kept sticking to the floor (nod to the Kliers). But somehow, it all works for Tootsie's. Although we missed Jake Maurer, we were able to listen to plenty of live music from other budding musicians.
We concluded the night by stopping at the Second Fiddle for more live music and a visit to Joe's Crab Shack for a snack. Connie was able to pet a horse. Her pseudo-birthday now complete.
While we take plenty of jabs at Brad, his travel embargo works well for his wife. Tonight, we'll celebrate Connie's thirtieth birthday AGAIN. But this time in a local venue. Although the entertainment will lack fame, no celebrities own the establishments, and the restaurants don't include gift shops, there are plenty of places in Charleston where our Sperry's will stick to the floor... Happy birthday, Connie!
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
The first cabin on the right.
In the time we've been together, we've averaged two trips to salt water each year. Ocean, sea, gulf, bay, cove, inlet, channel--doesn't matter. That's what we enjoy. In fact, we've already been to the beach on three different trips in 2011. That's not an easy task when you consider the nearest salt water body is a 12-hour drive from where we live. It's no wonder people were surprised when we told them we were road-tripping to Colorado. But it makes perfect sense to us. What we're needing right now is isolation. Time away before the next academic year begins. Time away from cell phones and neighbor kids and work. Notice I didn't mention the internet--it's nice to have some communication if needed.
Pikes Peak Resort (www.pikespeakresort.com) near Westcreek, Colorado in the Pike National Forest is providing the perfect backdrop for our isolation and vacation of nothingness. PPR consists of four cabins on a mountainside and one lodge (although the lodge is nowhere to be seen from the cabin) facing Sheep Nose Summit and Thunder Butte. The view is incredible. As I type, I'm looking at this view and could probably be convinced that it's fake. What I'm really looking at is a giant canvas painting. It just doesn't look real.
The resort is located on a dirt road. From this road, you turn into the resort on a dirt lane that winds up a mountain. We were worried that our cabin would be "the last house on the left," but fortunately it was not. And since we've been watching nothing but scary movies while here, it's good to not have a cabin with any connection to a horror flick. More on this later in my blog.
Now Amanda may tell people back home we went "camping" or that we were "roughing it" on this trip, but don't let her fool you. We have three flat screens, a fireplace, full kitchen, and a hot tub in the cabin to entertain us. I will, however, point out that there is no air conditioning. This is as close to "roughing it" as we get. We've achieved our version of isolation.
We're currently on day three at the cabin. Tomorrow is our last day. So far, we've spent the time watching wildlife, wading in the nearby creek, soaking in the hot tub, watching scary movies, napping, and cooking. It's been perfect. A favorite activity has been feeding the chipmunks, of which there is no shortage near the cabin. One of the chipmunks we named Stubby--he's chubby and missing half of his tale. He likes popcorn and begs Amanda until she shares. That doesn't take long as she's a sucker for all mammals. "Just look at its little face." I tried to feed one and it bit my finger instead of taking the popcorn. I'm probably the first person to ever be attacked by a chipmunk.
At night the temperatures have been falling into the 40s. I can't think of better hot tub weather. While soaking, we watch scary movies. Friday the 13th (original), Wrong Turn, and What Lies Beneath have all been in the lineup so far. This led to an interesting and sleepless first night at the cabin. I will admit it--I was scared to death. I was convinced every sound was someone trying to get into the cabin and every shadow was someone looking down at the bed. Flashback to our trip to Ireland in March: We stayed in a castle with an alleged ghost named Hilga--Amanda didn't sleep a wink because I kept her up until I went to sleep. Well, it was pretty much the same scenario here. I've seen these movies countless times. Why is it they scare the hell out of me when away from home? Apparently I'm just a wussy. Anyway, it hasn't stopped us. On the movie lineup tonight is The Shining and Misery, both set in Colorado. Both will probably result in another sleepless night at the cabin. But we like it.
My first trip to the Rockies has been a good one. These mountains have a different vibe than do the Appalachians--less Deliverance and more Jeremiah Johnson. And I have to admit, while there will still be plenty of beaches in our future, we will probably replace some sand with rocks.
Well, our trip is coming to a close. Tomorrow we head to Garden of the Gods, Royal Gorge, and then Vail, where we will wrap up our Rocky Mountain road trip. On the way home we're stopping in Holcomb, Kansas (to take a peek at the Clutter family farm from In Cold Blood) and to do a quick visit to Dodge City. This will probably be my last post of the trip. Next time you hear from me, we'll be in Nashville, Tennessee to celebrate our friend Connie's THIRTIETH birthday. More in September...
