I've stopped putting dates in the titles because the trip ended on October 5th. Anything written further relates to details following the trip or reflections.
Returning the rental car was an adventure in and of itself...
Unpacking the Car
I reserved the car until 9pm on October 6th. The first step today was emptying the car of all the junk I brought. I brought far too many clothes. I brought so many that had I not washed any clothes since I returned, I would still have plenty of clean clothes right now....just counting what I brought along. I always tend to bring too much with me. But, when I left for this trip I didn't know what I'd need and how long I'd be gone. So, I wanted to be prepared. On the next trip, I'll know enough not to take that much with me.
When I would swap cars during the trip, it took at least an hour to move everything to the next car. In this case, I had taken a number of things into the house the night before. It STILL took an hour to empty the car.
The Oil Change Saga
In my October 3rd report, I noted that the oil change was important. It was not just a minor detail. Apart from that oil change, I had three others. The contract required an oil change every 3,000 miles. They preferred that the customer simply swap out the vehicle at an Avis location so Avis could do the oil change.
The first was in North Dakota. The car could not be swapped in North or South Dakota because there are only Avis franchisees in those states. They cannot take a corporate-owned car. I had to get the oil changed and just turn in a receipt.
The next was in the Idaho Panhandle. After the deer incident, I had been given the only corporate car available at a franchise in Montana. They forgot to change the oil. I only found this out after I had driven about 200 miles west of the office. So, I had to get a quick oil change since I would be putting hundreds more miles on the car that evening, heading to central Washington.
The third was in Wichita, KS. They have a corporate owned Avis office, but I was told they could not guarantee a comparable car for me if I swapped it. They were unable to do an oil change at the office until a few days after I called.
The fourth, as noted, was done on October 3rd in West Virginia. I only had a few days left and didn't have the time to deal with swapping a car. I also would likely have to go out of the way to Charleston to do a swap.
Final Mileage for Overall Trip: 14,858
Arriving at the rental car location, I got the final mileage for all the time spent in a rental car: 14,858. That's amazing. The largest amount of miles I drove on any previous single trip was 5,500 when I flew to the Midwest last year and visited a little over a dozen states.
Returning the Car
When I returned the car, the clerk who handled returns was quite cold when he saw the damage to the car. (I probably didn't write about this in the blog. On the fourth car, someone backed into me, while I was in the car. The car was raised up for a few seconds.) He coldly informed me that I had to go into the office and provide an accident report. He stated that I would be charged for this if I didn't fill out a report, etc. I already had the report written.
But I went to the office for other reasons. With oil change receipts totalling $141, I wanted reimbursement as promised by the office.
SLOW Photocopying
I asked the clerk to provide me with a photocopy of the accident report and then a copy of the oil change receipts. That was a BIG MISTAKE. Something told me I should have made my own copies rather than relying on them. They apparently have an "ancient copy machine" and it took a half hour to make five copies!
Reimbursement for the Oil Changes and a Blank Stare
They were shocked at the oil change receipts. The clerk asked me why I didn't just swap the car. I tried to explain the issues of franchisees, the vastness of the West (there are no Avis offices for hundreds of miles sometimes, and sometimes they don't have sedans available to swap out), etc. I just got a blank stare.
Priceless Question
Then she said the most priceless thing "Did you ever think of calling roadside assistance?" You cannot call roadside assistance to change your oil! If you lock your keys in the car, yes, you would call them. If you need a tow, then you'd call them. But they are NOT going to do an oil change on the side of the road or in a parking lot somewhere! I told her that I was advised by this office to get the oil changed and bring in a receipt.
Wasting Lots of Time
Both clerks at the desk conferred for quite a long time, wasting my time and that of the individual who was waiting to drive me home. Finally, one of them decided to call in a manager. She first told the manager that I had several receipts for "repairs" on the vehicle. I interrupted her and said they were oil changes, not repairs. Then she told the manager that I had a car with a broken windshield. That was the previous vehicle and that one had been dropped off in Idaho in August! I interrupted her and explained that.
The Efficient Manager
The manager quickly came in. I started explaining to him the reasons for my oil changes. He reassured me that they would take them off the final bill. He added them up and then printed out a new copy with the $141 taken off. They should have called the manager in sooner.
Overall Review of the Event
This took over an hour of haggling. When the manager came, I was getting prepared for an argument. But, at least he had some sense. I still cannot believe that the first clerk thought an oil change could be dealt with by roadside assistance!
The blank stares I got when I explained the vast emptiness of the west and more importantly, the franchise issue (related to their own business), was king of annoying for a business that deals in travel. I'm sure I was one of the most complicated situations they've had, doing a mini-lease plus a few extra days. Of course, I also had four different cars, three of which sustained damage that was out of my control. Thankfully, I purchased the liability damage waiver.
But the clerks really ought to be familiar with company policy regarding oil changes and mini-leases. One of the clerks I dealt with (the one who said I had "repairs" done) was one of the ones who advised me to just bring in a receipt for oil change #2.
So, the big question is this....would I rent from Avis again, considering my experience? I was not happy with aspects of the experience (particularly the time it took to return the vehicle), but I probably would. Their price seems to be lower than some of the other agencies. They did provide adequate service. However, if Alamo came in with a lower price, I'd likely go with them. I've been equally satisfied when renting from that agency.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Wisconsin Photos Complete
My visit to Wisconsin was at the beginning of this trip (7/30 - 8/2/2008). In the midst of traveling, not all of the photos were loaded. They are finally complete. New photos are mostly from August 1st and 2nd at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in La Crosse. See the photos.
On August 1st, I was finally able to meet Archbishop Burke. He is now in Rome, serving as the Chief Justice of the Vatican Supreme Court.
On August 1st, I was finally able to meet Archbishop Burke. He is now in Rome, serving as the Chief Justice of the Vatican Supreme Court.
October 5, 2008 - Lancaster's Amish Areas and the Long Drive Home
This would be my last day traveling. I went to Mass at St. John Neumann Church in Lancaster, PA. This was close to the hotel and that eliminated the worries of not finding it in time as has happened with other churches.
The Amish Areas
After church, I tried to find the Amish areas. These are also known as Pennsylvania Dutch. Last night I found a brochure for the Dutch Village which boasted of lots of nice food and other attractions. With limited time, it seemed like a good place to get an all-around feel for things. I plugged the address in he GPS. When I arrived, it was just a modern shopping area. I saw a sign pointing down a side road to an "Amish Village." Perhaps this was it? When I got there, it was a place where you could tour a mock Amish Village and have lunch later. I really didn't feel like going on a tour today.
I parked and looked through my other brochures. I found a restaurant in a town called "Bird-in-hand." That sounded interesting, even for the name alone (sort of like Fifty Six, Arkansas). I plugged that into the GPS.
As I drove along, I encountered the "Dutch Village" that I originally wanted to see. This is a set of restaurants, gift shops, furniture shops, etc. along a particular road. I stopped at a restaurant called "Jakey's Amish Barbecue." It seemed like the only restaurant around (I later found there were others) so I went there. Primarily, it was a place where you could get burgers and hot dogs. But, it had some genuine Amish dishes. I ordered Bot Boi which was a stew. It was nice. I then had shoo-fly pie, which is a traditional Pennsylvania Dutch desert. It was delicious.
After leaving Jakey's Amish Barbecue, I drove back through the Dutch Village. I found that I missed a better opportunity. There was a larger Amish restaurant with a buffet. That would have been better for the purpose of sampling different things.
I stopped in and picked up some fudge and rolls. Both tasted really well over the next few days.
I saw the horses and buggies. In one case, a teenager dressed in modern clothes was at a gas station and "parked" his horse and buggy while going in to get a sandwich. This seemed like the oddest sight. He sat outside the buggy and slowly ate his sandwich. This seemed so strange. If the horse and buggy were gone, this teenager would look like an average teen in any location. The Amish typically dress a certain way so this seemed like a real curiosity.
After driving around a bit further, I was definitely ready to get home. It would be a five or six hour drive, depending on which route I took.
The Long Drive Home
The shortest route would involve I-78 and I-287. I did not feel like driving close to NYC, especially on a Sunday, when the roads might be crowded as people might be driving home from a nice weekend, preparing for the work week.
I plugged Binghamton into the GPS. I was taken on a number of local roads and the GPS often seemed to "lose" me by showing the vehicle traveling off roads. It constantly had to recalculate. The mountains here were nothing like the Ozarks!
Finally, it got me to an interstate....and my heart sank. It brought me to I-476. I drove I-476 in October of 2007 when I visited a handful of states like PA, VA, MD, KY, WV, etc. The road often had traffic jams, went through tunnels, etc. But most annoying of all, it's a toll road.
In looking at the map on the GPS, I decided not to go all the way to Binghamton, adding an extra hour to my trip, just to avoid tolls. At a rest area, I adjusted the GPS to point to my home address. I got off at an exit for I-80 and then took it to I-380.
At I-380, I missed the exit I was supposed to use and had to take the next one. I was so glad it was still daylight. There were deer everywhere. They were feeding on lawns and just looked up at me as I drove by. In one case, two deer walked right up to the front door of a house as I went by. This was a long road full of twists and turns, mostly going through forest areas. Finally, I got to I-84.
The rest of the ride was mostly uneventful. While there was still daylight, the views of the leaves changing along I-84 were very nice. By the time I got to the Thruway, it was dark so I didn't see much in terms of foliage.
After all this time, it was kind of odd to see such familiar road signs and to think about the fact that I was only a short distance from home. At one point I was over 3,000 miles away (48 hours of driving time) near Neah Bay, Washington state. But, I didn't spend a lot of time thinking about these things. I just wanted to get home and not have to worry about driving for hours the next day.
I finally arrived home around 9:30 or so. This was the end of a very long trip. I determined that I had been away for 71 days. I was gone for two whole months (August and September) and parts of two more (July and October). This was the longest trip I've ever taken.
I was absolutely exhausted. I still had to turn in the rental car the next day. Unlike any previous trip, I did not have to go to work the next day. I had paid consulting projects waiting for me but I needed to wait a day before immediately starting them.
More To Come
Stay tuned to this blog as turing in the rental car was an adventure all in itself. I'll have an entry all about that. I will also have some concluding posts now that I have had a few days to think about my adventures.
The Amish Areas
After church, I tried to find the Amish areas. These are also known as Pennsylvania Dutch. Last night I found a brochure for the Dutch Village which boasted of lots of nice food and other attractions. With limited time, it seemed like a good place to get an all-around feel for things. I plugged the address in he GPS. When I arrived, it was just a modern shopping area. I saw a sign pointing down a side road to an "Amish Village." Perhaps this was it? When I got there, it was a place where you could tour a mock Amish Village and have lunch later. I really didn't feel like going on a tour today.
I parked and looked through my other brochures. I found a restaurant in a town called "Bird-in-hand." That sounded interesting, even for the name alone (sort of like Fifty Six, Arkansas). I plugged that into the GPS.
As I drove along, I encountered the "Dutch Village" that I originally wanted to see. This is a set of restaurants, gift shops, furniture shops, etc. along a particular road. I stopped at a restaurant called "Jakey's Amish Barbecue." It seemed like the only restaurant around (I later found there were others) so I went there. Primarily, it was a place where you could get burgers and hot dogs. But, it had some genuine Amish dishes. I ordered Bot Boi which was a stew. It was nice. I then had shoo-fly pie, which is a traditional Pennsylvania Dutch desert. It was delicious.
After leaving Jakey's Amish Barbecue, I drove back through the Dutch Village. I found that I missed a better opportunity. There was a larger Amish restaurant with a buffet. That would have been better for the purpose of sampling different things.
I stopped in and picked up some fudge and rolls. Both tasted really well over the next few days.
I saw the horses and buggies. In one case, a teenager dressed in modern clothes was at a gas station and "parked" his horse and buggy while going in to get a sandwich. This seemed like the oddest sight. He sat outside the buggy and slowly ate his sandwich. This seemed so strange. If the horse and buggy were gone, this teenager would look like an average teen in any location. The Amish typically dress a certain way so this seemed like a real curiosity.
After driving around a bit further, I was definitely ready to get home. It would be a five or six hour drive, depending on which route I took.
The Long Drive Home
The shortest route would involve I-78 and I-287. I did not feel like driving close to NYC, especially on a Sunday, when the roads might be crowded as people might be driving home from a nice weekend, preparing for the work week.
I plugged Binghamton into the GPS. I was taken on a number of local roads and the GPS often seemed to "lose" me by showing the vehicle traveling off roads. It constantly had to recalculate. The mountains here were nothing like the Ozarks!
Finally, it got me to an interstate....and my heart sank. It brought me to I-476. I drove I-476 in October of 2007 when I visited a handful of states like PA, VA, MD, KY, WV, etc. The road often had traffic jams, went through tunnels, etc. But most annoying of all, it's a toll road.
In looking at the map on the GPS, I decided not to go all the way to Binghamton, adding an extra hour to my trip, just to avoid tolls. At a rest area, I adjusted the GPS to point to my home address. I got off at an exit for I-80 and then took it to I-380.
At I-380, I missed the exit I was supposed to use and had to take the next one. I was so glad it was still daylight. There were deer everywhere. They were feeding on lawns and just looked up at me as I drove by. In one case, two deer walked right up to the front door of a house as I went by. This was a long road full of twists and turns, mostly going through forest areas. Finally, I got to I-84.
The rest of the ride was mostly uneventful. While there was still daylight, the views of the leaves changing along I-84 were very nice. By the time I got to the Thruway, it was dark so I didn't see much in terms of foliage.
After all this time, it was kind of odd to see such familiar road signs and to think about the fact that I was only a short distance from home. At one point I was over 3,000 miles away (48 hours of driving time) near Neah Bay, Washington state. But, I didn't spend a lot of time thinking about these things. I just wanted to get home and not have to worry about driving for hours the next day.
I finally arrived home around 9:30 or so. This was the end of a very long trip. I determined that I had been away for 71 days. I was gone for two whole months (August and September) and parts of two more (July and October). This was the longest trip I've ever taken.
I was absolutely exhausted. I still had to turn in the rental car the next day. Unlike any previous trip, I did not have to go to work the next day. I had paid consulting projects waiting for me but I needed to wait a day before immediately starting them.
More To Come
Stay tuned to this blog as turing in the rental car was an adventure all in itself. I'll have an entry all about that. I will also have some concluding posts now that I have had a few days to think about my adventures.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
October 4, 2008 - A True Coast-to-Coast Trip
This evening would be my last evening away from home. I would be in five states in one day. The events of today would also cause this to be a true coast-to-coast trip.
