LOOKING BACK AT 2023 AND AHEAD TO 2024.

Tonight the ball will drop and the curtain will fall on 2023 and we will welcome 2024. As I look back on this past year it was filled with some personal challenges that I won’t bore you with, but I also some wonderful adventures. Anytime that I am on the road exploring America is a great time. 

I hit the road for the first time back in March with a short three-day Tombstone Adventure to North Carolina. Most of you know that I like visiting cemeteries and finding historic and famous graves. Some people call this morbid and weird, but I have always found cemeteries and the people who are resting there interesting. Everyone has a story and just because they died doesn’t mean their story dies with them.

On this trip, I visited the graves of NASCAR personalities T. Wayne Robinson, Ralph Seagraves and Buck Baker. In addition to NASCAR, North Carolina was home to one of the Most Successful Professional Wresting Promotions in the Country. Jim Crockett Promotions, and Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling. They brough us such stars as Blackjack Mulligan, The Minnesota Wrecking Crew, Gen and Ole Anderson and The Nature Boy Rick Flair.  During this trip I visited the graves of two stars of Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling, Sylvester Ritter who is better known as “The Junkyard Dog,” and “The Russian Bear” Ivan Koloff, whose real name was Oreal Perras.

I managed to record a lot of content that will eventually end up on my Tombstone and Travels YouTube Channel. There are over 150 short videos on the Channel and I invite you to take a look. If you like what you see I hope you will leave a comment and subscribe while giving the videos that you watch a Thumbs up.  Here is the link to the channel.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-Il-isbz2iBFtmNE_VnP9Q

In April I took a short trip to Richmond and Visited Hollywood Cemetery where famous Civil War Generals George Pickett and J. E. B. Stuart are resting along with the Only President of the Confederacy Jefferson Davis.  Two United States Presidents are also buried here, James Monroe and John Tyler.

While in Richmond I managed to take a Little Side Trip up to Maryland where I toured the home of Doctor Samuel Mudd.  For those that don’t remember their history, Dr. Mudd was the Doctor that Treated John Wilkes Booth’s broken leg in the early morning hours following Booths Assassination of President Abraham Lincoln.

I had attempted to tour the house on a couple of Previous occasions, but it only opens seasonably during the spring, summer, and fall. The tour was excellent and lasted just a little over an hour. Most of the furniture in the house belonged to the Doctor and his family, including the Sofa and Bed where Booth rested while he was treated by Dr. Mudd.

The easiest way to check for tour information is to visit the Doctor Mudd Home website. Here is a link:

https://drmudd.org/

After leaving the Mudd Home, I managed to visit several of the site that were on John Wilkes Booth Escape route including the site of the Garrett Farm where Booth was killed in a tobacco barn. There is nothing left of the Garrett Farm, as it was destroyed years ago. Today the actual site of the Garrett house and barn is in overgrown median of Highway 301 south of Port Royal, Virginia.

In May, I took off on another Tombstone Adventure through Dixie.  My first stop on this adventure was in Lynchburg, Tennessee where I toured the Jack Daniels Distillery and visited the grave of Gentleman Jack in the Lynchburg Cemetery.

In Alabama I made a quick stop at the U. S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville. I have been here before and always found it very interesting, but this time I caught them changing out exhibits and only the Rocket Garden was available.  Even though most of the indoor exhibits were closed, they didn’t lower their price which kind of ticked me off.

 From Huntsville I was off to Birmingham where I visited the Graves of several Notable People, including two of the all-time winningest college football coaches, Paul “Bear” Bryant and Bobby Bowden.

 While in the Birmingham area I also visited the graves of NASCAR Personalities, Davey Allison, and Neil Bonnet along with Pro Football Hall of Famer Bart Starr.

 In this day and age, I don’t like spending the night in large cities so, I headed about 40-miles north of Birmingham and spent the night in Jasper, Alabama. It was here that what little plan I had changed. After talking to the breakfast attendant at the Hotel. I discovered the Jasper was the final resting place of George “Goober” Lindsey.

I couldn’t pass up the chance to “Say Hey to Goober.”  After leaving the cemetery I stopped for some coffee and was talking to a local to was kind enough to tell me that the Man who Played Mr. Haney on the TV Series ‘Green Acres” was buried in a small church cemetery just a few miles away. Off I went and spent a few minutes with Pat Butram.

With my original plan out the window, I decided to make my way over toward Tupelo, Mississippi. Along the way, I visited the Graves of Country Music Star Sonny James and an early star of the Grand Ole Opry, Rod Brassfield.

In Tupelo, I visited the birthplace of Elvis Presley.  I never was an Elvis Fan and the birthplace while Interesting just wasn’t my cup of tea. Like Graceland, the Birthplace is basically an overpriced tourist trap.

From Tupelo, I made my way to Corinth, Mississippi where I spent the Night. The next morning, I started the day by visiting the site where Sheriff Buford Pusser died in a car crash (photo left) on August 21, 1974.  Then it was a stop at the Adamsville Cemetery to pay my respects to Sheriff Pusser and His family.