Pikes Peak Resort (www.pikespeakresort.com) near Westcreek, Colorado in the Pike National Forest is providing the perfect backdrop for our isolation and vacation of nothingness. PPR consists of four cabins on a mountainside and one lodge (although the lodge is nowhere to be seen from the cabin) facing Sheep Nose Summit and Thunder Butte. The view is incredible. As I type, I'm looking at this view and could probably be convinced that it's fake. What I'm really looking at is a giant canvas painting. It just doesn't look real.
The resort is located on a dirt road. From this road, you turn into the resort on a dirt lane that winds up a mountain. We were worried that our cabin would be "the last house on the left," but fortunately it was not. And since we've been watching nothing but scary movies while here, it's good to not have a cabin with any connection to a horror flick. More on this later in my blog.
Now Amanda may tell people back home we went "camping" or that we were "roughing it" on this trip, but don't let her fool you. We have three flat screens, a fireplace, full kitchen, and a hot tub in the cabin to entertain us. I will, however, point out that there is no air conditioning. This is as close to "roughing it" as we get. We've achieved our version of isolation.
We're currently on day three at the cabin. Tomorrow is our last day. So far, we've spent the time watching wildlife, wading in the nearby creek, soaking in the hot tub, watching scary movies, napping, and cooking. It's been perfect. A favorite activity has been feeding the chipmunks, of which there is no shortage near the cabin. One of the chipmunks we named Stubby--he's chubby and missing half of his tale. He likes popcorn and begs Amanda until she shares. That doesn't take long as she's a sucker for all mammals. "Just look at its little face." I tried to feed one and it bit my finger instead of taking the popcorn. I'm probably the first person to ever be attacked by a chipmunk.
At night the temperatures have been falling into the 40s. I can't think of better hot tub weather. While soaking, we watch scary movies. Friday the 13th (original), Wrong Turn, and What Lies Beneath have all been in the lineup so far. This led to an interesting and sleepless first night at the cabin. I will admit it--I was scared to death. I was convinced every sound was someone trying to get into the cabin and every shadow was someone looking down at the bed. Flashback to our trip to Ireland in March: We stayed in a castle with an alleged ghost named Hilga--Amanda didn't sleep a wink because I kept her up until I went to sleep. Well, it was pretty much the same scenario here. I've seen these movies countless times. Why is it they scare the hell out of me when away from home? Apparently I'm just a wussy. Anyway, it hasn't stopped us. On the movie lineup tonight is The Shining and Misery, both set in Colorado. Both will probably result in another sleepless night at the cabin. But we like it.
My first trip to the Rockies has been a good one. These mountains have a different vibe than do the Appalachians--less Deliverance and more Jeremiah Johnson. And I have to admit, while there will still be plenty of beaches in our future, we will probably replace some sand with rocks.
Well, our trip is coming to a close. Tomorrow we head to Garden of the Gods, Royal Gorge, and then Vail, where we will wrap up our Rocky Mountain road trip. On the way home we're stopping in Holcomb, Kansas (to take a peek at the Clutter family farm from In Cold Blood) and to do a quick visit to Dodge City. This will probably be my last post of the trip. Next time you hear from me, we'll be in Nashville, Tennessee to celebrate our friend Connie's THIRTIETH birthday. More in September...
Nary a mountain in sight.
Given the amount of time I spend staring at maps, I should not have been surprised to not see mountains as we crossed the Colorado state line from Kansas. But I was. I knew they wouldn't be there, but I still expected to see them. Maybe it's because of the first episode of Jericho. When the mushroom cloud appears over Denver, it and the Rockies are visible from the fictitious Kansas town. I've let TV cloud my reality.
Shortly after entering Colorado, a message appeared on my car display stating that the oil life was low. Amanda and I don't argue, but this led to an argument. I'm guessing you can figure out who each line belongs to:
Why didn't you change the oil before the trip? Because I still had a thousand miles of oil life left. But you knew we were going to be driving to Denver. But I didn't want to pay for an oil change that I didn't need.