The Drive to Delaware
I left Martinsburg, WV, headed for a coastal city in Delaware. I plugged Lewes, DE into my GPS. This is not at the southern border of DE but is on the coast. This would be about three to four hours away.
Until this day, I have not been to Delaware yet. It has been a bit annoying as it is so close to my home (compared to places like Idaho, Oregon, Nevada, etc.) yet it always seems to be out of reach in these trips. Even in this trip, I was questioning whether I would really have time to go as far east as Delaware.
Having already been to the Pacific Ocean in mid-August, I really wanted to squeeze in a visit to the Atlantic Ocean before the trip ended. This would make it a true coast-to-coast trip.
However, I also wanted to see Assateague Island which is in Maryland. There are wild horses that roam this island. Wild horses are expected out west (and I saw some in North Dakota's Badlands), but not on the East Coast.
The GPS had some problems. It started taking me down local roads when it was obvious I needed to go down a nearby highway. Finally, I just turned there and let the GPS pick up the route from there. It added about twenty minutes to the arrival time. I only had half a tank of gas. This really concerned me as there did not seem to be a lot of exits on the highway.
View Larger Map
Charles Town, WV
I passed through a place called Charles Town, WV. This seemed almost silly considering the fact that the capital city of WV is Charleston. Wouldn't Charles Town and Charleston be ripe for confusion?
As I drove further, there were many beautiful sites. I went over bridges and saw people whitewater rafting below. It was an absolutely beautiful day.
View Larger Map
Virginia Was Not a State I Planned to Include on This Trip
As I drove along further, I noticed a sign that said "Welcome to Virginia." I was a little astonished. I had not planned to visit Virginia on this trip and really did not expect my route would bring me that close. Only a few minutes later, I saw a sign that welcomed me to Maryland. So, I never got out of the car when I was in Virginia. Do I count this as one of the states I visited on this trip or not? I decided to count it. Still, like Oklahoma and Illinois (and maybe even Mississippi), it was just a token visit. In any event, I've been to Virginia on previous trips with actual destinations (several presidential homes are in Virginia).
My path took me through US 301/US 50, on a long bridge near Annapolis. The views were absolutely beautiful. I was so happy to be this close to the ocean. This was a toll bridge and drivers were required to stay in the same lane. (On the much longer Mackinac Bridge in Michigan, drivers were not restricted to the lane where they started.)
I Finally Entered Delaware
Finally, I saw the sign welcoming me to Delaware. It was a great feeling to have finally made a visit to DE. I have now visited 45 U.S. states in my life. DE is the 29th state on this trip.
At a certain point, I decided I ought to see Assateague Island first and then work my way back up. This is past Delaware's southern border with Maryland. I plugged that into my GPS.
There are a number of farm areas in Delaware. I almost thought I was back in the Midwest. It was interesting to see. I expected that with a state this small, it would consist of a lot of cities.
Assateague Island
Finally, I crossed into Maryland again. There was a short bridge to Assateague Island. Seeing this bridge, I wondered how the wild horses were kept off the bridge. Once I got there, I found the answer. The forest areas of the island are surrounded by an electric fence. In my opinion, this is nothing like the West where the horses can just roam free and undisturbed. Yes, they may be wild in that they eat their own food, but they are basically in what amounts to a large pen.
I never saw any horses, though I did see signs warning people not to feed the horses.
I spent some time on the beach. It was great to see the Atlantic Ocean. Officially, it was now a coast-to-coast trip. At least one person was actually swimming. Someone else was water skiing on a glider. The water was a bit cool, but warmer on October 4th than it was along the beaches of Washington and Oregon in mid-August. On the West Coast, it was absolutely freezing at that time. I waded in the water a bit but did not actually swim. See the other photos.
I wanted to stay here longer. But, I also wanted to actually do something in Delaware rather than just drive through it. So, I decided to head up to Rehoboth Beach. That was near the MD/DE border but most importantly, it was in DE. It was about 45 minutes away.
Ocean City, MD
I passed through Ocean City, MD. This is a resort area with all sorts of activities including restaurants, amusement park rides, etc. There were people everywhere. Parking areas were available but each one cost money. Besides, I didn't have time to stop as I wanted to get to DE. Finally, I saw a sign welcoming me to DE. It indicated that DE was the "home of tax free shopping." That's nice. I remember Montana also did not have sales tax.
Expensive Parking
There were a few public beaches. However, it cost $8 to park there! I was not going to spend $8 for probably only fifteen or twenty minutes. I began to think that perhaps my trip to Assateague Island would be my only visit to the Atlantic Ocean on this trip.
I noticed some neighborhoods that were along the beach. When I visited the southern states last spring, I remember being able to park along the road in neighborhoods in western Florida. I looked around. At first, I didn't find anything. There was a stop sign at every cross road. When there is a stop sign, one must stop. I had a very angry person behind me who kept raising his hand every time I stopped. He tried to go around me but there wasn't room. I pointed to each stop sign and he seemed very angry. Finally, I gave up and got back to the main road. I almost thought he was going to follow me and perhaps ram my car. But thankfully, he drove further in the neighborhood.
A Free Beach in Delaware
I tried another neighborhood and found a public parking area. Permits were required from May to September. I got to the beach and found the water was actually warmer than it was at Assateague Island. Of course, Assateague Island was further south, so this was surprising. I wish I had found this spot sooner and I wish I had been prepared to swim. It was definitely warm enough for swimming. I spent some time here and then had to leave as I had a three hour drive to my hotel in Lancaster, PA. See the photos.
I drove north through Delaware's Route 1. As I got to the northern part of the state, it became a highway with toll charges. Every so often there would be a toll booth with a $2 fee.
View Larger Map
Cheap Gas
Gas in DE was the cheapest I've seen on the whole trip. I purchased gas as low as $3.21. But, after filling up I found one for $3.17.
The Last Evening
I finally got into Lancaster, PA. There was a bar inside the hotel where I stayed. The clerk seemed to slur her words quite a bit. She could have been overly tired. She may have had a cold. Or, she may have just been drunk from the bar....
My final hotel room for the trip was very large. There was plenty of space to work on the computer for a little while. But I also wanted to get some sleep as I had a LONG drive ahead of me the next day....
Lancaster, PA is an Amish area. The next day would primarily be focused on driving home. However, stay tuned for the next blog entry as there will still be more sightseeing reports. There will also be more postings following that which contain my concluding thoughts for the overall trip.
The Drive to Delaware
I left Martinsburg, WV, headed for a coastal city in Delaware. I plugged Lewes, DE into my GPS. This is not at the southern border of DE but is on the coast. This would be about three to four hours away.
Until this day, I have not been to Delaware yet. It has been a bit annoying as it is so close to my home (compared to places like Idaho, Oregon, Nevada, etc.) yet it always seems to be out of reach in these trips. Even in this trip, I was questioning whether I would really have time to go as far east as Delaware.
Having already been to the Pacific Ocean in mid-August, I really wanted to squeeze in a visit to the Atlantic Ocean before the trip ended. This would make it a true coast-to-coast trip.
However, I also wanted to see Assateague Island which is in Maryland. There are wild horses that roam this island. Wild horses are expected out west (and I saw some in North Dakota's Badlands), but not on the East Coast.
The GPS had some problems. It started taking me down local roads when it was obvious I needed to go down a nearby highway. Finally, I just turned there and let the GPS pick up the route from there. It added about twenty minutes to the arrival time. I only had half a tank of gas. This really concerned me as there did not seem to be a lot of exits on the highway.
View Larger Map
Charles Town, WV
I passed through a place called Charles Town, WV. This seemed almost silly considering the fact that the capital city of WV is Charleston. Wouldn't Charles Town and Charleston be ripe for confusion?
As I drove further, there were many beautiful sites. I went over bridges and saw people whitewater rafting below. It was an absolutely beautiful day.
View Larger Map
Virginia Was Not a State I Planned to Include on This Trip
As I drove along further, I noticed a sign that said "Welcome to Virginia." I was a little astonished. I had not planned to visit Virginia on this trip and really did not expect my route would bring me that close. Only a few minutes later, I saw a sign that welcomed me to Maryland. So, I never got out of the car when I was in Virginia. Do I count this as one of the states I visited on this trip or not? I decided to count it. Still, like Oklahoma and Illinois (and maybe even Mississippi), it was just a token visit. In any event, I've been to Virginia on previous trips with actual destinations (several presidential homes are in Virginia).
My path took me through US 301/US 50, on a long bridge near Annapolis. The views were absolutely beautiful. I was so happy to be this close to the ocean. This was a toll bridge and drivers were required to stay in the same lane. (On the much longer Mackinac Bridge in Michigan, drivers were not restricted to the lane where they started.)
I Finally Entered Delaware
Finally, I saw the sign welcoming me to Delaware. It was a great feeling to have finally made a visit to DE. I have now visited 45 U.S. states in my life. DE is the 29th state on this trip.
At a certain point, I decided I ought to see Assateague Island first and then work my way back up. This is past Delaware's southern border with Maryland. I plugged that into my GPS.
There are a number of farm areas in Delaware. I almost thought I was back in the Midwest. It was interesting to see. I expected that with a state this small, it would consist of a lot of cities.
Assateague Island
Finally, I crossed into Maryland again. There was a short bridge to Assateague Island. Seeing this bridge, I wondered how the wild horses were kept off the bridge. Once I got there, I found the answer. The forest areas of the island are surrounded by an electric fence. In my opinion, this is nothing like the West where the horses can just roam free and undisturbed. Yes, they may be wild in that they eat their own food, but they are basically in what amounts to a large pen.
I never saw any horses, though I did see signs warning people not to feed the horses.
I spent some time on the beach. It was great to see the Atlantic Ocean. Officially, it was now a coast-to-coast trip. At least one person was actually swimming. Someone else was water skiing on a glider. The water was a bit cool, but warmer on October 4th than it was along the beaches of Washington and Oregon in mid-August. On the West Coast, it was absolutely freezing at that time. I waded in the water a bit but did not actually swim. See the other photos.
I wanted to stay here longer. But, I also wanted to actually do something in Delaware rather than just drive through it. So, I decided to head up to Rehoboth Beach. That was near the MD/DE border but most importantly, it was in DE. It was about 45 minutes away.
Ocean City, MD
I passed through Ocean City, MD. This is a resort area with all sorts of activities including restaurants, amusement park rides, etc. There were people everywhere. Parking areas were available but each one cost money. Besides, I didn't have time to stop as I wanted to get to DE. Finally, I saw a sign welcoming me to DE. It indicated that DE was the "home of tax free shopping." That's nice. I remember Montana also did not have sales tax.
Expensive Parking
There were a few public beaches. However, it cost $8 to park there! I was not going to spend $8 for probably only fifteen or twenty minutes. I began to think that perhaps my trip to Assateague Island would be my only visit to the Atlantic Ocean on this trip.
I noticed some neighborhoods that were along the beach. When I visited the southern states last spring, I remember being able to park along the road in neighborhoods in western Florida. I looked around. At first, I didn't find anything. There was a stop sign at every cross road. When there is a stop sign, one must stop. I had a very angry person behind me who kept raising his hand every time I stopped. He tried to go around me but there wasn't room. I pointed to each stop sign and he seemed very angry. Finally, I gave up and got back to the main road. I almost thought he was going to follow me and perhaps ram my car. But thankfully, he drove further in the neighborhood.
A Free Beach in Delaware
I tried another neighborhood and found a public parking area. Permits were required from May to September. I got to the beach and found the water was actually warmer than it was at Assateague Island. Of course, Assateague Island was further south, so this was surprising. I wish I had found this spot sooner and I wish I had been prepared to swim. It was definitely warm enough for swimming. I spent some time here and then had to leave as I had a three hour drive to my hotel in Lancaster, PA. See the photos.
I drove north through Delaware's Route 1. As I got to the northern part of the state, it became a highway with toll charges. Every so often there would be a toll booth with a $2 fee.
View Larger Map
Cheap Gas
Gas in DE was the cheapest I've seen on the whole trip. I purchased gas as low as $3.21. But, after filling up I found one for $3.17.
The Last Evening
I finally got into Lancaster, PA. There was a bar inside the hotel where I stayed. The clerk seemed to slur her words quite a bit. She could have been overly tired. She may have had a cold. Or, she may have just been drunk from the bar....
My final hotel room for the trip was very large. There was plenty of space to work on the computer for a little while. But I also wanted to get some sleep as I had a LONG drive ahead of me the next day....
Lancaster, PA is an Amish area. The next day would primarily be focused on driving home. However, stay tuned for the next blog entry as there will still be more sightseeing reports. There will also be more postings following that which contain my concluding thoughts for the overall trip.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
October 3, 2008 - More time visiting small cities in the mountains
I had to get one final oil change today. While the vehicle could go for a little while without an additional oil change, it would take at least 700+ miles to get home (since I'm not going the most efficient way). This is a minor detail but it will become important in one of the later blog postings.
I went back to the US 33 area to see more of the small cities. Ripley is very small but it's a city right off I-77 and is a county seat complete with a huge courthouse. There is lots of traffic going through. While driving around there, after stopping at a stop sign I turned onto US 33. The car suddenly stopped working, right on the road. The oil and the battery indicators were lighted on the dashboard. From the last bit of momentum of the car, I was able to get it into a parking lot. Otherwise, I likely would have been rear-ended. After turning off the car and restarting it, everything seemed to be fine. Something must be wrong with the computer system.
I headed further east on US 33 and went to Spencer again. After that, I visited Grantsville for a brief time. From there, I went back to US 33 and then went further east. There is a lot of beautiful mountain scenery along the stretch of US 33 between Grantsville and Weston. Unfortunately there is no place to pull over and take pictures. This is an area where you MUST pay attention while driving because the road twists and turns a lot. There are long stretches where there are no homes or civilization of any kind. As I got closer to Weston, there was a small city called Glenville. That sounded a bit familiar.
View Larger Map
Weston was a much more substantial city than what I was used to seeing along US 33. It was much bigger, with various chain stores, banks, gas stations, etc. Of course, it was right off I-79 so that would be expected.
After seeing a bit of Weston, I got on I-79 and headed up to Bruceton Mills. This is a "city" with a population of 74, but I had stopped there for dinner last spring as I headed into West Virginia. For the purposes of tradition, I stopped at the same place for dinner.
After dinner, I headed along I-68 through Western Maryland. I had to get to I-81 and head south from there. I would be back in West Virginia again, in the Eastern Panhandle. My hotel was in Martinsburg.
