Day 5: Springfield, MO --> Kansas --> Denver

Saturday morning, up with the sunrise to get an early start. First stop, Panera Bread for some coffee and to map out our route to Denver via Kansas City. What a long drive! It was a beautiful and scenic drive from Springfield to Kansas City through farmlands and past reflecting waterways. The Kansas City Post Office at Union Station is in a magnificent building. Not your usual tourist stop, but it was a needed one to make some room in the car. You never know who might need a ride ;) wink, wink

Unpack, repack, box up, and send off…. finally ready to hit the road to Denver!

Now what was it that Erica said we needed to see in Kansas?….Oh yeah, “The world’s largest prairie dog.” Looking forward to that one. Magda took a snooze in the car and Jen kept seeing road signs for the “Oz Museum” and thought a pit stop was in order. WTF mate?! Yes, there is a real “OZ” in Kansas. We found the “Emerald City” about nine miles off I-70 in the midst of cornfields. “OZ” is disguised as a town called Wamego.

We toured the town in seven minutes: Wizard of Oz Museum and OZ Winery were highlights of our tour. Too bad we were a week early for “Oztoberfest”!! <---click here!

ORIGINAL MUNCHKINS!!!

<--Us with Lori at post office and Us with Brooke at Oz Winery in Wamego, KS!

Back on the road. The owner from the OZ Winery, Brooke, also suggested we stop to see the “world’s largest prairie dog.”

Driving through Kansas, as hundreds of bugs went splat, splat, splat just like rain on the windshield, we began to realize that the possibility of seeing the infamous “world’s largest prairie dog” may not happen as the sun began to go down and the darkness set in very quickly.

Dang it! It was too dark to see and the home of the “world’s largest prairie dog” was closed. So if you’re following along and you decide to embark on your own adventure through Kansas, please make sure you take a picture of the “world’s largest prairie dog” for us.

Finally, we reach our destination…Denver! Time to get a good night’s rest and see the city tomorrow.

Interesting Things Seen and to Contemplate:

1. Did we miss anything in Kansas besides Oz and not seeing the world’s largest prairie dog?
2. Did you know there is a Kansas City in Missouri and in Kansas? Whoulda thunk it???
3. In Oz: Toto’s Tacoz is a must see!
4. Brown v Board of Education National Historic Site is in Kansas.
5. Lots of WINDMILLS in Kansas, not a lot of wind…
6. There should be a taco battle between "Toto's Tacoz" of Kansas Vs. "Tito's Tacos" of California!
   

Vs.

Famous Road Quotes:

1. Magda: where are we?

Jen: on the road to Oz of course!

2. Jen: there are Amish people in Missouri??

Next stop:
Somewhere between Denver and Las Vegas...hmm??

Day 4: Memphis --> Springfield, MO

We apologize for the delay on the posting. Between one city to the next, this trip has been more exhausting than we anticipated.

Good morning Graceland! You can’t leave Memphis without paying a visit to the home of the King of Rock n’ Roll... Elvis Presley’s Graceland! Took a moment to watch a little TV and eat a grilled peanut butter and banana sandwich at Graceland. Jen made sure to make her mark on the surrounding walls of Graceland.

“Quick Jen, let’s get outta here! I’ve got the gold phone!!”

We hit the road like bandits and lost the troopers in Arkansas…

Hmm…speaking of Arkansas, I’m hungry for some KFC and Taco Bell. Wonder if they have a KFC-Taco Bell Buffet around here? As a matter of fact they sure do…

Arkansas…what’s to see in Arkansas? Anyone know? Did we miss some major landmark or attraction that we should have stopped for? It was a beautiful scenic drive through Arkansas to Missouri.

Just passed the Arkansas-Missouri border we saw this sign:

I guess Missouri workers are more expendable than in Illinois where it was $10,000 + 14 years of jail time.

New York is known for its cheesecake, Chicago for its deep dish pizza, Memphis for its BBQ, and Springfield Missouri… “cashew chicken!” (Just ask the locals! They’ll tell you the same.) Jen and I passed on the infamous cashew chicken. We had a great time with a few of my Missouri friends!

Thanks Erica and Darcy for the comfy accommodations and hospitality!

Interesting Things Seen and to Contemplate:

1. Arkansas trees are scary, they look like forest monsters just like Missouri trees!!
2. They grow rice in Arkansas.
3. Do you pronounce "warm" just like "farm"?
   
4. Kum n’ Go

Famous Road Quotes:

These were said by friends whom shall remain anonymous to avoid any “HIPAA” violations. ;)

1. Herbivore friend: “Did you know cholesterol is only found in animal products?”
Omnivore friend’s response: “Did you know taste is only found in meat?!”

2. “Baby Face” to Mr. Paul: “What do you mean I have to ‘experience’ Katy?”

Mr. Paul’s response: “There’s not enough Whiskey in the state of Missouri to do her!”

3. Omnivore friend-2 to Herbivore friend: "What's in a 'vegan cookie'? Does that mean it's made with marajuana?"

Next Stop:

On the road again...Here we go, Springfield to Denver!

Erica said we should stop and see the worlds largest prairie dog in Kansas.

Day 3: St. Louis --> Memphis

After getting off to a great start on this road trip, we woke up this morning and were exhausted!! It may have something to do with all the food we ate in Chicago and then the long drive through all the corn fields of Illinois...

After a lazy start we made it to downtown St. Louis for pictures of the Gateway Arch and lunch at City Gourmet.




We wanted to get Ted Drewe's Famous Frozen Custard, but alas, they close after Labor Day for the winter. Boo on Drewe's!! :-PP


We hit the road to Memphis and more fun roadside pictures!










We finally made it to Memphis and got some of the best BBQ at Neely's in West Memphis!




Shout out to Anthony at Neely's for great service!!


After having full tummies we went over to Beale Street to walk around and check out the sights, see our pictures below:











Interesting Things Seen and to Contemplate:
1. Missouri trees are scary, they look like forest monsters!! Would love to show you, but could never get a good picture...
2. What crops are grown in Arkansas? Anybody finds out the answer to this and they win a road souvenir.
3. Saw a KFC/Taco Bell BUFFET in Arkansas...really?

Famous Road Quotes:
1. Jen: sniffing the air, then sniffing herself, then looking at Magda says "Magda!!! YOU stink! Do you want me to Febreeze you?"


Next Stop:
Graceland in the morning and then back to Missouri to visit Springfield!