My final Stop was at the Pusser Home and Museum in Adamsville.  The Home and Museum are closed on Monday’s and guess what, I was there on a Monday. So, From Adamsville, I made my way over to the Shiloh National Military Park.

The permanent visitor’s center at Shiloh was closed for renovations, and I had to find one of the Rangers to get a driving tour Map.  I spent the rest of the morning driving around the Battlefield, ending my tour on the Banks of the Tennessee River at Pittsburgh Landing.

After leaving Shiloh, I decided to head toward home, and scooted around Nashville a few hours later. In the pouring rain I decided to spend the Night in Cookeville, Tennessee. From there it was an easy drive home the next day.

 I stayed home in June, in preparation for my Canyonlands Adventure with Sunshine Bus Tours.  It was an amazing trip that I enjoyed the tip very much.  If you haven’t already done so, be sure to go back and read the daily Canyonland blogs.

 After returning from the Canyonlands Adventure, I stayed close to home and only took a few short-day trips and a couple of overnight trips just to get more footage for some future YouTube videos.

 So, with the curtain falling on 2023, what are my plans for 2024. While Nothing is etched in stone, I am looking at several different options, including taking another long-distance Amtrak Trip. I absolutely loved my 2018 Amtrak Trip and have started exploring my Amtrak options.

 I am also Look at several long driving trips.  One would take me up through New England in the early summer.  Another driving Option would be a tour of the Presidential sites in Ohio and then up to the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan. I would also like to head over to Grand Rapids and visit the Gerald Ford Presidential Museum.

 Another option would be returning to Texas and visiting some of the sites I missed during the 2018 Texas Adventures and then returning to and spending more time in Colorado.

 
One thing for sure is, I am not getting any younger and I want to continue traveling as long as I can. So, in the weeks to come the 2024 Travel Season will begin to fall into place. I will keep you posted here. Until then I hope each of you have a very HAPPY NEW YEAR.

MEMORIES OF GROWING UP IN A SMALL TOWN

 

I was very lucky to be born and raised in a small town. Tazewell is a place where your neighbors were also your friends. A place that is rich in History and Tradition. A place where that history is embraced and appreciated, and those traditions are cherished. A place where even today those traditions, some of which have been passed down from generation to generation are still practiced.

Traditions, Like on Friday nights in the fall, most of the community would gather at the High School Football Field, to eat hot dogs and drink hot chocolate that you bought from the Lion Club Concession Stand while cheering on the Bulldogs.  

Traditions like coming to town on Saturday, and shopping on Main Street. Buying shoes from Hughes, or just stopping in to visit Sheffey Massie, Miss Flora Jones and Mr. Herbert Ward at Jeff Wards store.  Or drinking a cold Cherry Smash from the Soda Fountain at Jackson’s. 

Then on the way back home as the sun was setting over the banks of Ole Plum Creek, a stop at Frog Level was in order. The kids would busy themselves chasing lightning bugs while the grown-ups would just sit and talk, until someone would show up with fiddle, or a guitar or a banjo. And before you knew it, music was echoing throughout the hill on the bank of Plum Creek.

Then on Sunday’s, no matter what, you went to church, where the people of the community would gather to give thanks for the blessing of the past week and to pray for guidance and protection in the week ahead

A place where the community would gather at Christmas time to watch the children of the community perform their Christmas Program. To those of us in our small town, those little church Christmas Programs were better than any Broadway Play. A place where after the play, a simple brown paper bag filled with an apple, an orange, a candy cane, and a small toy would bring a smile to young and old alike. 

Yes, I was blessed to come from a place where we said and still say “Bless Your Heart,” “Merry Christmas”, and “God Bless You.” Today, I returned to that small town for just a couple of hours, and as I walked about looking at those same Christmas Decoration on Main Street that I remembered as a child, I realized just how blessed I am to have come from such a special place. 

No matter where I go or how far I travel, this place called Tazewell, will always be the Place I call Home.

HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF - MENDING FENCES IN TEXAS.

 

History has a way of repeating itself. The Republican Party of today is in total disarray just as the democrats were some 6-decades ago. Let’s look back 60 years ago when First Term President John F. Kennedy was faced was a total split in the Democrat Party much like the Republicans are facing today.

 It was a well-known fact that the Kennedy Clan detested Lyndon Johnson and those loyal to the Vice President. The only reason Johnson was on the ticket was because he was a powerful member of the party and Kennedy needed him on the ticket to deliver Texas in both the 1960 and the upcoming 1964 elections.

The democrat party in Texas was in bad shape as Governor John Connally and Senator Ralph Yarborough were engaged in a long running and bitter Feud that was threatening to split the state. Connally was perceived to be the leader of the conservative wing of the party and Yarborough was the head of the party’s liberal wing.

Even with Johnson on the Ticket, if the Texas Democrat Party continued the infighting, Kennedy stood little chance of being reelected. The conflict was further enhanced by the mutual dislike between President Kennedy and Johnson. As the saying goes, “Politics make strange be fellows.”