View Larger Map
The location of the hotel was a bit strange. It was a Comfort Suites hotel. The Choice Hotel brands (Comfort Inn, Quality Inn, Sleep Inn, Comfort Suites, Econo-Lodge, Rodeway Inn, etc.) are usually in business/shopping areas. This hotel was miles away from any business areas. It was in a primarily residential area at the corner of two rodes. But, the GOS got me there and that was the most important thing.
I went back to the US 33 area to see more of the small cities. Ripley is very small but it's a city right off I-77 and is a county seat complete with a huge courthouse. There is lots of traffic going through. While driving around there, after stopping at a stop sign I turned onto US 33. The car suddenly stopped working, right on the road. The oil and the battery indicators were lighted on the dashboard. From the last bit of momentum of the car, I was able to get it into a parking lot. Otherwise, I likely would have been rear-ended. After turning off the car and restarting it, everything seemed to be fine. Something must be wrong with the computer system.
I headed further east on US 33 and went to Spencer again. After that, I visited Grantsville for a brief time. From there, I went back to US 33 and then went further east. There is a lot of beautiful mountain scenery along the stretch of US 33 between Grantsville and Weston. Unfortunately there is no place to pull over and take pictures. This is an area where you MUST pay attention while driving because the road twists and turns a lot. There are long stretches where there are no homes or civilization of any kind. As I got closer to Weston, there was a small city called Glenville. That sounded a bit familiar.
View Larger Map
Weston was a much more substantial city than what I was used to seeing along US 33. It was much bigger, with various chain stores, banks, gas stations, etc. Of course, it was right off I-79 so that would be expected.
After seeing a bit of Weston, I got on I-79 and headed up to Bruceton Mills. This is a "city" with a population of 74, but I had stopped there for dinner last spring as I headed into West Virginia. For the purposes of tradition, I stopped at the same place for dinner.
After dinner, I headed along I-68 through Western Maryland. I had to get to I-81 and head south from there. I would be back in West Virginia again, in the Eastern Panhandle. My hotel was in Martinsburg.
View Larger Map
The location of the hotel was a bit strange. It was a Comfort Suites hotel. The Choice Hotel brands (Comfort Inn, Quality Inn, Sleep Inn, Comfort Suites, Econo-Lodge, Rodeway Inn, etc.) are usually in business/shopping areas. This hotel was miles away from any business areas. It was in a primarily residential area at the corner of two rodes. But, the GOS got me there and that was the most important thing.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Nevada and Utah photos complete
The photos from Nevada and Utah are now complete. New items include areas such as the drive to I-80 from Lamoille Canyon showing beautiful mountain and desert scenes as well as more scenes from the Temple Square area in Salt Lake City, UT.
Monday, October 6, 2008
October 2, 2008 - Small Cities in WV's Mountain Areas
I visited some small West Virginia cities in the mountains today. The scenery along US 119 is beautiful. There are a number of small unincorporated communities along the way. I recall driving this road last year and describing Walton as "a string of eight houses." Last year, I went by a bit too fast. (I had to get to southern WV before dark last spring.) This year, going a bit slower, I found Walton to be much more than a few houses. It had several houses, plus a bank, sheriff's substation, a Mexican restaurant, a library, and a couple of small stores. It was situated around a bend in the road.
There were other small communities like Speed. This could be described as a "string of around sixteen houses." Gandeeville was another one like that.
View Larger Map
Finally, I got to Spencer. This is a city of about 2,000 people along US 33. The houses are in the mountains and almost seem "stacked" on top of each other. They were getting ready for their Black Walnut Festival. It begins on October 8th. The city suddenly becomes crowded at that point.
I decided to see a little more of this area and stay an extra day. However, there are no chain hotels directly in Spencer or any of the other small cities. The only hotel in the area is very run down. I couldn't stay there (even the locals say it's bad), and besides, I couldn't use my points there. This week has been another freebie week. So, I had to go up to Mineral Wells, WV. This is a hotel I stayed at during my visit to WV last spring. It's a very nice hotel and only takes a reasonable amount of points.
Instead of going up to Mineral Wells via I-77, I decided to go up the back way. I also wanted to see the town of Reedy. I wanted to see Reedy last spring. Reedy is north of US 33. The GPS (last spring) kept taking me south of US 33 on dirt roads with warning signs saying they could wash away in a flood. Some of those roads were so narrow that I decided not to try them last year. And in the end, they would not have gotten me to my destination anyway.
View Larger Map
Reedy was a nice small town. It was mostly houses. The area is surrounded by beautiful mountasins.
Finding a hotel for Friday evening was an adventure. I wanted another freebie night. When I looked through the map of available hotels, it seems as though every one of them was booked solid....when I used the free night as my rate program. If I was willing to pay, it was a different story. Yet, the policy for freebie nights is "no blackout dates." I decided to call in the reservation. That worked and allowed me to get a $104 night for free.
We're told about the supposed bad economy. Yet, people are willing to pay over $100 for a hotel night (in an average hotel) in the fall, during the school year.
My hotel for the next evening would be in Martinsburg, WV. Martinsburg is in West Virginia's Eastern Panhandle. I would work my way east along US 33 until I got to Weston. From there, it would be just over three hours to Martinsburg. I could have stayed in a hotel room in western Maryland, but I had read some negative reports about the available hotels in Tripadvisor.
There were other small communities like Speed. This could be described as a "string of around sixteen houses." Gandeeville was another one like that.
View Larger Map
Finally, I got to Spencer. This is a city of about 2,000 people along US 33. The houses are in the mountains and almost seem "stacked" on top of each other. They were getting ready for their Black Walnut Festival. It begins on October 8th. The city suddenly becomes crowded at that point.
I decided to see a little more of this area and stay an extra day. However, there are no chain hotels directly in Spencer or any of the other small cities. The only hotel in the area is very run down. I couldn't stay there (even the locals say it's bad), and besides, I couldn't use my points there. This week has been another freebie week. So, I had to go up to Mineral Wells, WV. This is a hotel I stayed at during my visit to WV last spring. It's a very nice hotel and only takes a reasonable amount of points.
Instead of going up to Mineral Wells via I-77, I decided to go up the back way. I also wanted to see the town of Reedy. I wanted to see Reedy last spring. Reedy is north of US 33. The GPS (last spring) kept taking me south of US 33 on dirt roads with warning signs saying they could wash away in a flood. Some of those roads were so narrow that I decided not to try them last year. And in the end, they would not have gotten me to my destination anyway.
View Larger Map
Reedy was a nice small town. It was mostly houses. The area is surrounded by beautiful mountasins.
Finding a hotel for Friday evening was an adventure. I wanted another freebie night. When I looked through the map of available hotels, it seems as though every one of them was booked solid....when I used the free night as my rate program. If I was willing to pay, it was a different story. Yet, the policy for freebie nights is "no blackout dates." I decided to call in the reservation. That worked and allowed me to get a $104 night for free.
We're told about the supposed bad economy. Yet, people are willing to pay over $100 for a hotel night (in an average hotel) in the fall, during the school year.
My hotel for the next evening would be in Martinsburg, WV. Martinsburg is in West Virginia's Eastern Panhandle. I would work my way east along US 33 until I got to Weston. From there, it would be just over three hours to Martinsburg. I could have stayed in a hotel room in western Maryland, but I had read some negative reports about the available hotels in Tripadvisor.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
October 1, 2008: Huntington and Beckley, West Virginia
I forgot to note that I entered the Eastern Time Zone on September 28th, as I was working my way to the Shepherdsville, KY hotel.
Although I'm heading east, I drove west today by nine miles. I wanted to see the Carter Caves Resort Park. There are several caves. Some can be explored without a guide (for a fee). Others are guided. The two caves open outside of the summer tourist season are Cascade Cave and X Cave. From what I read, X Cave is a little smaller and involves a lot of stooping. If this was the beginning of my trip, I'd probably be up to it. (This was necessary in the Lewis and Clark Caverns in Montana.) But at this point, I'm getting tired of sightseeing, so I just want a nice, easy walk through a cave. Cascade Cave would be the one I'd tour.
I arrived at noon. I had a number of other things to do today and assumed this would be an hour long tour. Because the heavy tourist season is over, tours are limited. X Cave (the one I didn't want to see) was having a tour at 1pm. Cascade Cave (the one I wanted to see) was not having a tour until 2:30pm. This would not allow me enough time to do everything else I wanted to do. There is also practically nothing in the area other than a few antique shops. So, it would be a lot of driving if I decided to wait. Therefore, I decided to skip the cave tours today.
I headed east along I-64. I crossed into West Virginia and did some shopping in the Huntington (second largest city in WV) metro area. This area is a big shopping and city area indistinguishable from any other city I've seen.
View Larger Map
After that, my next stop was Beckley, WV. This is in southeastern WV. I wanted to visit Tamarack, which is an upscale shopping area selling goods made in West Virginia. They have lots of carvings made out of coal. They also have absolutely delicious food.
My hotel for the evening was in Charleston, the capital. The capitol dome is lighted up at night and looks beautiful from the interstate. I had gone southeast on I-64 to get to Beckley. So, I was doubling back northwest to get to Charleston.
Although I'm heading east, I drove west today by nine miles. I wanted to see the Carter Caves Resort Park. There are several caves. Some can be explored without a guide (for a fee). Others are guided. The two caves open outside of the summer tourist season are Cascade Cave and X Cave. From what I read, X Cave is a little smaller and involves a lot of stooping. If this was the beginning of my trip, I'd probably be up to it. (This was necessary in the Lewis and Clark Caverns in Montana.) But at this point, I'm getting tired of sightseeing, so I just want a nice, easy walk through a cave. Cascade Cave would be the one I'd tour.
I arrived at noon. I had a number of other things to do today and assumed this would be an hour long tour. Because the heavy tourist season is over, tours are limited. X Cave (the one I didn't want to see) was having a tour at 1pm. Cascade Cave (the one I wanted to see) was not having a tour until 2:30pm. This would not allow me enough time to do everything else I wanted to do. There is also practically nothing in the area other than a few antique shops. So, it would be a lot of driving if I decided to wait. Therefore, I decided to skip the cave tours today.
I headed east along I-64. I crossed into West Virginia and did some shopping in the Huntington (second largest city in WV) metro area. This area is a big shopping and city area indistinguishable from any other city I've seen.
View Larger Map
After that, my next stop was Beckley, WV. This is in southeastern WV. I wanted to visit Tamarack, which is an upscale shopping area selling goods made in West Virginia. They have lots of carvings made out of coal. They also have absolutely delicious food.
My hotel for the evening was in Charleston, the capital. The capitol dome is lighted up at night and looks beautiful from the interstate. I had gone southeast on I-64 to get to Beckley. So, I was doubling back northwest to get to Charleston.
Saturday, October 4, 2008
September 30, 2008 - Moving Further East in Kentucky
Today was mostly devoted to driving further east. I stopped in the city of Pendleton and then worked my way to I-64. Along the way, I saw some beautiful Kentucky countryside.
I briefly stopped in Frankfort, KY, but did not get a chance to see the capitol building. I was rushed because I needed to get to Lexington, KY before 5pm.
My goal for Lexington was to see the grave of Henry Clay. Henry Clay was a former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. He was also a Secretary of State and ran for President multiple times. He was one of the main founders of the Whig Party and vigorously opposed Andrew Jackson and Martin Van Buren (7th and 8th presidents). Clay and Jackson never liked each other, but he and Van Buren became somewhat friendly. Both expected to run against each other in the 1844 presidential campaign....but the Democrats decided against running Van Buren at the last minute.
Last year, I visited Lexington and saw a replica of Henry Clay's home, called Ashland. By the time I got to the cemetery, it was closed. This time, I got in just in time to see the huge monument. As I left, the guard was waiting to close up the gates. See the photos of the monument.
My destination for the evening was Grayson, KY. This is about thirty miles from the Kentucky/West Virginia border. Originally I planned to actually be in Huntington, WV by the evening. However, this hotel allowed me to save 4,000 points. So, I figured it was worth pushing the extra thirty miles to the next day.
As I drove to Grayson, I noticed a sign for the Carter Caves Resort Park. It was only about nine miles west of the hotel. I figured it may be worthwhile to see a cave in Kentucky the next day before I left the state.
I briefly stopped in Frankfort, KY, but did not get a chance to see the capitol building. I was rushed because I needed to get to Lexington, KY before 5pm.
My goal for Lexington was to see the grave of Henry Clay. Henry Clay was a former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. He was also a Secretary of State and ran for President multiple times. He was one of the main founders of the Whig Party and vigorously opposed Andrew Jackson and Martin Van Buren (7th and 8th presidents). Clay and Jackson never liked each other, but he and Van Buren became somewhat friendly. Both expected to run against each other in the 1844 presidential campaign....but the Democrats decided against running Van Buren at the last minute.
Last year, I visited Lexington and saw a replica of Henry Clay's home, called Ashland. By the time I got to the cemetery, it was closed. This time, I got in just in time to see the huge monument. As I left, the guard was waiting to close up the gates. See the photos of the monument.
My destination for the evening was Grayson, KY. This is about thirty miles from the Kentucky/West Virginia border. Originally I planned to actually be in Huntington, WV by the evening. However, this hotel allowed me to save 4,000 points. So, I figured it was worth pushing the extra thirty miles to the next day.
As I drove to Grayson, I noticed a sign for the Carter Caves Resort Park. It was only about nine miles west of the hotel. I figured it may be worthwhile to see a cave in Kentucky the next day before I left the state.
Friday, October 3, 2008
September 29, 2008 - Indianapolis: President Benjamin Harrison's Home
I had chosen a hotel just outside Louisville since that's about two hours south of Indianapolis. Indianapolis is a large city (population of around 700,000). But I had 0one thing in mind for Indianapolis: visiting the home of the 23rd President, Benjamin Harrison. I also did not want to go all this way and leave Indiana as an unvisited state surrounded by visited states. At this point, the only Midwest state I did not visit was Iowa.
Last year, I was supposed to visit Benjamin Harrison's home. I had seen the home of his grandfather, William Henry Harrison (the 9th president) in Vincennes, IN, earlier that day. As far as I knew, Vincennes was in Central Time. When I got to Indianapolis, I did not realize I was in Eastern Time. I-70 was under massive reconstruction and miles of exits were closed. I did not have a GPS at that point. The home was off I-65. I-65 and I-70 ran together for three miles. I was in the wrong lane, missed the sign showing where they split, and ended up on I-70. With so many exits closed, I had no idea how to get back to the home. I had to get help from a gas station attendant just to get to I-74 in order to go to my next hotel.