I still think I made a good argument. Nonetheless, we had to stop in Limon, Colorado for an oil change. Fortunately, even Amanda was laughing about this while we were waiting on the nice folks at Stone's Service Station to finish the change. A short drive later, we made it to Denver. With fresh oil.
That first evening we went to the Columbine Memorial in Clement Park, near Littleton. The memorial is located on Rebel Hill, behind the high school. It is solemn, as expected, and truly captures the emotions of the survivors.
Although we both felt it was important to see the memorial, we were on vacation after all and needed to go somewhere a little more uplifting afterwards. Where to go in Denver to be uplifted? Casa Bonita. My sole reason in making the pilgrimage to Casa Bonita--the Dinseyland of Mexican restaurants--was because of South Park. Eric Cartman was right: it's totally worth it. This place is cheesy to say the least, but good fun. From the unusual way you are served and seated to the cliff divers and gun shows to the Mexican village decor, this place is just very random. And as if the Casa Bonita experience wasn't enough, we will now be making one of their signature drinks at home--the Sangria/Margarita Swirl.
Day two in Denver. On the recommendation of our friend Becky, we traveled the short distance to Boulder to take a tour of the Celestial Seasonings factory. The tour is short and sweet and full of good smells. Perfect. We've decided to open our own tea company now. We think we have an idea that will make us unique and fill an untapped niche, but I'm not sharing that idea on this blog in case one of the three followers (at time of posting) tries to steal the idea. We'll see if this dream still exists when we return to Illinois. By the way, we survived the mint room.
After Boulder we traveled to Golden and up a mountain road to Central City. The drive is incredible; however, Central City, advertised as a "ghost town," is nothing more than a series of casinos. Disappointing. We don't recommend, other than for the drive.
In the afternoon, we drove to Lookout Mountain and visited the Buffalo Bill gravesite and cafe. I ate Buffalo. It tastes like beef. Amanda did not participate. The views of Denver and Golden are incredible from Lookout Mountain. The trip is well worth it, but be careful of the bicyclists. They're everywhere!
In the evening, we went to the 16th Street Pedestrian Mall and ate at the Yard House. It's not a Denver original, but we did enjoy the food.
Last day in Denver. We toured the Coors Brewery in Golden, which opened at noon. The process to get on the brewery tour is jank. One gate of the parking doesn't open until about 11:50, but the other was open the entire time, yet was not supposed to be accessible. Despite this, the tour was enjoyable and included three sample beers and a pre-sample. I thought the factory tour was more enjoyable than the Anheiser-Busch tour, but Amanda quickly pointed out that Coors lacked the Clydesdale horses. Of course she noticed the lack of animals. The tour ended in the gift shop where we managed to purchase more things that we really don't need.
The time came to leave Denver and head for the cabin where our goal was to do... absolutely nothing. One problem--flat tire. We managed to fill the tire and will be closely monitoring it before we leave colorful Colorado. On the way to the cabin we stopped in Evergreen at Creekside Cellars, a winery and cafe. The food was good, the wine was good, and the views were good. A nice stop before entering the land where civilization ceases to exists and our cell phones don't work. Ahhhh... just what we need!
Shortly after entering Colorado, a message appeared on my car display stating that the oil life was low. Amanda and I don't argue, but this led to an argument. I'm guessing you can figure out who each line belongs to:
Why didn't you change the oil before the trip? Because I still had a thousand miles of oil life left. But you knew we were going to be driving to Denver. But I didn't want to pay for an oil change that I didn't need.
I still think I made a good argument. Nonetheless, we had to stop in Limon, Colorado for an oil change. Fortunately, even Amanda was laughing about this while we were waiting on the nice folks at Stone's Service Station to finish the change. A short drive later, we made it to Denver. With fresh oil.
That first evening we went to the Columbine Memorial in Clement Park, near Littleton. The memorial is located on Rebel Hill, behind the high school. It is solemn, as expected, and truly captures the emotions of the survivors.
Although we both felt it was important to see the memorial, we were on vacation after all and needed to go somewhere a little more uplifting afterwards. Where to go in Denver to be uplifted? Casa Bonita. My sole reason in making the pilgrimage to Casa Bonita--the Dinseyland of Mexican restaurants--was because of South Park. Eric Cartman was right: it's totally worth it. This place is cheesy to say the least, but good fun. From the unusual way you are served and seated to the cliff divers and gun shows to the Mexican village decor, this place is just very random. And as if the Casa Bonita experience wasn't enough, we will now be making one of their signature drinks at home--the Sangria/Margarita Swirl.