 But, as much as President Kennedy disliked his own Vice President, it could not hold a light to the pure mutual hatred that existed between the President’s Brother, Attorney General Robert Kennedy, and Johnson. If Kennedy was to be reelected, he would have to carry Texas and in order to do that President Kennedy would have to find a way to unify the party and settle the Texas Feud. 

It was because of the turmoil in the Lone Star State that a plan was conceived for President Kennedy,
Vice President Johnson, and Governor John Connally and other prominent democrats to make a grand tour around state. In Connally’s own words, “This trip was a political fence mending trip.” 

During the tour, party unity and fund raising would be the name of the game. The tour would take place in Late November 1963. 

No one in the administration thought the trip was a good Idea and warned the President Not to Go. But the Party leadership convinced the President that it was the only way he would stand a chance of carrying the state in 1964. Without Texas there was no path for reelection.

The Texas Unity tour was a rocky road and didn’t go as Planned. With stops in Houston, San Antonio and Fort Worth the infighting escalated. Johnson, who nobody would call a conservative, was accused by Yarborough of selling out and kissing Connally and Kennedy’s Ass. Senator Yarborough and Governor Connally refused to appear in the same room at the same time much less be seated on the same stage. When Vice President Johnson interceded it only made things worse, and Yarborough told Johnson to basically “go to Hell.”

By the time the tour reached Fort Worth, the Party was even more fractured and in danger of imploding. The plans for a motorcade through Dallas were finalized while the principals were in Fort Worth. It was decided that Governor and Mrs. Connally would ride in the Presidential Limousine with the President on Mrs. Kennedy. The Presidential Limousine would be followed by the Secret Service and behind the Secret Service Car would be the car carrying Vice President and Mrs. Johnson.

It was decided that Senator Yarborough would ride in the Car with the Vice President. Several reports indicate that when Johnson was told of the arrangements, he “blew a gasket” which eventually resulted in a heated conversation between Kennedy and Johnson with Robert Kennedy chiming in by Telephone from Washington. Bobby’s involvement further infuriated Johnson. He accused both the President and the Attorney General of trying to embarrass him in his own state. Later that night, President Kennedy called his brother back. According to some of those in the room, the Attorney General did not hold back on his hatred for Johnson and encouraged his brother to “step on Johnson and step on him hard.”

By the same token, when Senator Yarborough was told that he would be riding with Vice President Johnson, he flat refused telling President Kennedy’s assistant Kenny O’Donnell and Secret Service Agent Rufus Youngblood, “I am not riding in the same car with that son of a bitch!”  

The next morning before the large breakfast at the Hotel Texas in Fort Worth, President Kennedy was notified that Yarborough was refusing to ride in the Johnson Car. The entire Texas Unity Trip was falling apart, and it was up to President Kennedy to personally intercede in the Texas Size Feud.

Meeting with Yarborough, in the Hotel Texas, The President told Yarborough in no Uncertain Terms that he would be riding with the Vice President or Not at all. When Yarborough continued to object President Kennedy told him he had no choice and walked out of the Room.  On the way to the breakfast, President Kennedy told Special Agent Rufus Youngblood that he wanted Yarborough in that car and “I don’t care if you have to pick the Son of a Bitch up and thrown him in.”

When Air Force One landed at Dallas Love Field the President made his way to the fence to shake hand with the enthusiastic crowd. During that time the motorcade was formed, and the members of the motorcade made their way to their assigned cars.  One nearby reporter watched as Yarborough was involved in a heated conversation with Kennedy aides. That discussion got even more heated when Vice President Johnson walked right by Yarborough and got in the car without saying a word. The reporter said that it appeared that Special Agent Rufus Youngblood was nudging Yarborough not so gently toward the open door of the car. 

Yarborough eventually got into the car just as the motorcade was leaving Love Field. Agent Youngblood later said that there was not a single word uttered between Johnson and Yarborough. He said as they made their way through the streets of Dallas, the tension in the car was so thick that you could cut it with a knife. 

As the motorcade made its way down Elm Street in front of the Texas School Book Depository, shots rang out. Both Governor Connally and President Kennedy was struck by the gunfire. John Fitzgerald Kennedy, the 35^th President of the Unites States died a short time later at Parkland Hospital.

Suddenly the turmoil that had engulfed the democrats no longer existed. Everyone in the party, except for Bobby Kennedy and those most loyal to him united behind the New President. 

For the next 5-years the Bobby Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson Feud intensified. Then in June 1968, for the second time, a Kennedy fell victim to an assassin’s bullet. Bobby Kennedy was shot and killed in the Kitchen of the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles. 

For the second time in 5-years President Lyndon Johnson found himself at the funeral of a Kennedy. I told you that history has a way of repeating itself, if you think about it the Republican Party of today is fractured much like the democrats were some 60 years ago.