Anyway, this year, everything went smoothly. I got to Harrison's home on time for a tour. The home is a large mansion on a double lot in the city of Indianapolis. Unlike most presidential homes, the home passed from the Harrison family directly to a foundation. The foundation was actually created by his heirs. Much of the furniture belonged to the Harrisons, though there were some period pieces.
It was a cloudy day. But on top of that, there was not much natural lighting in most of the rooms. Photographs were allowed, as long as the flash is not used. Therefore, the pictures are not so great. See the photos.
The tour focuses on how Harrison lived in the house but not much about Harrison himself. The guide explained that he was a warm, kindly, caring person. The historical record claims he was very cold and did not have much of a personality. He may have been warm and caring toward his family, but he was an unpopular president.
The Harrisons (William Henry and Benjamin) are the only case in U.S. history where a grandfaher and grandson served as president. Benjamin Harrison is also the only president to be sandwiched between two non-consecutive terms of another president. Harrison beat Grover Cleveland in the 1888 election. Harrison became the centennial president, inaugurated almost 100 years after George Washington. When the Clevelands left the White House, Mrs. Cleveland told the staff to take care of everything because they WOULD be back in four years. Her words proved to be correct as Cleveland defeated Harrison in the 1892 election. There were no term limits back then. Cleveland became unpopular in his second term and the Democrats abandoned him.
Benjamin Harrison was given a cane featuring profiles of every president, up to himself. Since Cleveland was his successor, it was technically accurate up to the president that came immediately after him. The cane is displayed in his study.
The home seemed to have quite a focus on William Henry Harrison. There were multiple paintings of him hanging on the walls. William Henry Harrison was president for only one month. He developed pneumonia and became the first president to die in office. His wife never even made it to the White House. She was in mourning because all but one of their children died before both her and the president. The only child to survive them was Benjamin Harrison's father.
The home was recently given an original invitation to the inauguration of William Henry Harrison. The home also contains the original cradles which were used for both Benjamin Harrison and his father.
The third floor serves as offices for the foundation and a display on presidential campaigns throughout history from the John Quincy Adams/Andrew Jackson election up to the 2004 Bush/Kerry election.
The barn contained Harrison's carriages and sleds. Another room in the barn contained a display on women's suffrage. See the photos.
After the tour ended, my destination was my next hotel in Carrollton, Kentucky. This was about two hours southeast of Indianapolis. I got out just before rush hour traffic (something I haven't dealt with since mid-August when I visited the West Coast).
I saw a lot of farmland and small towns along the way. Indiana is mostly flat. However, near the Indiana/Kentucky border, there are mountains on the Indiana side. Once I crossed into Kentucky, much of the driving was parallel to the Ohio River, which forms the border between Indiana and Kentucky.
Finally, I arrived in Carrollton. This was a fairly small town. I had begun to enjoy staying in new hotels. This one was okay, but it was definitely not new.
Last year, I was supposed to visit Benjamin Harrison's home. I had seen the home of his grandfather, William Henry Harrison (the 9th president) in Vincennes, IN, earlier that day. As far as I knew, Vincennes was in Central Time. When I got to Indianapolis, I did not realize I was in Eastern Time. I-70 was under massive reconstruction and miles of exits were closed. I did not have a GPS at that point. The home was off I-65. I-65 and I-70 ran together for three miles. I was in the wrong lane, missed the sign showing where they split, and ended up on I-70. With so many exits closed, I had no idea how to get back to the home. I had to get help from a gas station attendant just to get to I-74 in order to go to my next hotel.
Anyway, this year, everything went smoothly. I got to Harrison's home on time for a tour. The home is a large mansion on a double lot in the city of Indianapolis. Unlike most presidential homes, the home passed from the Harrison family directly to a foundation. The foundation was actually created by his heirs. Much of the furniture belonged to the Harrisons, though there were some period pieces.
It was a cloudy day. But on top of that, there was not much natural lighting in most of the rooms. Photographs were allowed, as long as the flash is not used. Therefore, the pictures are not so great. See the photos.
The tour focuses on how Harrison lived in the house but not much about Harrison himself. The guide explained that he was a warm, kindly, caring person. The historical record claims he was very cold and did not have much of a personality. He may have been warm and caring toward his family, but he was an unpopular president.
The Harrisons (William Henry and Benjamin) are the only case in U.S. history where a grandfaher and grandson served as president. Benjamin Harrison is also the only president to be sandwiched between two non-consecutive terms of another president. Harrison beat Grover Cleveland in the 1888 election. Harrison became the centennial president, inaugurated almost 100 years after George Washington. When the Clevelands left the White House, Mrs. Cleveland told the staff to take care of everything because they WOULD be back in four years. Her words proved to be correct as Cleveland defeated Harrison in the 1892 election. There were no term limits back then. Cleveland became unpopular in his second term and the Democrats abandoned him.
Benjamin Harrison was given a cane featuring profiles of every president, up to himself. Since Cleveland was his successor, it was technically accurate up to the president that came immediately after him. The cane is displayed in his study.
The home seemed to have quite a focus on William Henry Harrison. There were multiple paintings of him hanging on the walls. William Henry Harrison was president for only one month. He developed pneumonia and became the first president to die in office. His wife never even made it to the White House. She was in mourning because all but one of their children died before both her and the president. The only child to survive them was Benjamin Harrison's father.
The home was recently given an original invitation to the inauguration of William Henry Harrison. The home also contains the original cradles which were used for both Benjamin Harrison and his father.
The third floor serves as offices for the foundation and a display on presidential campaigns throughout history from the John Quincy Adams/Andrew Jackson election up to the 2004 Bush/Kerry election.
The barn contained Harrison's carriages and sleds. Another room in the barn contained a display on women's suffrage. See the photos.
After the tour ended, my destination was my next hotel in Carrollton, Kentucky. This was about two hours southeast of Indianapolis. I got out just before rush hour traffic (something I haven't dealt with since mid-August when I visited the West Coast).
I saw a lot of farmland and small towns along the way. Indiana is mostly flat. However, near the Indiana/Kentucky border, there are mountains on the Indiana side. Once I crossed into Kentucky, much of the driving was parallel to the Ohio River, which forms the border between Indiana and Kentucky.
Finally, I arrived in Carrollton. This was a fairly small town. I had begun to enjoy staying in new hotels. This one was okay, but it was definitely not new.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
September 28, 2008 - Western Kentucky
There are a number of lakes a few miles away from Benton, KY, where I stayed. There is an area called the "Land Between the Lakes" nearby which has a large number of activities. I didn't have a lot of time to see much there. I was also losing interest as I am back to sightseeing overload. However, I did get a few photos.
I later visited a park in the Kentucky Dam Village. See the photos.
The rest of the trip was mostly making my way to the next hotel which as in Shepherdsville, KY. Much of the driving was via the Western Kentucky Parkway. I remember driving this last year when I visited Kentucky. However, last year I drove it in the dark so I missed much of the scenery. At this point the leaves are just starting to turn so it's very pretty.
Shepherdsville is just outside of Louisville, Kentucky's largest city. This hotel was even newer than the one in Marion, AR. It was only open for two weeks by the time I arrived. Again, I have to ask...what recession?
View Larger Map
I later visited a park in the Kentucky Dam Village. See the photos.
The rest of the trip was mostly making my way to the next hotel which as in Shepherdsville, KY. Much of the driving was via the Western Kentucky Parkway. I remember driving this last year when I visited Kentucky. However, last year I drove it in the dark so I missed much of the scenery. At this point the leaves are just starting to turn so it's very pretty.
Shepherdsville is just outside of Louisville, Kentucky's largest city. This hotel was even newer than the one in Marion, AR. It was only open for two weeks by the time I arrived. Again, I have to ask...what recession?
View Larger Map
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
September 27, 2008 - Southeast Missouri to Benton, Kentucky
Cotton
I wanted to see the countryside in southeast Missouri. I drove to Malden, MO, which allowed me to see a bit of the area. It was very nice. But what was most interesting was that I saw cotton growing on plants for the first time in my life. I have been to the south before but it's usually in the spring, likely before the cotton has come out. This is the first time I've been around farms in the south in the early fall. See the photos.
As I drove further, I noticed pieces of cotton all over the sides of the road just as we might see dandelion fuzz. They looked like cotton balls that were pulled apart. Of course, I decided this was a nice chance for a free souvenir. I helped clean up the environment a bit as well. :)
Mississippi River
I also wanted to see the Mississippi River. While I have crossed the Mississippi River on a bridge before (going from Wisconsin to Minnesota earlier in this trip) I wanted to have a chance to actually see the river for more than a couple of minutes. Additionally, there is a small piece of land that is part of Kentucky which is not attached to the rest of the state. It is bordered by Tennessee and Missouri. I stopped at a spot by the Mississippi River in MO where I could see that part of Kentucky from across the river. See the photos. See the map below and zoom out...
View Larger Map
Cape Girardeau and Sikeston
From there, I went to Cape Girardeau. I went to Mass at the Cathedral of St. Mary.
On the way up to Cape Girardeau along I-55, I saw signs for "throwed rolls" (yes, they wrote it that way). Apparently, Sikeston, MO is one of the few places where you can get these. I thought this was worth trying for dinner. Evidently this must be a popular place on a Saturday. By the time I got there, the parking lot was practically full and there were lots of people waiting outside the restaurant. From a loudspeaker, I found that the wait time would be forty minutes. I didn't have time for that. I found another restaurant (with no wait time) that specialized in southern cooked food.
On to Illinois
After dinner, I headed back to Cape Girardeau for a few minutes. Then I had to get to my destination, which was in Benton, Kentucky. I passed through southern IL (my only stop was at a grocery store). As I was driving through, I noticed a big deer waiting to cross. Thankfully, he stayed off the road while I passed.
View Larger Map
I passed Metropolis, IL as I approached the border with Kentucky. I visited that city last year. They have a giant Superman statue. This is far from the Metropolis in the Superman comic books. Parking is free on the main road and at least last year, gas stations did not even require customers to pay before pumping.
Kentucky
Once I got into Kentucky, I went through Paducah. I visited that city last year. Finally, I arrived in Benton, which is near a tourist area called the Land Between the Lakes. When I checked in, the hotel clerk provided me with two large bottles of water. That was very nice.
I wanted to see the countryside in southeast Missouri. I drove to Malden, MO, which allowed me to see a bit of the area. It was very nice. But what was most interesting was that I saw cotton growing on plants for the first time in my life. I have been to the south before but it's usually in the spring, likely before the cotton has come out. This is the first time I've been around farms in the south in the early fall. See the photos.
As I drove further, I noticed pieces of cotton all over the sides of the road just as we might see dandelion fuzz. They looked like cotton balls that were pulled apart. Of course, I decided this was a nice chance for a free souvenir. I helped clean up the environment a bit as well. :)
Mississippi River
I also wanted to see the Mississippi River. While I have crossed the Mississippi River on a bridge before (going from Wisconsin to Minnesota earlier in this trip) I wanted to have a chance to actually see the river for more than a couple of minutes. Additionally, there is a small piece of land that is part of Kentucky which is not attached to the rest of the state. It is bordered by Tennessee and Missouri. I stopped at a spot by the Mississippi River in MO where I could see that part of Kentucky from across the river. See the photos. See the map below and zoom out...
View Larger Map
Cape Girardeau and Sikeston
From there, I went to Cape Girardeau. I went to Mass at the Cathedral of St. Mary.
On the way up to Cape Girardeau along I-55, I saw signs for "throwed rolls" (yes, they wrote it that way). Apparently, Sikeston, MO is one of the few places where you can get these. I thought this was worth trying for dinner. Evidently this must be a popular place on a Saturday. By the time I got there, the parking lot was practically full and there were lots of people waiting outside the restaurant. From a loudspeaker, I found that the wait time would be forty minutes. I didn't have time for that. I found another restaurant (with no wait time) that specialized in southern cooked food.
On to Illinois
After dinner, I headed back to Cape Girardeau for a few minutes. Then I had to get to my destination, which was in Benton, Kentucky. I passed through southern IL (my only stop was at a grocery store). As I was driving through, I noticed a big deer waiting to cross. Thankfully, he stayed off the road while I passed.
View Larger Map
I passed Metropolis, IL as I approached the border with Kentucky. I visited that city last year. They have a giant Superman statue. This is far from the Metropolis in the Superman comic books. Parking is free on the main road and at least last year, gas stations did not even require customers to pay before pumping.
Kentucky
Once I got into Kentucky, I went through Paducah. I visited that city last year. Finally, I arrived in Benton, which is near a tourist area called the Land Between the Lakes. When I checked in, the hotel clerk provided me with two large bottles of water. That was very nice.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
September 26, 2008 - Graceland
Response from Avis
The rep from Avis indicated that this was the deer incident and not the windshield incident. Her email stated that a "computer glitch" resulted in not recognizing the accident report I had submitted. She said they have now found it and are aware that I purchased the liability damage waiver. Therefore, I was not required to provide my insurance company information.
After the big sigh of relief, I decided I needed this in a more substantial form than merely an email. I sent another message asking that a hard copy of this be mailed to my home from Avis. The rep replied saying that the system can only generate automatic hard copy letters such as the one I received; she could not put her correspondence with me into a paper letter. However, she noted that she could send emails, faxes, or make phone calls. Since every hotel I stay at has a fax machine, this worked perfectly. I told her to fax this to me at my next hotel. I did not get a response by the time I left the current hotel. I wasn't sure whether or not she'd really do it.
My opinion on this is that the so-called "computer glitch" was a convenient excuse. It is just my opinion, but I'm guessing these rental companies attempt to intimidate people, even when they have purchased the liability damage waiver. They hit the driver with a threatening letter that has very short deadlines. If they can get the driver to provide the rental company with insurance company information, they can pressure the insurance company into paying for the damages. Then they get to pocket the liability damage waiver. Once the intimidated driver suddenly realizes they purchased LDW and let their insurance company know, it's too late. The insurance company would decide it's not worth it to fight the rental company for a reimbursement. Instead, the insurance company can just hit the driver with increased premiums for three years. It's important to always be diligent. It's too bad we have to be this way but we do.
Graceland
My next destination was Graceland, Elvis Presley's home. This is in Memphis, Tennessee. I was in Arkansas, near the TN border. Graceland was about twenty minutes away.
View Larger Map
The address I got from the web site took me to a one lane driveway. A bus was currently pulling out of it so I couldn't go in. I pulled off to a side street and called the office. I was informed that parking is available across a busy road from the estate. Signs did not seem to be very visible from the direction that I came.
When I pulled into the parking area, there was a long line to pay for parking. Parking costs $8, cash only. How am I supposed to get hotel points out of this purchase when they won't accept a credit card?