Day two in Denver. On the recommendation of our friend Becky, we traveled the short distance to Boulder to take a tour of the Celestial Seasonings factory. The tour is short and sweet and full of good smells. Perfect. We've decided to open our own tea company now. We think we have an idea that will make us unique and fill an untapped niche, but I'm not sharing that idea on this blog in case one of the three followers (at time of posting) tries to steal the idea. We'll see if this dream still exists when we return to Illinois. By the way, we survived the mint room.
After Boulder we traveled to Golden and up a mountain road to Central City. The drive is incredible; however, Central City, advertised as a "ghost town," is nothing more than a series of casinos. Disappointing. We don't recommend, other than for the drive.
In the afternoon, we drove to Lookout Mountain and visited the Buffalo Bill gravesite and cafe. I ate Buffalo. It tastes like beef. Amanda did not participate. The views of Denver and Golden are incredible from Lookout Mountain. The trip is well worth it, but be careful of the bicyclists. They're everywhere!
In the evening, we went to the 16th Street Pedestrian Mall and ate at the Yard House. It's not a Denver original, but we did enjoy the food.
Last day in Denver. We toured the Coors Brewery in Golden, which opened at noon. The process to get on the brewery tour is jank. One gate of the parking doesn't open until about 11:50, but the other was open the entire time, yet was not supposed to be accessible. Despite this, the tour was enjoyable and included three sample beers and a pre-sample. I thought the factory tour was more enjoyable than the Anheiser-Busch tour, but Amanda quickly pointed out that Coors lacked the Clydesdale horses. Of course she noticed the lack of animals. The tour ended in the gift shop where we managed to purchase more things that we really don't need.
The time came to leave Denver and head for the cabin where our goal was to do... absolutely nothing. One problem--flat tire. We managed to fill the tire and will be closely monitoring it before we leave colorful Colorado. On the way to the cabin we stopped in Evergreen at Creekside Cellars, a winery and cafe. The food was good, the wine was good, and the views were good. A nice stop before entering the land where civilization ceases to exists and our cell phones don't work. Ahhhh... just what we need!
Monday, August 8, 2011
Kansas called... They want their topsoil back.
One time playing golf I completely missed the ball and, instead, sent an exceptionally large divot soaring down the fairway. Before I had time to react, Amanda responded with, "Kansas called. They'd like to have their topsoil back." She's mastered the art of sarcasm.
I know a little more about Kansas now. We spent hours driving across it to get to Colorado. People warned me that the trip would be brutal. I laughed at them. "They don't understand. I won't mind it. I like to drive. I've been to the KCK suburbs several times... Kansas is nice." Being from the level plains of central Illinois, I really didn't expect Kansas to be much different. It's not, except the speed limit is 75. Thank God.
I left work a little early on Thursday so that we could make it to Topeka to spend the night. Breaking up this trip is a good thing. We had a late check-in at the Courtyard Topeka about 11:30 p.m. They actually had a sign welcoming "Mr. Brent T." as a silver elite member. I thought Amanda was joking when she pointed this out. But it's a true true story. Only in Kansas are we treated like royalty. A reason to like the state.
We started day two of the journey by cruising by the Westboro Baptist "church" - those sociopaths that picket the funerals of military personnel and spew anti-American messages at the mourners and list the dates people "entered hell" on their website. We despise them. The building is located in a residential area. A large sign stating "God hates America" is pasted on the side. I'm sure that has done wonders for real estate values of their neighbors. Anyway, we didn't picket, but we did give them the bird on the way by - a slightly immature, but gratifying experience.
Back on I-70. We broke up the trip across Kansas by stopping at the Oz Winery in downtown Wamego (www.ozwinerykansas.com). It was about 10:00 a.m., so we didn't try the wine, but their labels were worthy of an eight-bottle purchase. My favorite label was the Angry Trees. Amanda's was The Squished Witch. The winery is in a downtown row building and full of, not only wine, but other Wizard souvenirs as well. Wamego is also home to the Oz museum, but we didn't attend. The town is what I picture the Midwest to look like 40 years ago, which was a refreshing change to what we see today in our small towns. Being only an 18 mile round-trip detour from I-70, we recommend a trip to Wamego when you're soaring across the Kansas plains.