2023 CANYONLANDS ADVENTURE - THE END OF THE TRAIL

 

DAY #15 – SUNDAY – JULY 16, 2023

MT. VERNON, IL - HOME

602 – MILES / 5,064 – TOTAL MILES

Because our group was scattered across three hotels, and John would have to load luggage at each stop, those of us had to bring out own luggage down when we boarded the bus.  Also, with this being the last day the luggage had to be loaded in a specific order so that it could be unloaded quickly when we started dropping folks off.

With us being scattered those of us at the Holiday Inn were the first to board the bus at 7 a.m. Then at 7:15 we picked up the Fairfield Inn group. Finally, at 7:30 we arrived at the Drury Inn to pick up the last group. Most were ready but as usual the same four were late.

Hoping to be on the road by 7:30, we pulled out onto Interstate 64 and headed east at 7:40 a.m. A few miles into the long mileage day we hit a traffic jam. For this entire trip this was the only traffic issue that we had.

I looked at the Traffic layer on Google Maps and it showed a backup of about 4-miles. I looked at the News Apps and found out that the reason for the back up was caused by a traffic crash and all east bound traffic was stopped so that a medical helicopter could land.

Finally, a little over an hour later, traffic began to move, and we made our way past the scene. The vehicle was destroyed, partly because of the crash, and partly because of what the rescue workers had to do to get the victim out of the car.

Once we were past the scene it was smooth sailing to Haubstadt, Indiana where we stopped at the Loves for our morning break. I grabbed a large cup of coffee and a snack. A little over 30 minutes later we were back on the road. An hour or so later we crossed the Ohio River and left Indiana and entered the Bluegrass State of Kentucky.

Being Sunday, traffic was light, and we zipped right through downtown Louisville and made our way toward Frankfort where we made our Lunch stop. We stopped at exit 53 on Interstate 64 and stopped at a shopping complex that had several fast-food restaurants nearby.

Once again, we scatter and did not crash one single restaurant. The majority of the back of the bus bunch chose to eat at the Steak’n’Shake. Others went to Taco Bell & Fazoli’s.  As usual it took us a full hour to complete our lunch stop.

It’s 2:30 p.m. when we leave Frankfort and continue our journey east on Interstate 64. A couple of hours later we crossed the Big Sandy River and moved into West Virginia.  Shortly after crossing into West Virginia, we stopped at the West Virginia Welcome Center for out afternoon break.

The break at the rest area took lest time than usual because there was no shopping. So, as quickly as everyone used the facilities we were back on the road. We quickly made our way through Charleston, passing the West Virginia State Capitol.

At Charleston, Interstates 77/64 are one interstate known as the West Virginia Turnpike. We headed south on the Turnpike and a little over an hour later we pulled off at the Bob Evans Restaurant in Beckley. He those that want to have supper can do so.

Beckley is where we begin to say goodbye to some of our traveling companions. Where many of our group are having supper at Bob Evans John take those that are leaving us to their nearby drop-off lot. We lose three couples here and while John is unloading their luggage, we exchange contact information and promise to keep in touch.

Bob Evans was ill prepared to handle the number of people who hit their dining room all at once. As a result, it was well over an hour before we were back on our way. The next stop was at the Old K-Mart lot in Bluefield where we lost a few more of our group left us.

From Bluefield it was on to Wytheville where a few more of our group left us.

Next stop was at the Sunshine Office in Dublin where My new friends Dan and Sallie left us. We exchanged contact information and said our goodbyes. Dan and Sallie, we are just two of several new friends that I have mad on this trip.

Finally, it was a short 30-minute drive from Dublin to the Park and Ride at Exit 118. It was here 15 days ago that I embarked on this magnificent adventure, and it is here that this adventure ends. As we pulled into the park and ride, I say my goodbyes to Miss Mary Ann and Miss Jenny and what was left of the Back of the Bus Bunch.

This adventure was full of wonderful sights that I will always remember. But what I will also remember are the wonder new friends the I have made on this wonderful Journey.

So, after 15-day and 5,064 mile, and a bunch a new friends again my 2023 Great Canyonlands Adventure has come to an end.

Now it is time to kick back, rest up and start planning my next great adventure.

2023 CANYONLANDS ADVENTURE - GOING TO THE TOP OF THE ARCH

 

DAY #14 – SATURDAY – JULY 15, 2023

TOPEKA, KS – MT. VERNON, IL

392 – MILES / 4,462 – TOTAL MILES

The Country Inn & Suites here in Topeka was a very nice hotel. The rooms were clean and the bed comfortable. Today was another early departure, and because our bus driver John was doing the job of baggage handler, we had to have them outside our room by 6 a.m. so that he could get everything loaded by our 7:30 a.m. departure time.

After having breakfast and making one final check of my room, I grabbed a cup of hotel coffee to take with me on the bus.  I boarded the bus at 7:20 and by 7:30 almost everyone was seated and ready to depart. I said almost everybody because the usual parties were late again. So, we waited, and we waited and we waited some more. At 7:40, Michelle tried calling the four missing travelers and no answer.

She then went to their rooms.  While she was doing that Dan and I got off the bus to make a stop at the restroom and grab another cup of coffee. When we go to the breakfast area, what do we find. Yep, our four missing travelers sitting at table finishing up breakfast like they didn’t have a care in the world.