While waiting in line, I heard on the radio that Obama had just landed at the Memphis airport, on the way to the first presidential debate in Oxford, Mississippi.
Elvis is of course huge in this part of Memphis. There are multiple restaurants, museums, etc. focusing on the "King of Rock n Roll." Visitors can tour his private jet (I didn't). There are numerous gift shops near the parking lot. The mansion tour costs $27 if you don't have AAA or any other opportunity for a discount. Every 5 - 7 minutes, a shuttle bus came by to take people across the road for the tour. As people lined up, they were given electronic devices with headphones. (This type of device was provided at President Andrew Jackson's home near Nashville.) Dialing a particular number on the device would provide an audio tour.
When the bus dropped us off in front of the mansion, a guide gave us the rules. We could take as many pictures as we wanted, as long as we didn't use a flash. There were no guided tours; we just had to use our devices to get an audio tour. Staff were available in each room for questions. (They are also useful when the device stops speaking and you need to know what number to dial to get the narrative for the current room.) See the photos.
Elvis bought the estate in 1957 for $100,000. He moved his parents into the estate since they lived modestly while he was growing up. The mansion is nice but not gigantic. The formal rooms were elegant but not opulant like some of the presidential homes I've seen. (Examples of very opulent presidential homes would be Washington's and Rutherford Hayes' home. I would later see Benjamin Harrison's home and that could go on the list of opulent homes.) Elvis is a "king" so it's surprising. :) The kitchen seemed like a normal kitchen from the era. There was a room in the back on the first floor called the "Jungle Room." This room screamed out that it was from the 70s, but was tacky even by 70s standards. It's dark green with fake fur furniture. This was a makeshift recording area. There is even an artificial waterfall in the room. Outside, there are television sets which show the room in great detail, just in case a tour was so big that people missed the room. The basement rooms were late 60s/early 70s rooms. There was a billiard room and a family room with a bar. The second floor is not open to tours in order to respect the privacy of the former occupants.
Outside, there is a horse pasture and a building that Elvis and his friends used as a firing range. There is also a scale model of the home where he grew up in Tupelo, Mississippi. A separate building is known as the "Trophy Building." It contains his gold and silver records. It also has various outfits worn in performances. On the walls are posters for Elvis movies and other advertisements. See the photos.
A small pool is next to the house. Near the pool are the graves of Elvis, his parents, and Vernon Presley. Vernon had the graves moved to Graceland to prevent vandalism. There are numerous religius statues and memorials surrounding Elvis' grave. See the photos.
There were NO Elvis impersonators anywhere on the property or in the gift shops or anywhere else. I was surprised at that. But, maybe they wanted to keep this respectful.
After getting in the car, I heard on the radio that McCain had landed in Memphis on his way to the debate. I drove around Memphis a bit. I found that Graceland was only a few miles from the airport where both McCain and Obama landed.
Mississippi
I then went on to Mississippi. This was mostly a token visit so I could include one Gulf State in my trip. But, I did want to see northern Mississippi a bit. However, it was late in the day so I didn't have time to see much. At least this wasn't a token visit like the one I did in Oklahoma.
I stopped in the Mississippi Welcome Center. I don't think MS is a big tourism state (postcards are difficult to find). The staff at the Mississippi Welcome Centers are always very friendly. In this case, they were ready to give me a free soda. See Welcome Center photos.
I drove down I-55. I passed by Batesville. There was a billboard announcing that Batesville was the gateway to the first presidential debate in 2008. The Batesville exit would eventually take people to the University of Mississippi in Oxford. It was about twenty minutes from the interstate. I didn't go to the Batesville exit on the way down as I wanted to preserve daylight.
I went as far south as Tillatoba, about seventy to eighty miles from the Tennessee border. I was going to see one of the lakes near I-55, but the daylight was waning. I still had a long drive ahead of me as I had to be in Hayti, Missouri, for my next hotel.
View Larger Map
I stopped in Batesville. I almost thought about driving to Oxford just to see what it looked like right before the presidential debate. But, then I feared there might be a massive traffic jam and I still had hours to drive. I headed back to I-55 and listened to the debate on the way up to Missouri.
View Larger Map
GPS Adventures
After leaving Mississippi, I had to pass through Tennessee, Arkansas, and into southeast Missouri. The hotel was just off an I-55 exit. However, the GPS saw fit to take me off the interstate just after crossing into Missouri. It took me through the countryside and then told me I had reached my destination in the middle of nowhere. There was no building or anything else. In other occasions, the GPS has taken me to someone's private home instead of a hotel. But at least in that case, there was an actual building! Knowing that I wouldn't have luck with the GPS, I headed back to I-55. Finally, I found the hotel off an exit a few miles north.
The rep from Avis indicated that this was the deer incident and not the windshield incident. Her email stated that a "computer glitch" resulted in not recognizing the accident report I had submitted. She said they have now found it and are aware that I purchased the liability damage waiver. Therefore, I was not required to provide my insurance company information.
After the big sigh of relief, I decided I needed this in a more substantial form than merely an email. I sent another message asking that a hard copy of this be mailed to my home from Avis. The rep replied saying that the system can only generate automatic hard copy letters such as the one I received; she could not put her correspondence with me into a paper letter. However, she noted that she could send emails, faxes, or make phone calls. Since every hotel I stay at has a fax machine, this worked perfectly. I told her to fax this to me at my next hotel. I did not get a response by the time I left the current hotel. I wasn't sure whether or not she'd really do it.
My opinion on this is that the so-called "computer glitch" was a convenient excuse. It is just my opinion, but I'm guessing these rental companies attempt to intimidate people, even when they have purchased the liability damage waiver. They hit the driver with a threatening letter that has very short deadlines. If they can get the driver to provide the rental company with insurance company information, they can pressure the insurance company into paying for the damages. Then they get to pocket the liability damage waiver. Once the intimidated driver suddenly realizes they purchased LDW and let their insurance company know, it's too late. The insurance company would decide it's not worth it to fight the rental company for a reimbursement. Instead, the insurance company can just hit the driver with increased premiums for three years. It's important to always be diligent. It's too bad we have to be this way but we do.
Graceland
My next destination was Graceland, Elvis Presley's home. This is in Memphis, Tennessee. I was in Arkansas, near the TN border. Graceland was about twenty minutes away.
View Larger Map
The address I got from the web site took me to a one lane driveway. A bus was currently pulling out of it so I couldn't go in. I pulled off to a side street and called the office. I was informed that parking is available across a busy road from the estate. Signs did not seem to be very visible from the direction that I came.
When I pulled into the parking area, there was a long line to pay for parking. Parking costs $8, cash only. How am I supposed to get hotel points out of this purchase when they won't accept a credit card?
While waiting in line, I heard on the radio that Obama had just landed at the Memphis airport, on the way to the first presidential debate in Oxford, Mississippi.
Elvis is of course huge in this part of Memphis. There are multiple restaurants, museums, etc. focusing on the "King of Rock n Roll." Visitors can tour his private jet (I didn't). There are numerous gift shops near the parking lot. The mansion tour costs $27 if you don't have AAA or any other opportunity for a discount. Every 5 - 7 minutes, a shuttle bus came by to take people across the road for the tour. As people lined up, they were given electronic devices with headphones. (This type of device was provided at President Andrew Jackson's home near Nashville.) Dialing a particular number on the device would provide an audio tour.
When the bus dropped us off in front of the mansion, a guide gave us the rules. We could take as many pictures as we wanted, as long as we didn't use a flash. There were no guided tours; we just had to use our devices to get an audio tour. Staff were available in each room for questions. (They are also useful when the device stops speaking and you need to know what number to dial to get the narrative for the current room.) See the photos.
Elvis bought the estate in 1957 for $100,000. He moved his parents into the estate since they lived modestly while he was growing up. The mansion is nice but not gigantic. The formal rooms were elegant but not opulant like some of the presidential homes I've seen. (Examples of very opulent presidential homes would be Washington's and Rutherford Hayes' home. I would later see Benjamin Harrison's home and that could go on the list of opulent homes.) Elvis is a "king" so it's surprising. :) The kitchen seemed like a normal kitchen from the era. There was a room in the back on the first floor called the "Jungle Room." This room screamed out that it was from the 70s, but was tacky even by 70s standards. It's dark green with fake fur furniture. This was a makeshift recording area. There is even an artificial waterfall in the room. Outside, there are television sets which show the room in great detail, just in case a tour was so big that people missed the room. The basement rooms were late 60s/early 70s rooms. There was a billiard room and a family room with a bar. The second floor is not open to tours in order to respect the privacy of the former occupants.
Outside, there is a horse pasture and a building that Elvis and his friends used as a firing range. There is also a scale model of the home where he grew up in Tupelo, Mississippi. A separate building is known as the "Trophy Building." It contains his gold and silver records. It also has various outfits worn in performances. On the walls are posters for Elvis movies and other advertisements. See the photos.
A small pool is next to the house. Near the pool are the graves of Elvis, his parents, and Vernon Presley. Vernon had the graves moved to Graceland to prevent vandalism. There are numerous religius statues and memorials surrounding Elvis' grave. See the photos.
There were NO Elvis impersonators anywhere on the property or in the gift shops or anywhere else. I was surprised at that. But, maybe they wanted to keep this respectful.
After getting in the car, I heard on the radio that McCain had landed in Memphis on his way to the debate. I drove around Memphis a bit. I found that Graceland was only a few miles from the airport where both McCain and Obama landed.
Mississippi
I then went on to Mississippi. This was mostly a token visit so I could include one Gulf State in my trip. But, I did want to see northern Mississippi a bit. However, it was late in the day so I didn't have time to see much. At least this wasn't a token visit like the one I did in Oklahoma.
I stopped in the Mississippi Welcome Center. I don't think MS is a big tourism state (postcards are difficult to find). The staff at the Mississippi Welcome Centers are always very friendly. In this case, they were ready to give me a free soda. See Welcome Center photos.
I drove down I-55. I passed by Batesville. There was a billboard announcing that Batesville was the gateway to the first presidential debate in 2008. The Batesville exit would eventually take people to the University of Mississippi in Oxford. It was about twenty minutes from the interstate. I didn't go to the Batesville exit on the way down as I wanted to preserve daylight.
I went as far south as Tillatoba, about seventy to eighty miles from the Tennessee border. I was going to see one of the lakes near I-55, but the daylight was waning. I still had a long drive ahead of me as I had to be in Hayti, Missouri, for my next hotel.
View Larger Map
I stopped in Batesville. I almost thought about driving to Oxford just to see what it looked like right before the presidential debate. But, then I feared there might be a massive traffic jam and I still had hours to drive. I headed back to I-55 and listened to the debate on the way up to Missouri.
View Larger Map
GPS Adventures
After leaving Mississippi, I had to pass through Tennessee, Arkansas, and into southeast Missouri. The hotel was just off an I-55 exit. However, the GPS saw fit to take me off the interstate just after crossing into Missouri. It took me through the countryside and then told me I had reached my destination in the middle of nowhere. There was no building or anything else. In other occasions, the GPS has taken me to someone's private home instead of a hotel. But at least in that case, there was an actual building! Knowing that I wouldn't have luck with the GPS, I headed back to I-55. Finally, I found the hotel off an exit a few miles north.
Monday, September 29, 2008
September 25, 2008 - Blanchard Springs Caverns in Fifty Six, Arkansas
The primary goal today was to move further east. My next hotel was in Marion, Arkansas, near the Tennessee border. More specifically, it was about twenty minutes away from Memphis. I wanted to see Elvis Presley's home, Graceland, which is in Memphis.
However, I was not going to waste a day simply driving to my next hotel. I also did want to see a cave in either Arkansas or Missouri. Thankfully, there s a cave about fifty miles from my hotel in Mountain Home, AR.
View Larger Map
The Blanchard Springs Caverns is run by the U.S. Forest Service. It was open for tourism in the 1960s or 70s. It's located in the city of Fifty Six, AR (population 163). (Note that on my Spring trip to the southeast part of the country, I made a point to go to Ninety Six, South Carolina, just because of the name. But they had a bigger population.)
The Tour Guide's Humorous Warnings
The tour guide was humorous. Before we began the tour, she gave the usual warnings (don't touch anything other than the railing because skin oil harms cave formations, etc.). Then she gave the litter warning: whatever we bring in must come out with us. She made a point to say that this includes spouses and children. They could NOT be left in the cave!
Touring the Cave
The tour was great. The "rooms" were larger than the Lewis and Clark Caverns tour I took in Montana.
Many of the features of the cave in Montana were similar to this one. However, this cave had one thing I didn't see in MT - piles and piles of bat guano. There were gigantic mounds of it. The tour guide pointed out that bats had not regularly been in that part of the cave for around 100 years.
Although we didn't see them on this tour, human skeletons have been found in the cave. They were dated back to 890 (no, not 1890, but 890).
I was not sure how well the photos turned out. It appeared that my left contact lens was not very good. I have a habit of looking in the camera viewfinder with my left eye. I had a terrible time focusing. But it was the contact lens, not the camera. When I looked at the viewfinder with my right eye (and a better contact lens), I was able to use the camera's focus to get sharp photos. See cave photos. See photos of the visitor area.
Rental Car Damage Letter
After the nice cave tour, I received some upsetting news. A certified letter was mailed to me at home by Avis, the company from which I rented my vehicle. I was asked to provide insurance information and to notify my credit card that there would be additional charges due to damage to the rental car. I had ten days to provide the information. I had 72 hours to inspect the car. Now, the last time I swapped cars was in Idaho Falls, ID (the eastern side of the state). I was not headed in that direction and I couldn't possibly inspect the car in such a short time. This is a ridiculous time limit.
I had two incidents of damage to the car that Avis is aware of: the deer collision and the cracked windshield. The letter indicated it was from the time period of July 26 - August 24, so that implied that it was the deer incident. (I have a third incident of damage. During my visit to Kansas, someone backed into my car while I was leaving a restaurant. Nobody was hurt and the car can be driven, so I don't have to turn this in until the end of my trip. I got the driver's insurance information.)
I purchased the liability damage waiver from Avis. There is absolutely no need for me to provide Avis with my insurance company information. My insurance would only come into play if there was damage to someone else's property or an injured party. But for damage to the rental car, I was paying by the day to cover that. I would not easily be willing to provide them with that information. I don't need my insurance premiums to increase when I've been paying for LDW.