The last of entertaining sights in Kansas was a large, to say the least, windmill farm. Each of the three blades per windmill is about the size of a semi and trailer. It's pretty impressive to see them whirling and generating energy. For several miles, windmills are all that's on the horizon to the north of the interstate. I'm sure more farms of this magnitude will be popping up across the country to provide us with clean electricity. But for now... "Thanks Kansas!"
A state that gave us its namesake musical group, Oz, and Kathleen Sebelius has to have some good qualities. And it does. To everyone who told me the drive would be brutal, well, you just need to be a little more appreciative of what Kansas has to offer. And while I am glad that I made the drive, next time I come to Colorado, I'm flying.
I know a little more about Kansas now. We spent hours driving across it to get to Colorado. People warned me that the trip would be brutal. I laughed at them. "They don't understand. I won't mind it. I like to drive. I've been to the KCK suburbs several times... Kansas is nice." Being from the level plains of central Illinois, I really didn't expect Kansas to be much different. It's not, except the speed limit is 75. Thank God.
I left work a little early on Thursday so that we could make it to Topeka to spend the night. Breaking up this trip is a good thing. We had a late check-in at the Courtyard Topeka about 11:30 p.m. They actually had a sign welcoming "Mr. Brent T." as a silver elite member. I thought Amanda was joking when she pointed this out. But it's a true true story. Only in Kansas are we treated like royalty. A reason to like the state.
We started day two of the journey by cruising by the Westboro Baptist "church" - those sociopaths that picket the funerals of military personnel and spew anti-American messages at the mourners and list the dates people "entered hell" on their website. We despise them. The building is located in a residential area. A large sign stating "God hates America" is pasted on the side. I'm sure that has done wonders for real estate values of their neighbors. Anyway, we didn't picket, but we did give them the bird on the way by - a slightly immature, but gratifying experience.
Back on I-70. We broke up the trip across Kansas by stopping at the Oz Winery in downtown Wamego (www.ozwinerykansas.com). It was about 10:00 a.m., so we didn't try the wine, but their labels were worthy of an eight-bottle purchase. My favorite label was the Angry Trees. Amanda's was The Squished Witch. The winery is in a downtown row building and full of, not only wine, but other Wizard souvenirs as well. Wamego is also home to the Oz museum, but we didn't attend. The town is what I picture the Midwest to look like 40 years ago, which was a refreshing change to what we see today in our small towns. Being only an 18 mile round-trip detour from I-70, we recommend a trip to Wamego when you're soaring across the Kansas plains.
The last of entertaining sights in Kansas was a large, to say the least, windmill farm. Each of the three blades per windmill is about the size of a semi and trailer. It's pretty impressive to see them whirling and generating energy. For several miles, windmills are all that's on the horizon to the north of the interstate. I'm sure more farms of this magnitude will be popping up across the country to provide us with clean electricity. But for now... "Thanks Kansas!"
A state that gave us its namesake musical group, Oz, and Kathleen Sebelius has to have some good qualities. And it does. To everyone who told me the drive would be brutal, well, you just need to be a little more appreciative of what Kansas has to offer. And while I am glad that I made the drive, next time I come to Colorado, I'm flying.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Must love maps...
We always have a story. And it usually relates to a road trip. So after six years together, and at the request of, well, one person, we've decided to start a travel blog.
This all began in 2005. We were dating at the time and decided to test the likelihood of a future together by taking a mini-break. Amanda passed round one when she agreed to travel to Alabama to see a coon dog cemetery. Round two--Amanda didn't question when we took a four-hour sidetrack to have a picture taken with a city limit sign. No further rounds required. We married!
Twenty states and four countries later, we've grown a library of travel stories. From soggy hotel rooms to Brent exposing himself to service staff in a foreign land (accidentally, of course), the stories just keep on coming. And now we're going to share them with you!
Happy traveling!
This all began in 2005. We were dating at the time and decided to test the likelihood of a future together by taking a mini-break. Amanda passed round one when she agreed to travel to Alabama to see a coon dog cemetery. Round two--Amanda didn't question when we took a four-hour sidetrack to have a picture taken with a city limit sign. No further rounds required. We married!
Twenty states and four countries later, we've grown a library of travel stories. From soggy hotel rooms to Brent exposing himself to service staff in a foreign land (accidentally, of course), the stories just keep on coming. And now we're going to share them with you!
Happy traveling!
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