Dan, and I went over to let them know that Michelle was looking for them and that everyone was on the bus waiting. The #1 complainer of the group acted surprised claiming that they were told we were scheduled for an 8 a.m. departure.  Dan and I both told them it was 7:30. To which she replied, “when did she change it.”

Just in time Michelle spotted us and came over and told them everyone was waiting, and they needed to board the bus “without further delay.”  Our #1 complainer said they thought it was an 8 a.m. departure. Michelle told her no it’s 7:30 and asked that they get onboard as soon as possible.

They said they had to go back to their rooms and get their carry-on bags and take care of some personal needs. So, the rest of us waited and waited.  Finally, they boarded, and we pull out of the hotel, 20- minutes late at 8 a.m.

Our #1 complainer, proclaimed to anyone and everyone who would listen that “if she is going to change the departure time, she needs to make sure everyone gets notified.” A couple of people told here that everyone else heard “7:30” and they didn’t know where they got 8 a.m.

Anyway, we pulled back onto Interstate 70-east and headed toward our first stop of the day in Kansas City. An hour and a half later we pulled into the Hallmark Greeting Card Visitors Center.  Since it was a weekend, a guided tour of the plant was not available, but a very nice lady who worked in the visitor’s center gave us an overview of the company and we were able to watch a brief film about the company’s History.

Hallmark Visitor's Center

It was here in Kansas City a young teenager from Nebraska named J. C. Hall, arrived in 1910 with two shoeboxes of cards under his arm. From that humble beginning, J. C. Hall founded the Hallmark Greeting Card Company, that is today the best known and most successful greeting card company in the world.

After our greeting and orientation, we were free to walk through the small but very nice museum that was filled with artifacts and exhibits from those early days right up until the 202s official White House Christmas Card.

Now, You would think that this being the Official Hallmark Visitor’s Center they would have a selection of greeting cards and other Hallmark Gifts for sale. Well, they don’t. Those in our group that wanted to make a purchase were directed to their retail store at a nearby mall. Needless to say, some in our group were disappointed. I wasn’t one of them.

After spending a little over an hour at Hallmark, we made out way back to the interstate and began our trek across the Show Me State of Missouri. We went right through downtown Kansas Center and a few Minutes later we pass the Harry S. Truman Sports Complex off to our right. This is the home of Arrowhead Stadium, where the Kansas City Chiefs Play and to Royal Stadium with the Kansas City Royals play baseball.

Some two hours later we stop in Columbia Missouri for our Lunch break.  There are several choices here and thankfully everyone goes in different directions.  Most of the choices are fast food, like McDonalds, Burger King, and Wendy’s. A couple of people chose the Cracker Barrel.

With Everyone going to different places, none of the restaurants were overwhelmed and service was generally pretty quick. Myself and a couple of the other back of the bus bunch chose Wendys. Lunch generally takes close to an hour and since our service at Wendy was quick, I still had about 30 minutes before I needed to be back on the bus. So, I walked across the street to the “Quick Trip” for a cup of coffee and a few afternoon snacks.

We departed Columbia and resumed our trip east toward our Next stop of the day in St. Louis. Two and a half hours later we made our way through downtown St. Louis passing historic Bellefontaine Cemetery off to our left before making our way up past Busch Stadium to the Old Courthouse. John Found a parking place nearby and we left the bus to begin our tour of Gateway Arch.

Now, I have visited the Arch several time over the years and been to the top of the Arch three different times. Today I decided rather than going to the top again I wanted to spend my time walking through the museum. But as I was walking through towards security, Miss Jenny, one of the back of the bus bunch came up and asked me if I would go to the top with her.

Early on in this adventure, it was well known that Miss Jenny was scared of heights. Earlier in this adventure during our visit to the Royal Gorge Bridge, I had convinced Miss Jenny to walk across the Bridge with me. Along the way we got closer and closer to the side of the bridge.

Going to the Top of the Arch

Finally with a death grip on my arm, Miss Jenny finally looked over the sides of the bridge at the Arkansas River some 950 feet below.  Several times during our walk across the bridge we peered over the side of the bridge together. 

After our walk across the bridge, I suggested that we ride the gondola across the canyon. At first, she was dead set against it and I didn’t push the issue. A little while later, Miss Jenny came up to me and said, “I’ll ride it, it you will ride it with me.”

So, away we went. The Gondola Ride was included in our ticket, and we quickly got in line. Thank goodness the line was short, and she didn’t have much of a chance to change her mind. With her having another death grip on my arm, we boarded the Gondola with a couple of others in our group and began our trip across the canyon.

Miss Jenny at the Top of the Arch

Miss Jenny never releases the grip on my arm as she kept saying over and over, “Oh my Goodness, this is amazing.” When we got to the other side, she was in tears just about, telling me, “I can believe I did that. Nobody back home will believe it.”

So, fast forward to today, here in St. Louis.  Miss Jenny wanted to go to the top but would only do it if I went with her. So, we got in line and crowded into the small 5-person pod with three others for the almost 4-minute ride to the top.