I read about nightmare scenerios on the Internet in cases when people did not purchase LDW. Rental car companies can be very creative with all sorts of subjective fees such as estimation fees (these people are employed by the company to do just that), loss of profit to the company for the vehicle being totaled, etc. All of these are above and beyond the replacement value of the vehicle. In the case of the deer incident, it is likely that the vehicle was auctioned off rather than repaired and reused by Avis. From what I have read, rental car company "creative" fees can come up to the same amount as the replacement value for the vehicle. The driver's insurance company will reject these fees since they are unreasonable. The rental car company will then go after the driver. In my case, if for some reason the LDW would not matter, I could be liable for $10,000 or more in creative fees. Obviously, for that amount, I would get a lawyer and fight it. I'd also go to the state insurance board and the attorney general since I paid for LDW. If this was what I would be facing, I'd cut this trip short and head directly home. There would be no sightseeing along the way.
The person listed in this letter could be reached at an 800 number in Virginia. By the time I called, she was gone for the day. I called the local rental office. The rep I spoke with was perplexed (her word) about this letter. But, she said that this is an issue that must go through corporate, and not through the local office. She said she had a copy of my agreement when I signed for LDW. She said she would be happy to provide it to corporate. She looked up the records and assumed the letter was due to the cracked windshield.
So, if this was about the windshield, that would not be a problem. Even if I was forced to pay, it was just a windshield replacement. They could not get very creative with that, and the vehicle was certainly not totaled. I began to feel better.
Fifty Six, AR
I decided to look at Fifty Six before I started the long drive to Marion, AR. There was a small cluster of buildings along the main road. There were some side roads but I didn't have time to see those. I stopped at a restaurant (yes, they had one in Fifty Six). On the entrance, it advertised catfish and steak. (Catfish seems to be advertised on the outside of a lot of restaurants in the region.) I was not in the mood for either and hoped they had other things. When I got there, the waitress listed the specials of the day. One of them was Mexican food. It was cheaper than any of the other meals. I decided to try it and then braced myself for the worst. Afterall, this was not a Mexican restaurant. They likely could not cook the food as good as a real Mexican restaurant. I also got nervous because I had a long drive ahead of me. How long might the food take, especially if Mexican food was not normal for them? I was surprised to find my food delivered in five minutes. It was not as authentic as what could be found at a real Mexican restaurant. But it was not bad at all.
Getting to the Hotel
Finding the hotel in Marion was an adventure. It was not in the GPS. The GPS did not like the address because it was along the I-55 service road. I pulled over and called the hotel. The instructions they provided were not so great either.
View Larger Map
What Recession?
Finally, I arrived. This was a brand new hotel. The clerk told indicated that they were only open for a month. She told me that I only got the room because I had a reservation. She was turning people away all night. So, I have to ask....what is this I hear about a "recession"? Why would a new hotel be built if we're in a recession? School is in session all over the country. Why would the hotel be so full that people were being turned away? It's not like this is the only hotel in the area. There were plenty of others around.
Note to Avis
Once I got into the hotel, I wrote a long email to the Avis employee who sent me the letter. I informed her that I had purchased the LDW and needed an explanation as to why I had to provide insurance company information. I told her that even the local rental office was perplexed and that they have proof that I purchased the LDW. I also pointed out that I am still renting the car and am over 1,000 miles away from home. Thus I could not fill out the papers or inspect the vehicle. Her response the next day was quite interesting. Stay tuned for a LONG posting for September 26th...
However, I was not going to waste a day simply driving to my next hotel. I also did want to see a cave in either Arkansas or Missouri. Thankfully, there s a cave about fifty miles from my hotel in Mountain Home, AR.
View Larger Map
The Blanchard Springs Caverns is run by the U.S. Forest Service. It was open for tourism in the 1960s or 70s. It's located in the city of Fifty Six, AR (population 163). (Note that on my Spring trip to the southeast part of the country, I made a point to go to Ninety Six, South Carolina, just because of the name. But they had a bigger population.)
The Tour Guide's Humorous Warnings
The tour guide was humorous. Before we began the tour, she gave the usual warnings (don't touch anything other than the railing because skin oil harms cave formations, etc.). Then she gave the litter warning: whatever we bring in must come out with us. She made a point to say that this includes spouses and children. They could NOT be left in the cave!
Touring the Cave
The tour was great. The "rooms" were larger than the Lewis and Clark Caverns tour I took in Montana.
Many of the features of the cave in Montana were similar to this one. However, this cave had one thing I didn't see in MT - piles and piles of bat guano. There were gigantic mounds of it. The tour guide pointed out that bats had not regularly been in that part of the cave for around 100 years.
Although we didn't see them on this tour, human skeletons have been found in the cave. They were dated back to 890 (no, not 1890, but 890).
I was not sure how well the photos turned out. It appeared that my left contact lens was not very good. I have a habit of looking in the camera viewfinder with my left eye. I had a terrible time focusing. But it was the contact lens, not the camera. When I looked at the viewfinder with my right eye (and a better contact lens), I was able to use the camera's focus to get sharp photos. See cave photos. See photos of the visitor area.
Rental Car Damage Letter
After the nice cave tour, I received some upsetting news. A certified letter was mailed to me at home by Avis, the company from which I rented my vehicle. I was asked to provide insurance information and to notify my credit card that there would be additional charges due to damage to the rental car. I had ten days to provide the information. I had 72 hours to inspect the car. Now, the last time I swapped cars was in Idaho Falls, ID (the eastern side of the state). I was not headed in that direction and I couldn't possibly inspect the car in such a short time. This is a ridiculous time limit.
I had two incidents of damage to the car that Avis is aware of: the deer collision and the cracked windshield. The letter indicated it was from the time period of July 26 - August 24, so that implied that it was the deer incident. (I have a third incident of damage. During my visit to Kansas, someone backed into my car while I was leaving a restaurant. Nobody was hurt and the car can be driven, so I don't have to turn this in until the end of my trip. I got the driver's insurance information.)
I purchased the liability damage waiver from Avis. There is absolutely no need for me to provide Avis with my insurance company information. My insurance would only come into play if there was damage to someone else's property or an injured party. But for damage to the rental car, I was paying by the day to cover that. I would not easily be willing to provide them with that information. I don't need my insurance premiums to increase when I've been paying for LDW.
I read about nightmare scenerios on the Internet in cases when people did not purchase LDW. Rental car companies can be very creative with all sorts of subjective fees such as estimation fees (these people are employed by the company to do just that), loss of profit to the company for the vehicle being totaled, etc. All of these are above and beyond the replacement value of the vehicle. In the case of the deer incident, it is likely that the vehicle was auctioned off rather than repaired and reused by Avis. From what I have read, rental car company "creative" fees can come up to the same amount as the replacement value for the vehicle. The driver's insurance company will reject these fees since they are unreasonable. The rental car company will then go after the driver. In my case, if for some reason the LDW would not matter, I could be liable for $10,000 or more in creative fees. Obviously, for that amount, I would get a lawyer and fight it. I'd also go to the state insurance board and the attorney general since I paid for LDW. If this was what I would be facing, I'd cut this trip short and head directly home. There would be no sightseeing along the way.
The person listed in this letter could be reached at an 800 number in Virginia. By the time I called, she was gone for the day. I called the local rental office. The rep I spoke with was perplexed (her word) about this letter. But, she said that this is an issue that must go through corporate, and not through the local office. She said she had a copy of my agreement when I signed for LDW. She said she would be happy to provide it to corporate. She looked up the records and assumed the letter was due to the cracked windshield.
So, if this was about the windshield, that would not be a problem. Even if I was forced to pay, it was just a windshield replacement. They could not get very creative with that, and the vehicle was certainly not totaled. I began to feel better.
Fifty Six, AR
I decided to look at Fifty Six before I started the long drive to Marion, AR. There was a small cluster of buildings along the main road. There were some side roads but I didn't have time to see those. I stopped at a restaurant (yes, they had one in Fifty Six). On the entrance, it advertised catfish and steak. (Catfish seems to be advertised on the outside of a lot of restaurants in the region.) I was not in the mood for either and hoped they had other things. When I got there, the waitress listed the specials of the day. One of them was Mexican food. It was cheaper than any of the other meals. I decided to try it and then braced myself for the worst. Afterall, this was not a Mexican restaurant. They likely could not cook the food as good as a real Mexican restaurant. I also got nervous because I had a long drive ahead of me. How long might the food take, especially if Mexican food was not normal for them? I was surprised to find my food delivered in five minutes. It was not as authentic as what could be found at a real Mexican restaurant. But it was not bad at all.
Getting to the Hotel
Finding the hotel in Marion was an adventure. It was not in the GPS. The GPS did not like the address because it was along the I-55 service road. I pulled over and called the hotel. The instructions they provided were not so great either.
View Larger Map
What Recession?
Finally, I arrived. This was a brand new hotel. The clerk told indicated that they were only open for a month. She told me that I only got the room because I had a reservation. She was turning people away all night. So, I have to ask....what is this I hear about a "recession"? Why would a new hotel be built if we're in a recession? School is in session all over the country. Why would the hotel be so full that people were being turned away? It's not like this is the only hotel in the area. There were plenty of others around.
Note to Avis
Once I got into the hotel, I wrote a long email to the Avis employee who sent me the letter. I informed her that I had purchased the LDW and needed an explanation as to why I had to provide insurance company information. I told her that even the local rental office was perplexed and that they have proof that I purchased the LDW. I also pointed out that I am still renting the car and am over 1,000 miles away from home. Thus I could not fill out the papers or inspect the vehicle. Her response the next day was quite interesting. Stay tuned for a LONG posting for September 26th...
Sunday, September 28, 2008
September 24, 2008 - Eureka Springs, Arkansas
My major destination for today was Eureka Springs, Arkansas. Since the goal was to get home to the Northeast, obviously, going from Missouri to Arkansas is counterproductive. But, I wanted to see AR nonetheless. Last year, I only saw a tiny portion of the state in the northwest area.
I also visited a little bit of rural Missouri. I headed to Monett through some very twisty roads. You absolutely must pay attention because there are no guard rails and it's a long drop off. Night driving on these roads is probably not a good idea. At a certain point, the GPS again had me floating through empty space. It told me to turn left, then corrected itself after I had driven around ten miles. The GPS just does not like the Ozark Mountains.
After crossing into Arkansas, the road to Eureka Springs was also quite twisty. Guard rails were present more often. The drop-offs were much higher in this area. The GPS did not seem to have a problem with the roads there.
Eureka Springs is a tourist area. There are lots of little shops and hotels. There are tour buses as well. One hotel had a German restaurant. I started having fond memories of Leavenworth, Washington. I wished I had had time to eat there but I had a long drive to my next hotel.
Finding the Thorncrown Chapel
My first destination was the Thorncrown Chapel, which is a chapel made primarily of glass. There is metal and wood to support it. This is a nondenominational chapel in the woods. I missed the sign for it when I first drove into Eureka Springs. It's a few miles west of Eureka Springs. There is a tourism office and I was able to get directions and a map of the area from one of the tourist staffers.
Thorncrown Chapel
When I arrived at the Thorncrown Chapel, there was a greeter. She asks everyone where they come from before explaining the rules of the chapel. When I explained where I came from, she asked what I was doing all the way in Arkansas. I explained that I was finishing up a cross country trip (I forgot to mention that I was still 1,200+ miles away from home). The Thorncrown Chapel is a "sit down chapel." Photos are allowed but you must be seated. In the short time that I was there, a lot of people came in and out to pray. See the photos.
Eureka Springs
I briefly drove by the interesting shops in the downtown section. By the time I got to this area, they were mostly closed.
Eureka Springs has a play of our Lord's Passion. It was not being shown on Wednesdays, but is available other nights. There is an entire street named after the play. The area is huge and there are lots of vendors surrounding the play area.
Beautiful fountain
Before entering the play area, there is a beautiful fountain of the Holy Family. There are lots of gorgeous flowers surrounding the fountain. I've never seen most of the types of flowers that were present here. See the photos.
Chapel and piece of the Berlin Wall
Once I got to the statue area, there was a small chapel and a large piece of the Berlin Wall. I recall once seeing a very tiny piece of the Berlin Wall in school shortly after it came down. But this was the largest piece I've ever seen. See the photos.
The statue
Finally, I saw the statue. It's a simple statue with our Lord's Arms outstretched. There is also a viewing area of the Ozark Mountains nearby. See the photos.
The long drive to Mountain Home, AR
My hotel room for the night was in Mountain Home, AR. This was about 100 miles east. I was used to interstate speeds and figured this would be about two hours maximum. When I checked the GPS, it was well over two hours, bordering on three. There are no interstates and it was getting dark. I was a bit nervous about the drive, considering the twisty roads I encountered. But, I trusted in God and began driving. Thankfully, there were no twisty roads at this point. There were some mountainous areas in the distance. At one point, a large coyote considered crossing the road. I did not want to hit yet another animal. Thankfully, the coyote decided to wait until I passed by.
I also visited a little bit of rural Missouri. I headed to Monett through some very twisty roads. You absolutely must pay attention because there are no guard rails and it's a long drop off. Night driving on these roads is probably not a good idea. At a certain point, the GPS again had me floating through empty space. It told me to turn left, then corrected itself after I had driven around ten miles. The GPS just does not like the Ozark Mountains.
After crossing into Arkansas, the road to Eureka Springs was also quite twisty. Guard rails were present more often. The drop-offs were much higher in this area. The GPS did not seem to have a problem with the roads there.
Eureka Springs is a tourist area. There are lots of little shops and hotels. There are tour buses as well. One hotel had a German restaurant. I started having fond memories of Leavenworth, Washington. I wished I had had time to eat there but I had a long drive to my next hotel.
Finding the Thorncrown Chapel
My first destination was the Thorncrown Chapel, which is a chapel made primarily of glass. There is metal and wood to support it. This is a nondenominational chapel in the woods. I missed the sign for it when I first drove into Eureka Springs. It's a few miles west of Eureka Springs. There is a tourism office and I was able to get directions and a map of the area from one of the tourist staffers.
Thorncrown Chapel
When I arrived at the Thorncrown Chapel, there was a greeter. She asks everyone where they come from before explaining the rules of the chapel. When I explained where I came from, she asked what I was doing all the way in Arkansas. I explained that I was finishing up a cross country trip (I forgot to mention that I was still 1,200+ miles away from home). The Thorncrown Chapel is a "sit down chapel." Photos are allowed but you must be seated. In the short time that I was there, a lot of people came in and out to pray. See the photos.
Eureka Springs
I briefly drove by the interesting shops in the downtown section. By the time I got to this area, they were mostly closed.
Eureka Springs has a play of our Lord's Passion. It was not being shown on Wednesdays, but is available other nights. There is an entire street named after the play. The area is huge and there are lots of vendors surrounding the play area.