Once we get to the top and exit the pod, we walked up to the top of the viewing area at the very top of top of the arch where the small windows are that afford you magnificent views of St. Louis on one side and the Mississippi River on the other side.  

“Oh, My Goodness, I never Thought I would see anything like this. Wow amazing,” was all Miss Jenny could say as we moved from window to window. We even took pictures so she could prove to her friends back home in West Virginia that she actually went to “The Top of The Arch.”

Back on the ground, we only had a very few minutes before we had to be back on the bus. I made a quick walk through the gift shop, but the lines were long, and I have several souvenirs from past visits, so I didn’t get anything.

It was a little after 5:30 p.m. when we pulled back onto Interstate 70 and crossed the Mighty Mississippi into Illinois. By crossing the Mississippi River, I considered us officially back in the east. A few miles later we merged onto Interstate 64 and headed toward Mount Vernon Illinois which would be our home for the night.

View from the Top

At 6:30 p.m. we arrived at Exit 95 on Interstate 64 where we were scheduled to spend the Night at the Holiday Inn. It was here that we encountered a serious problem. Usually, when we pull up to the hotel, Michelle goes in and picks up the packet that contains our room assignments and key cards.

This time we waited, and we waited until John our driver went in to see what the hold-up was. And we continued to wait. Finally, after about 40 minutes, Michell and John returned to the bus to explain that due to a slip up somewhere along the way the Holiday Inn did NOT have enough rooms for our group.

Michelle went on to explain that she had called some nearby hotels and had secured enough room to accommodate our group. A few of us would stay at the Holiday Inn. Others in our group would be staying at the adjacent Fairfield Inn and the rest would be at a nearby Drury Inn.

I, along with Dan and Sally and two other couples would be spending the night at the Holiday Inn. The rest would be taken to the Fairfield Inn and Drury Inn. The Holiday Inn was nice enough but I kind of hoped that I would get the Drury just because of the Nightly “Kickback” dinner that is served for guests. Plus, the breakfast was as good as or better and nothing was going.

But I was at the Holiday Inn and ended up walking down to a nearby Cracker Barrell for Supper. After finishing supper, I walked back to my room, stopping along the way to pick up a few evening snacks.

Tonight is my last night on the road. If all goes well, tomorrow night I will be sleeping in my own bed. We are still more than 600-miles from home and there are no planned tour stops. According to our schedule I should be arriving back at the 118 Park and Ride somewhere around 10 p.m.

The Adventure continues, for one more day.

2023 CANYONLANDS ADVENTURE - CATHEDRAL ON THE PLAINS

 

DAY #13 – THURSDAY – JULY 14, 2023

DENVER, CO – TOPEKA, KA

527 – MILES / 4,070 – TOTAL MILES

The Doubletree Hotel here in Denver was nice enough. The room was clean and comfortable, and breakfast was very good. The only downside was most of the front desk employees, while professional, were somewhat aloof and unfriendly. The restaurant staff on the other hand were very friendly and accommodating.

Our tour guide Michelle changed things up on us this morning. We still had to have our bags out by 6:30 but we had to be on the bus ready to depart at 7:30 a.m. This was going to be a mileage day as our destination for the night would be Topeka, Kansas, which is over 500-miles to the east.

Surprisingly, everyone was on the bus ahead of schedule and we actually pulled out a minute or two early. As we pulled onto Interstate 70, we got one final look at the snow-capped peaks of the front range of the Rockies. 

Soon after leaving downtown Denver, we got a brief look at the unique terminal of the Denver International Airport off in the distance to our north. It’s not a very user-friendly airport. I have flown in and out of it a couple of times and it’s a long Uber/Lyft ride to anywhere. Definitely not my favorite airport. Thank goodness I don’t fly anymore.

It was an uneventful ride across Eastern Colorado and about two and a half hours after leaving the Hotel we made our morning rest stop at Love’s in Burlington, Colorado. It was windy and warm, with temperatures in the high 80’s. I used the opportunity to grab a couple of snacks and a large cup of coffee. By and large, I have found that Love’s has the best truck stop coffee.

After a the 30-minute break we continued our trek east. Just a couple of miles after leaving Burlington, Colorado, we crossed the state line and entered the State of Kansas. Eastern Colorado, and all of Kansas is mostly flat with miles and miles of corn and wheat fields. Every small town along the way had huge grain silos that were often the tallest structures in town.

The miles clicked off and by the time we Reached Ellis, Kansas it was time for Lunch. We stopped at another Love’s that had an attached Dairy Queen which was our only choice for lunch.  Everybody on the bus descended on the Dairy Queen all at once. There were only three people working, two up front and one in the back cooking.

Needless to say, they were not prepared to handle such a large influx of customers. They did the best that they could, but it was slow, and the usual complainers did more than their share of complaining.

I decided to grab a couple of Hot Dogs from the rollers in Loves along with a large fountain drink and a cup of coffee.  It seems that I spoke too soon about Love’s Coffee. This was one of the older Love’s and the coffee was still being served in the round glass pots. The coffee in these pots gets strong quick and this coffee was horrible. I ended up throwing it in the trash.