Beautiful fountain
Before entering the play area, there is a beautiful fountain of the Holy Family. There are lots of gorgeous flowers surrounding the fountain. I've never seen most of the types of flowers that were present here. See the photos.
Chapel and piece of the Berlin Wall
Once I got to the statue area, there was a small chapel and a large piece of the Berlin Wall. I recall once seeing a very tiny piece of the Berlin Wall in school shortly after it came down. But this was the largest piece I've ever seen. See the photos.
The statue
Finally, I saw the statue. It's a simple statue with our Lord's Arms outstretched. There is also a viewing area of the Ozark Mountains nearby. See the photos.
The long drive to Mountain Home, AR
My hotel room for the night was in Mountain Home, AR. This was about 100 miles east. I was used to interstate speeds and figured this would be about two hours maximum. When I checked the GPS, it was well over two hours, bordering on three. There are no interstates and it was getting dark. I was a bit nervous about the drive, considering the twisty roads I encountered. But, I trusted in God and began driving. Thankfully, there were no twisty roads at this point. There were some mountainous areas in the distance. At one point, a large coyote considered crossing the road. I did not want to hit yet another animal. Thankfully, the coyote decided to wait until I passed by.
September 23, 2008 - Branson, MO
I decided I'd stay a second night in Branson. Since shows happened at night I didn't want to have to drive through the twists and turns of the Ozarks in the dark in order to get to a hotel outside of Branson.
Branson has a main "strip" where all the shows take place. There are of course restaurants and souvenir shops as well. The surrounding roads have lots of billboards advertising specific shows. I noticed there was a 3pm show called "Legends in Concert." I misinterpreted the meaning of this. I thought it meant talking about legends in a musical setting. But, it was a 3pm show and I decided I'd go to see it since I had such limited time in Branson.
Springfield, MO
My first stop for the day was Springfield, MO. This is about an hour north of Branson. As I began, there was a scenic overlook for the Ozark Mountains. See the photos.Had I stayed at my job, I would likely be going to Springfield in early October for the Higher Education Web Development conference. I've attended it in Rochester, NY since 2005. This year it was moved to the University of Springfield. I didn't get to see much of Springfield because of the 3pm show I wanted to see back in Branson.
On the way up to Springfield, there were billboards advertising a Russell Stover store. I had never seen a whole store devoted to Russell Stover. I briefly stopped there. I tried a gourmet mint truffle. The center did not taste like mint at all.
Ozark Mountains
The Ozark Mountains are quite beautiful. They have some rock formations, but they're mostly covered with trees.
The Strip
Once I got back to Branson, I drove on the strip for the first time. It is a long, slow drive due to the amount of traffic. There is so much to do and see on the strip. It's like Las Vegas with the shows, except it doesn't have any gigantic hotels. It also does not have any gambling.
Hollywood Wax Museum
Before I got to the Legends in Concert show, I stopped at the Hollywood Wax Museum. I didn't actually tour the museum, but I took photos of the outside of the building. They have a tacky/humorous equivalent to Mount Rushmore, on a much smaller scale. See the photos.
Legends in Concert show
When I went to the Legends in Concert ticket office, I found that these are imitators of famous performers such as Elvis, Liza Minelli, etc. It wasn't what I initially thought it was. But, it was too late to go to any other afternoon shows and I was interested in seeing something. I bought a ticket.
The first act was an imitator of Garth Brooks. He tried to excite the audience by occasionally getting into the faces of various elderly women and singing directly to them. Then he walked behind some of the chairs and just poured his water bottle all over people (thankfully, not me). There were two large televisions showing the real Garth Brooks performing. On the stage in Branson, there were dancers who are used in all the acts. The imitator then asked people to dance, claiming that he wanted to break the record from yesterday's performance and get at least fifty couples out there. After the dance, he announced that a record had been broken because this is the first time in his act that anyone danced.
After "Garth Brooks" was done, "Liza Minelli" came out. This was even cheesier. She actually talked about "her" awards and "her" career. (The Garth Brooks imitator simply played the music and did ridiculous stunts.) While I can understand the imitation singing part, I kind of thought the idea of talking as if she was the real Liza Minelli was over the top.
At various points in the Liza Minelli act, I decided that this was all I could take. I just was not being entertained by this. But, I didn't want to be rude and walk out. However, I noticed someone else walking in with popcorn. So, since she left without disturbing anyone, I decided to do the same. Yes, I did not get the full value of the ticket, but this was becoming a waste of my time. I have never seen an imitation act before and probably never would again. It simply does not appeal to me.
I drove to the next hotel. I went to a different hotel even though I was staying in Branson again because it would allow me to get more points. This hotel actually gave discounts for some of the shows. But, the discounts didn't apply to anything that seemed to interest me. The hotel would even obtain reservations for their customers.
White House Theatre
There is a White House Theatre which looks like a tacky version of the real White House. They have breakfast and dinner shows. See the photos.
Dinner Shows
On the way to the hotel, I did see an ad for a dinner show that seemed interesting. But I assumed you could just walk in at any old time and catch part of the show. The show started at 5pm and I didn't get there until 5:30. I then realized that I should have been there at 5pm because everything is scheduled.
I then became interested in the Tall Timber Logger Show. This is one of those shows where loggers spin on logs in water. From the video I had seen on the Internet, this is more like the "bloopers." They purposely fall in the water in humorous ways. A show like this is of course not in one of the small theatres on the strip. It's a few miles out, near a dam. I called DiscoverBranson.com to see if it was too late to get tickets. The person answering the phone could not seem to provide me with any info and then finally said the show wasn't happening at this point. That conflicted with the dates given on papers provided to me by the hotel. I called the hotel, but the staff member who handled show reservations had already left for the day. I tried driving out there based on the map but I couldn't find anything.
On the way back, I noticed a historical show called Sons of the Pioneers. I thought I might try that. But, by the time I got there, I was informed that dinner was already in progress. Seating for dinner began at 3:45pm! By that time it was about 6:30pm.
In the end, I went to a restaurant. I had a nice meal. There was a singer there. He was advertising teeth sparklers and announced that one of the employees came from New York just to demonstrate them. That perked my ears up a bit, though I later found that he just says these sorts of things. On another occasion, he "introduced" a waitress. He said her name was Flo. Then he said "Come on Flo, tell everyone 'Kiss my grits!'" (reference to the 70s show Alice).
I went to purchase some postcards at a souvenir shop. They were priced at 25 cents each. The clerk joked that if I paid 50 cents each, he'd buy me dinner at Taco Bell.
Lights on the Strip
As I made my way back to the hotel, I could see all the lights on the buildings on the strip. It's definitely like a miniature version of Las Vegas, minus the gambling. I could have gone to a late show, but by then I was just tired and ready to go back. I also just don't think these kinds of shows would really be that interesting to me. I was looking forward to moving on the next day. Northern Arkansas was next on my trip.
Branson has a main "strip" where all the shows take place. There are of course restaurants and souvenir shops as well. The surrounding roads have lots of billboards advertising specific shows. I noticed there was a 3pm show called "Legends in Concert." I misinterpreted the meaning of this. I thought it meant talking about legends in a musical setting. But, it was a 3pm show and I decided I'd go to see it since I had such limited time in Branson.
Springfield, MO
My first stop for the day was Springfield, MO. This is about an hour north of Branson. As I began, there was a scenic overlook for the Ozark Mountains. See the photos.Had I stayed at my job, I would likely be going to Springfield in early October for the Higher Education Web Development conference. I've attended it in Rochester, NY since 2005. This year it was moved to the University of Springfield. I didn't get to see much of Springfield because of the 3pm show I wanted to see back in Branson.
On the way up to Springfield, there were billboards advertising a Russell Stover store. I had never seen a whole store devoted to Russell Stover. I briefly stopped there. I tried a gourmet mint truffle. The center did not taste like mint at all.
Ozark Mountains
The Ozark Mountains are quite beautiful. They have some rock formations, but they're mostly covered with trees.
The Strip
Once I got back to Branson, I drove on the strip for the first time. It is a long, slow drive due to the amount of traffic. There is so much to do and see on the strip. It's like Las Vegas with the shows, except it doesn't have any gigantic hotels. It also does not have any gambling.
Hollywood Wax Museum
Before I got to the Legends in Concert show, I stopped at the Hollywood Wax Museum. I didn't actually tour the museum, but I took photos of the outside of the building. They have a tacky/humorous equivalent to Mount Rushmore, on a much smaller scale. See the photos.
Legends in Concert show
When I went to the Legends in Concert ticket office, I found that these are imitators of famous performers such as Elvis, Liza Minelli, etc. It wasn't what I initially thought it was. But, it was too late to go to any other afternoon shows and I was interested in seeing something. I bought a ticket.
The first act was an imitator of Garth Brooks. He tried to excite the audience by occasionally getting into the faces of various elderly women and singing directly to them. Then he walked behind some of the chairs and just poured his water bottle all over people (thankfully, not me). There were two large televisions showing the real Garth Brooks performing. On the stage in Branson, there were dancers who are used in all the acts. The imitator then asked people to dance, claiming that he wanted to break the record from yesterday's performance and get at least fifty couples out there. After the dance, he announced that a record had been broken because this is the first time in his act that anyone danced.
After "Garth Brooks" was done, "Liza Minelli" came out. This was even cheesier. She actually talked about "her" awards and "her" career. (The Garth Brooks imitator simply played the music and did ridiculous stunts.) While I can understand the imitation singing part, I kind of thought the idea of talking as if she was the real Liza Minelli was over the top.
At various points in the Liza Minelli act, I decided that this was all I could take. I just was not being entertained by this. But, I didn't want to be rude and walk out. However, I noticed someone else walking in with popcorn. So, since she left without disturbing anyone, I decided to do the same. Yes, I did not get the full value of the ticket, but this was becoming a waste of my time. I have never seen an imitation act before and probably never would again. It simply does not appeal to me.
I drove to the next hotel. I went to a different hotel even though I was staying in Branson again because it would allow me to get more points. This hotel actually gave discounts for some of the shows. But, the discounts didn't apply to anything that seemed to interest me. The hotel would even obtain reservations for their customers.
White House Theatre
There is a White House Theatre which looks like a tacky version of the real White House. They have breakfast and dinner shows. See the photos.
Dinner Shows
On the way to the hotel, I did see an ad for a dinner show that seemed interesting. But I assumed you could just walk in at any old time and catch part of the show. The show started at 5pm and I didn't get there until 5:30. I then realized that I should have been there at 5pm because everything is scheduled.
I then became interested in the Tall Timber Logger Show. This is one of those shows where loggers spin on logs in water. From the video I had seen on the Internet, this is more like the "bloopers." They purposely fall in the water in humorous ways. A show like this is of course not in one of the small theatres on the strip. It's a few miles out, near a dam. I called DiscoverBranson.com to see if it was too late to get tickets. The person answering the phone could not seem to provide me with any info and then finally said the show wasn't happening at this point. That conflicted with the dates given on papers provided to me by the hotel. I called the hotel, but the staff member who handled show reservations had already left for the day. I tried driving out there based on the map but I couldn't find anything.
On the way back, I noticed a historical show called Sons of the Pioneers. I thought I might try that. But, by the time I got there, I was informed that dinner was already in progress. Seating for dinner began at 3:45pm! By that time it was about 6:30pm.
In the end, I went to a restaurant. I had a nice meal. There was a singer there. He was advertising teeth sparklers and announced that one of the employees came from New York just to demonstrate them. That perked my ears up a bit, though I later found that he just says these sorts of things. On another occasion, he "introduced" a waitress. He said her name was Flo. Then he said "Come on Flo, tell everyone 'Kiss my grits!'" (reference to the 70s show Alice).
I went to purchase some postcards at a souvenir shop. They were priced at 25 cents each. The clerk joked that if I paid 50 cents each, he'd buy me dinner at Taco Bell.
Lights on the Strip
As I made my way back to the hotel, I could see all the lights on the buildings on the strip. It's definitely like a miniature version of Las Vegas, minus the gambling. I could have gone to a late show, but by then I was just tired and ready to go back. I also just don't think these kinds of shows would really be that interesting to me. I was looking forward to moving on the next day. Northern Arkansas was next on my trip.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
September 22, 2008 - Wichita to Branson, MO
I spoke with the person who handles mini-leases at the rental office. He said I could extend the vehicle for less than a month. There is a flat day rate no matter how many days I chose to rent.
Since I did not have to rent for a month, I elected to skip Texas and Oklahoma. They're both out of the way for me. Although it would be nice to add Texas, I can see it on another day. I chose to go through southern Missouri instead.
I had some errands to take care of in Wichita and then I would be on my way. The errands took me through the aerospace industrial area. My friend had shown me this area on my first or second visit to Wichita years ago.
My destination for the evening was Branson, MO. Branson has all sorts of live shows year around. They even have an amusement park called Silver Dollar City which operates year round. It would be over five hours with no stops at all. I was leaving around 1pm. I thought that if I did it without any stops beyond gas, I could make it in time for a show.
View Larger Map
Wichita is a huge, sprawling city with a population of over 350,000. For the most part, neighborhoods consist of homes with a tenth acre piece of land. There are of course lots of business and shopping areas. After spending so much time there, I was not happy with the surroundings. Once I got out into the country and saw the rolling hills, farmland, etc., I felt so much better. It was great to start seeing these things again after two weeks of just seeing a sprawling city. I guess I simply like small towns and wide open spaces as opposed to medium and large cities.
I had driven these roads when going TO Wichita from Missouri. But in both instances (September 2006 and July 2007) I drove it at night. It was great to see all of this beauty in the daytime. Of course, in this case I was going in the opposite direction.
Oklahoma visit - the cheesiest token visit yet
As I looked at the GPS, I noticed the Oklahoma state line was very close to my path. I decided I couldn't resist making a token visit to OK. When it came time to do this, the GPS went crazy, screaming "Recalculating" over and over. Since I was headed east, going directly south was not making the GPS happy.
I drove into Oklahoma near Coffeyville, KS. I spent only a few minutes there. There was basically nothing in the area other than the road. Finally, I found a place to turn around and head back to Kansas. This has got to be the cheesiest "token visit" to a state yet. I did not even buy gas or postcards in OK since there was no place to buy anything. But, in any event, I can now say Oklahoma was (briefly) a part of this trip.
Once I got into Missouri, for old time's sake, I stopped at a familiar truckstop in Joplin. In 2006, when I just wanted an excuse to say I had visited Missouri, this is where I stopped and had dinner. Then I said I had been to MO and took a four hour trip back to Wichita. At least this time I will have real destinations.