The Hot Dogs were about what you would expect from a Gas Station hot dog. Nothing to write home about but they beat nothing.

It took a full hour for everyone to get lunch and get back on the bus. From The Love’s it was just a short 30-minute ride to our only tour stop of the day. The Cathedral on the Plains in Victoria Kansas.

In 1990, My mom and Stepdad left a little MG Convertible in California when they moved back to the east. I flew out to San Jose and spent over three weeks driving it back across country. It was a great trip. During that trip I traveled this same route from Denver across Kansas. Back in 1990, I made a quick stop at the Cathedral on the Plains.

During that trip it was not open for tours, and I was only able to walk around outside.  Today we were going to get a guided tour.

The Cathedral of the Plains is officially known as Saint Fidelis Catholic Church. It was dedicated in 1911 and the main sanctuary will seat about 1,100 people. The church is 220 feet long and 110 feet wide with twin towers that are 141 feet tall. At the time it was the largest church west of the Mississippi River.

The Church was built between 1908 and 1911. According to the church history, each member of the church who was 12 or older was asked to give $45, and haul six wagon loads of Fencepost Limestone and four loads of sand each year until the church was completed. Some families brought as many as 70 to 80 wagonloads of stone. The nickname The Cathedral of the Plains was bestowed upon the structure by former presidential candidate William Jennings Bryan after he visited the town in 1912. Its 48 historic stained-glass windows were installed in 1916, by Munich Studios in Chicago, at a cost of $3,700, and are now valued at more than $1 million. The church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971.

Our guided tour of the Cathedral of the Plains Lasted a little more than an hour. It was conducted by an officer and church member who did an excellent job. It was an interesting tour to say the least. After the tour we had a few minutes to walk around the and explore the grounds of the church.

After completing our visit to the Cathedral of the Plains, it was back to Interstate 70 and the longest segment of today’s journey. We pulled back onto Interstate 70 right at 4 p.m. and according to the GPS on my phone we were still almost 200-miles away from our Hotel in Topeka.

It took us almost 3 and a half hours to make the 200-mile drive to the Country Inn & Suites in Topeka, Kansas. Michelle got our Keys and unlike most night, I was one of the first names called and was on the way to my room.

Once settled in my room, I walked about a quarter of a mile down the street to the Culvers Restaurant. It’s your typical fast-food restaurant and again was nothing to write home about. On the way back to the room I stopped at a convenience store and got a few snacks and a couple of drinks.

I don’t know what it is but today seemed long and tiring. I guess almost two weeks on the road is beginning to take its toll. When I am traveling on my own If I start feeling like this, I can stop and spend an extra day in town taking in the sights and basically just take an easy day to reset. Today we crossed the 4,000-mile mark in the amazing adventure. Our stay here in Topeka will be our next to last night on the and are still well over 1,000 miles from home. That means tomorrow and the next day will be a pair of 500-mile days.

The adventure continues but as I sit here in Topeka, the end is near.

2023 CANYONLANDS ADVENTURE - ROCKY MOUNTAIN HIGH

 

DAY #12 – THURSDAY – JULY 13, 2023

MOAB, UT – DENVER, CO

326 – MILES / 3,543 – TOTAL MILES

 

This is Day #12 of my great Canyonlands Adventure, and my day begins in Moab, Utah. The Fairfield Inn here in Moab was very nice and comfortable. We had to have our bags out at 6:30 with an 8 a.m. scheduled departure. I was up by 6 and after putting my bags out, I went down and grabbed a cup of coffee in the lobby. Breakfast doesn’t start until 7 a.m. so I decided to take a morning walk.

The morning sun made the scenery look fresh and beautiful. I must say that I have enjoy these morning walks. Enjoying the beauty of my surrounding is a wonderful way to start the Day.  I am glad that I got cortisone shots in both of my knees before I left. Without them, walking and hiking on this trip would have been very difficult.

It took me about 45-minutes to wake 2-miles, according to my Fitbit. I arrived back at the Hotel about 7:15 and enjoyed breakfast with Dan and Sallie.  After breakfast and one final check of my room I boarded the bus at 7:50 a.m. Surprisingly, everyone was on time, and we pulled out right at 8 a.m.

Today, we are making the Big Turn and start our trip back to the east. Rather than heading directly back to Interstate 70, we take are taking Utah Route 128 which runs along the banks of the Colorado River. This is a very scenic drive and a highly used recreation area.  There are campgrounds all along the river. Some are primitive, while others are for tents only and there are even some that can accommodate large motorhomes with full hookups.

Along the 50-mile route we saw a lot of rafters using the river and even a few climbers on the steep cliffs that border the river. This is an amazing drive filled with beautiful scenery at every turn.

It took us a little over an hour to make the 50-mile drive from Moab to Interstate 70 near Crescent Junction, Utah. Once we are back on Interstate 70, it’s another 60-miles or so to the Colorado Line. The scenery along this section of Interstate 70 is remarkable and I spent my last few miles in Utah snapping photos out the bus window.  I am told that once we hit Colorado, the scenery along the interstate is even more amazing.