I stopped at a few more places along I-44 as I drove further. Each stop cut into the time. I finally realized I wasn't going to see any shows in Branson that evening.
There was about an hour of driving once I got off I-44. This is the Ozark Mountains area. There were lots of twists and turns in the road. It reminded me a bit of West Virginia since they have the same situation.
The GPS doesn't like the Ozarks. On at least one occasion, they GPS showed me driving in empty space with the road running parallel to the area where I was driving. This got me nervous as I couldn't tell where the hotel would be located. Finally, the GPS began to realize that I actually was driving on a road. It was and got me to the hotel.
By the time I arrived, it was 9:45 pm or so. I definitely missed any opportunities for shows in Branson by then. But, I was exhausted anyway.
Since I did not have to rent for a month, I elected to skip Texas and Oklahoma. They're both out of the way for me. Although it would be nice to add Texas, I can see it on another day. I chose to go through southern Missouri instead.
I had some errands to take care of in Wichita and then I would be on my way. The errands took me through the aerospace industrial area. My friend had shown me this area on my first or second visit to Wichita years ago.
My destination for the evening was Branson, MO. Branson has all sorts of live shows year around. They even have an amusement park called Silver Dollar City which operates year round. It would be over five hours with no stops at all. I was leaving around 1pm. I thought that if I did it without any stops beyond gas, I could make it in time for a show.
View Larger Map
Wichita is a huge, sprawling city with a population of over 350,000. For the most part, neighborhoods consist of homes with a tenth acre piece of land. There are of course lots of business and shopping areas. After spending so much time there, I was not happy with the surroundings. Once I got out into the country and saw the rolling hills, farmland, etc., I felt so much better. It was great to start seeing these things again after two weeks of just seeing a sprawling city. I guess I simply like small towns and wide open spaces as opposed to medium and large cities.
I had driven these roads when going TO Wichita from Missouri. But in both instances (September 2006 and July 2007) I drove it at night. It was great to see all of this beauty in the daytime. Of course, in this case I was going in the opposite direction.
Oklahoma visit - the cheesiest token visit yet
As I looked at the GPS, I noticed the Oklahoma state line was very close to my path. I decided I couldn't resist making a token visit to OK. When it came time to do this, the GPS went crazy, screaming "Recalculating" over and over. Since I was headed east, going directly south was not making the GPS happy.
I drove into Oklahoma near Coffeyville, KS. I spent only a few minutes there. There was basically nothing in the area other than the road. Finally, I found a place to turn around and head back to Kansas. This has got to be the cheesiest "token visit" to a state yet. I did not even buy gas or postcards in OK since there was no place to buy anything. But, in any event, I can now say Oklahoma was (briefly) a part of this trip.
Once I got into Missouri, for old time's sake, I stopped at a familiar truckstop in Joplin. In 2006, when I just wanted an excuse to say I had visited Missouri, this is where I stopped and had dinner. Then I said I had been to MO and took a four hour trip back to Wichita. At least this time I will have real destinations.
I stopped at a few more places along I-44 as I drove further. Each stop cut into the time. I finally realized I wasn't going to see any shows in Branson that evening.
There was about an hour of driving once I got off I-44. This is the Ozark Mountains area. There were lots of twists and turns in the road. It reminded me a bit of West Virginia since they have the same situation.
The GPS doesn't like the Ozarks. On at least one occasion, they GPS showed me driving in empty space with the road running parallel to the area where I was driving. This got me nervous as I couldn't tell where the hotel would be located. Finally, the GPS began to realize that I actually was driving on a road. It was and got me to the hotel.
By the time I arrived, it was 9:45 pm or so. I definitely missed any opportunities for shows in Branson by then. But, I was exhausted anyway.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
September 9 - 21, 2008: Wichita, Kansas
I spent all of this time in Wichita, resting up and doing some volunteer work. I was also figuring out where I would go from that point. Obviously, I would head east. But, there were many possible routes.
The most sensible route home would be to go back up to Kansas City, then through St. Louis, Springfield, IL, and then through Indiana and Ohio, eventually getting up to I-90. This would be B-O-R-I-N-G. I already drove up to Kansas City and I did not feel like doing it again. Besides, there are a number of places I wanted to see that are east of Wichita and didn't happen to be on that path.
The rental car was initially due back on September 24th. By waiting until September 22nd, there would be absolutely no way to get the car back home in two days. The clerks available over the weekend thought the only possibility would be to rent for an additional month since I was on a monthly rental. If that was the case, I would have a car for several more weeks. I didn't feel like letting it just sit in the driveway until I got home (you can't turn a car in early or else it will cost extra). So, I came up with the idea of adding Oklahoma and Texas to this trip. This would be my first ever visit to Texas. I also thought about making a token visit to Louisiana (due to lack of time and the potential for a hurricane) just to add that state to my list of visited states (it's one of only six remaining unvisited states).
The gas shortages happening as a result of Hurricane Ike had me worried. Indiana, Georgia, Virginia, and various other states were being hit hard. Gas was actually being rationed in Indiana. It's good that I decided against the most sensible route since that would take me through Indiana. Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Missouri did not at all seem to be affected. The price for gas (according to the gas price temperature map) in these states seemed to be quite cheap.
The most sensible route home would be to go back up to Kansas City, then through St. Louis, Springfield, IL, and then through Indiana and Ohio, eventually getting up to I-90. This would be B-O-R-I-N-G. I already drove up to Kansas City and I did not feel like doing it again. Besides, there are a number of places I wanted to see that are east of Wichita and didn't happen to be on that path.
The rental car was initially due back on September 24th. By waiting until September 22nd, there would be absolutely no way to get the car back home in two days. The clerks available over the weekend thought the only possibility would be to rent for an additional month since I was on a monthly rental. If that was the case, I would have a car for several more weeks. I didn't feel like letting it just sit in the driveway until I got home (you can't turn a car in early or else it will cost extra). So, I came up with the idea of adding Oklahoma and Texas to this trip. This would be my first ever visit to Texas. I also thought about making a token visit to Louisiana (due to lack of time and the potential for a hurricane) just to add that state to my list of visited states (it's one of only six remaining unvisited states).
The gas shortages happening as a result of Hurricane Ike had me worried. Indiana, Georgia, Virginia, and various other states were being hit hard. Gas was actually being rationed in Indiana. It's good that I decided against the most sensible route since that would take me through Indiana. Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Missouri did not at all seem to be affected. The price for gas (according to the gas price temperature map) in these states seemed to be quite cheap.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
September 8, 2008 - Independence, MO: Harry Truman's Home
I headed from Lee's Summit (a suburb of Kansas City) to Independence, Missouri. As I drove, I saw a sign for Raytown, MO. I really never thought Raytown, MO actually existed. It's the location where the show Mama's Family took place. This was a skit on the Carol Burnett variety show in the 60s/70s which later became a brief spinoff.
View Larger Map
Independence, MO
Independence, MO is the home of President Harry Truman. It's in the northwest area of Missouri. This is the first presidential home I've visited on this trip, and possibly the only one. The only other place associated with a president that I visited on this trip was Medora, ND, (blog entry, photos)which is associated with Theodore Roosevelt. Of course, I also saw Mount Rushmore (blog posting, photos).
Something Somewhat Familiar
On the outskirts of Independence, I saw a familiar name: Price Chopper. It's a grocery store. But from the outside it looks nothing like the Price Chopper we all know. See the photos.
It should be noted that in my trip to southern Missouri two weeks later, I saw stores called Price Cutter. I don't have any photos of those.
Downtown Independence
The downtown section of Independence celebrates Harry Truman. There are banners around the city. There is a statue of Truman near the courthouse. There are signs pointing out where to buy tickets to see his home. The home is owned by the National Park Service. Tickets can be purchased in a building several blocks from the actual home. Specific tour times are given. When I obtained my ticket (for free since I have the national parks annual pass), a couple were scheduled for the same tour time. They bought tickets but never actually showed up at the house. See the photos.
The weather was quite cold. The park ranger said that it should be in the 90s at this point. It was in the 50s with very light rain. I had to wear a jacket.
Clinton Soda Fountain
Since it would be a while before my tour started, I went to the Clinton Soda Fountain. This has historic significance because Harry Truman had his first job there. They sold memorabilia related to Truman in addition to selling sandwiches and desserts. I had a root beer float (to be expected in an old fashioned soda fountain).
Tour Started Early
When I arrived for the tour, I still had ten minutes to wait. The park ranger saw my car parked and had me come in about ten minutes early. It was the last tour of the day and I think she wanted to finish up since the weather was getting bad.
Truman's Home
Photographs were not allowed. When standing on the porch of the home, you could look in the garage. Truman's car was parked in the garage and has not been driven since 1972 when he last drove it. Much of the home has been preserved as best as possible from the time the Trumans lived there. Even things like the toaster used by the Trumans is still on the table.
Harry Truman's coat and hat are still hanging from the last time he used them. Bess Truman specifically wanted them to remain that way. When I walked over to look at them, the park ranger informed me that the exact spot where I was standing was where Harry Truman stood when he received word that North Korea had invaded South Korea.
There are a lot of intricate details on the walls of the house. The metal work on the doors is also quite intricate. But the interesting thing is that the home has what looks like the crest symbol of the National Park Service in various spots. At first I thought the Park Service had actually added it. But the ranger pointed out that absolutely nothing can be changed in the house. That symbol was there long before Truman ever thought about being Vice President.
Presidents Nixon and Carter both visited Bess Truman. There is a couch in one of the rooms where both of them sat over the years.
Privacy Fence
After Truman left the presidency, the neighbors all welcomed him. However, they would crowd around the house at all hours. A fence had to be constructed for distance. People would still crowd around the fence. There is a study and Truman would spend his days there. When the light went out, people would know he retired for the evening.
Up to the end of his life, Truman took a walk for at least a mile every day. The coat and hat were left hanging after his final walk.
The tour only included the main floor. The upstairs was currently undergoing repairs, though I'm not sure if it's ever actually part of the tour.
Other Possible Presidential Homes on This Trip
President Truman is chronologically the most recent president whose home I have visited. Before this trip is over, I could visit Benjamin Harrison's (#23) home in Indianapolis, IN. But, I probably won't due to the gas shortages in Indiana. I might visit James Madison's home in Montpelier Station, VA, for a second time. His home was being renovated last time I visited and the work was expected to be completed by September 17, 2008 (Constitution Day). It all depends on where I choose to go on my way home.
The Drive Back to Wichita
It would be a three hour drive back to Wichita. I drove most of that route back to Wichita last August when I was going to Wichita from Omaha, NE.
View Larger Map
I dropped into Olathe, KS, on the way back. I was only there briefly.
By the time I got back to Wichita, I was totally exhausted.
View Larger Map
Independence, MO
Independence, MO is the home of President Harry Truman. It's in the northwest area of Missouri. This is the first presidential home I've visited on this trip, and possibly the only one. The only other place associated with a president that I visited on this trip was Medora, ND, (blog entry, photos)which is associated with Theodore Roosevelt. Of course, I also saw Mount Rushmore (blog posting, photos).
Something Somewhat Familiar
On the outskirts of Independence, I saw a familiar name: Price Chopper. It's a grocery store. But from the outside it looks nothing like the Price Chopper we all know. See the photos.
It should be noted that in my trip to southern Missouri two weeks later, I saw stores called Price Cutter. I don't have any photos of those.
Downtown Independence
The downtown section of Independence celebrates Harry Truman. There are banners around the city. There is a statue of Truman near the courthouse. There are signs pointing out where to buy tickets to see his home. The home is owned by the National Park Service. Tickets can be purchased in a building several blocks from the actual home. Specific tour times are given. When I obtained my ticket (for free since I have the national parks annual pass), a couple were scheduled for the same tour time. They bought tickets but never actually showed up at the house. See the photos.
The weather was quite cold. The park ranger said that it should be in the 90s at this point. It was in the 50s with very light rain. I had to wear a jacket.
Clinton Soda Fountain
Since it would be a while before my tour started, I went to the Clinton Soda Fountain. This has historic significance because Harry Truman had his first job there. They sold memorabilia related to Truman in addition to selling sandwiches and desserts. I had a root beer float (to be expected in an old fashioned soda fountain).
Tour Started Early
When I arrived for the tour, I still had ten minutes to wait. The park ranger saw my car parked and had me come in about ten minutes early. It was the last tour of the day and I think she wanted to finish up since the weather was getting bad.
Truman's Home
Photographs were not allowed. When standing on the porch of the home, you could look in the garage. Truman's car was parked in the garage and has not been driven since 1972 when he last drove it. Much of the home has been preserved as best as possible from the time the Trumans lived there. Even things like the toaster used by the Trumans is still on the table.
Harry Truman's coat and hat are still hanging from the last time he used them. Bess Truman specifically wanted them to remain that way. When I walked over to look at them, the park ranger informed me that the exact spot where I was standing was where Harry Truman stood when he received word that North Korea had invaded South Korea.
There are a lot of intricate details on the walls of the house. The metal work on the doors is also quite intricate. But the interesting thing is that the home has what looks like the crest symbol of the National Park Service in various spots. At first I thought the Park Service had actually added it. But the ranger pointed out that absolutely nothing can be changed in the house. That symbol was there long before Truman ever thought about being Vice President.
Presidents Nixon and Carter both visited Bess Truman. There is a couch in one of the rooms where both of them sat over the years.
Privacy Fence
After Truman left the presidency, the neighbors all welcomed him. However, they would crowd around the house at all hours. A fence had to be constructed for distance. People would still crowd around the fence. There is a study and Truman would spend his days there. When the light went out, people would know he retired for the evening.
Up to the end of his life, Truman took a walk for at least a mile every day. The coat and hat were left hanging after his final walk.
The tour only included the main floor. The upstairs was currently undergoing repairs, though I'm not sure if it's ever actually part of the tour.
Other Possible Presidential Homes on This Trip
President Truman is chronologically the most recent president whose home I have visited. Before this trip is over, I could visit Benjamin Harrison's (#23) home in Indianapolis, IN. But, I probably won't due to the gas shortages in Indiana. I might visit James Madison's home in Montpelier Station, VA, for a second time. His home was being renovated last time I visited and the work was expected to be completed by September 17, 2008 (Constitution Day). It all depends on where I choose to go on my way home.
The Drive Back to Wichita
It would be a three hour drive back to Wichita. I drove most of that route back to Wichita last August when I was going to Wichita from Omaha, NE.
View Larger Map
I dropped into Olathe, KS, on the way back. I was only there briefly.
By the time I got back to Wichita, I was totally exhausted.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)