A little over two hours after leaving Moab we make our first rest stop of the day at the Love’s Travel Center in Grand Junction Colorado. I think our tour guide has given up on quick rest stops. When we first started this trip, she tried giving us 15 minutes which never worked because of the lines at the bathrooms. So, most of the stops are now 30 minutes and most people (yes, we still have the usual stragglers) are back on the bus and ready to go at the announced time.

Leaving Grand Junction, we follow the Colorado River to Gypsum Colorado. The Scenery is truly amazing, as the river and the Interstate winds through Glenwood Canyon. He the Westbound lanes of the interstate are on a raised viaduct. This was done to protect the beauty of the canyon and allow the rover to follow its natural path.  This was truly an engineering marvel.

As we traveled east through Glenwood Canyon, I noticed on several occasions that the rafter on the river would take the opportunity to drop their drawers and moon us.  This is also a popular activity for rafters when Amtrak’s California Zephyr passes through the Canyon.

Once we leave the Colorado River in Gypsum, we begin our climb up the western face of the Rocky Mountains. Once again (I know you are tired of hearing this) the scenery is spectacular. I am totally amazed and really want to come back to this area an spend a lot more time.

At 12:30 p.m. we arrive in the mountain resort of Vail.  As we pull into the Vale Transportation Center, Michelle announces that we have two hours for shopping and lunch. We should be back on the bus, and ready to go by 2:30 p.m.

I am not really into shopping, so I se about exploring the town. The first thing I notice is that there are a lot of things here named “Ford” in honor of President Gerald Ford who had a home here.  President Ford loved to com here to ski and would split his time between Vail and his home in Palm Springs.

In his later years, President Ford was unable to ski and was less active, so hie sold his home here and resided full time in Palm Spring.

Vale no doubt caters to the rich and that is reflected in the price of just about everything. It didn’t take me long to figure out, this place was well above my pay grade. I looked at some of the homes for sale in the window of a local real estate company and the lowest priced home was a little of 1,400 square feet. The listed price was $1.4 million. The highest priced one was $15.7 million.  There were a couple listed with “Call for Information.” I shudder to think what they would cost.

 A few of my traveling companions decided that we would take a gondola ride to the top of Vail
Mountain. The ride up to took about 20 minutes and when we topped out, we were close to 10,000-feet above sea level. The views were great.

 I asked one of the Gondola attendants where was a good place to eat. He asks what I was interested in and I said something Cheap. He looked at me and chuckled, “Friend, this is Vail, there is nothing cheap here.” I settled for an 8” sub from the local deli. The sub, Bag of chips and a Drink set me back $23.89. He was right there is nothing cheap in Vail.

I enjoy the gondola ride and my walk around Vale. It was interesting to see “how the other half lives.” Most of the people who work in the shops and cafés were very nice, however some of the “resident guest” had inflated ego’s and were border line rude.

At 2:25 p.m. John arrived with the bus and most of use were onboard at 2:30 p.m. But you guessed it, the same 4 people were late and nowhere in sight. We waited and we waited some more. Michelle tried calling them on their cell phones but no answer. Several people in our group jokingly told Michell just to leave them. I’m not so sure they were joking.

Finally, at 2:45 p.m. the four stragglers showed up. They were unapologetic and obvious to anything going on around them.

Leaving Vale, we continued to Climb the western slope of the Rockies toward the Continental Divide. About an hour later we arrived at the Eisenhower Tunnel. The Eisenhower Tunnel is just a little over a mile and a half in length and is the highest point along the Interstate Highway System, with an elevation of 11,158 feet. 

After passing through the Eisenhower Tunnel, it all downhill as we make our way toward Denver. We make our way down the Front Range of the Rockies and about 90 minutes later we arrive at the Double Tree – Central Denver which will be our accommodations for the Night.

On the way into Denver, we Pass Coors’ Field, which is home to the Colorado Rockies Baseball Team. After arriving at the Double Tree, it took Michelle an abnormal amount of time to secure our room Keys.  Usually it takes her about 10-minutes, but here it was close to 30-minutes before she arrived back on the bus and began distributing out keys.

Once I go my Key and was settled in my room, I checked the Trip Advisor and Yelp apps on my phone to see if there were any restaurants nearby.  There was nothing within walking distance so I along with several other members or our group decided to have supper in the Hotel Restaurant.

Like most hotel restaurants the prices are greatly inflated, I had the fish and chips, with a non-acholic drink. With tip it set me back $24.56.

After supper, I decided to take a walk round the Hotel, but soon after leaving the building I had Second thoughts. Several suspicious people were loitering across the street from the Hotel and just up the street a few homeless people had set up tents. I chose to turn around and return to my room.

Today was another good day, I really enjoyed the drive across Route 128 and Interstate 70. The stop in Vale was nice but expensive. Tomorrow will be all about miles has we head east across the flat plains of Kansas.