Searching for Proper Barbecue - Colorado to Georgia

Quite literally in the middle of Kansas, 600 feet below the surface of Hutchinson, a Strataca Salt Mine tour guide asked me if I enjoyed Roy's BBQ for lunch. Bemused, I learned that Roys has such a distinct smell and the salt mine is devoid of smells, so tour guides quickly learn this approach with tourists. Strataca and Roys, or odd sites and barbecue were the treats on this road trip but the underlying purpose was for a move.

Michael at the Strataca Salt Mine.

My father-in-law (Michael) and I were in Kansas because our calling was to relocate one of our cars from Monument, Colorado to Atlanta, Georgia. The four-day journey was punctuated with a handful of museums and a superb selection of barbecue joints.

We set out from the Denver airport in the late afternoon and drove four hours to our first waypoint in Colby, Kansas. En route, we enjoyed a picnic dinner at the surprisingly well appointed Limon Railroad Park (by donation).

Day two's first stop was the Fort Hays State Historic Park. The buildings and exhibits are very well done. For young visitors, there is a 'bison herd' across the street (with bison numbering just a few). Plan 1-2 hours at this attraction. From Fort Hays, we drove to Hutchinson, Kansas for the Strataca Salt Mine. This was a major waypoint during the trip planning: where else can you descend 600 feet into the crust of the Earth to view an active salt mine? It turns out that the salt vein stretches into New Mexico, but this is the best way to get up-close to the operation.

An industrial elevator carries both workers and tourists down under. The tourist portion of the mine is sectioned off for safety. Tourists get to see dioramas containing mining equipment and the blasting techniques used to excavate salt from the mine - the salt is used mainly for ice removal. The underground gift shop has free wifi and there are a couple of add-ons for your visit. Tourists can ride the mine train in a loop that shows more of the mine or you can book a seat on the tram tour, which also shows more of the mine.

BBQ is an American treasure.

The Strataca Salt Mine was such a great stop that Michael and I decided to check out the other local Hutchinson attraction: the Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center. We expected a couple of planes and some cheap displays but we were instead treated to a plethora of rare air and space artifacts. The museum's motto, "Out of this World. Right in the Heart of Kansas" is an appropriate saying. Aside from the Smithsonian collection, the Kansas Cosmosphere impressed me more than any air and space museum I have seen (including the National Museum of the USAF, Seattle's Museum of Flight and many others). To quantify my claim, know that the museum collection contains a spacecraft from Mercury, Gemini and Apollo (Liberty Bell 7, Gemini 10 and Apollo 13).

Ending a big second day of the trip in Wichita gave us the opportunity to ride the free downtown tram to Old Town where we enjoyed excellent pizza and local brews at Public.

Day three was a 450 mile push from Wichita to Little Rock but we found time for a few diversions. The first was Fort Smith National Historic Site where Michael was able to purchase his National Park System Senior Pass. Ten bucks gets you free access to all National Park properties for the rest of your life (seniors include those 62 and over). The Fort Smith prison, gallows and courtroom are all available for viewing. Kids love romping around the grounds to see the out-buildings and the neighboring Arkansas River. Tip: Pick up lunch at the Garrison Pointe Market, which is walking distance from Fort Smith (it is in a gas station, but those who know of the Whoa Nellie Deli know the deal). In Little Rock, we tried Sims BBQ but were thoroughly disappointed. 

Elvis's Birthplace in Tupelo, Mississippi.

Day four's drive was from Little Rock to Atlanta. The main diversion was Elvis's Birthplace in Tupelo, Mississippi. Most fans visit Graceland but I found ticket prices there to be obscenely expensive. The Tupelo museum and home were small enough to visit in 1-2 hours and were right on our route to Atlanta. In Tupelo, we tried and liked BBQ by Jim. This joint was a meat and two sides type of place with excellent sauce and a family-focused orientation.

TripTips:

1. Stock the car with cold beverages and healthy snacks.

2. Plan activities in cities between your lodging locations. Most attractions do not open until 9am or 10am, so you will lose lots of drive time if you stick around in a city to do something there.

3. Picnic when you can to save costs.

4. A newspaper or magazines in the car give you something to chat about with your trip partner(s).

Planning for Disney World with Kids.

If you have read any other part of this blog you know we love to travel and that we pride ourselves at being good trip planners, even for complicated itineraries. Yet, our Disney trip seems to be completely overwhelming.

A friend of mine is a Disney Vacation Planner and we ended up using her services and even for planners it has been an invaluable resource. Plus using a Disney Vacation Planner is totally free to you. Here is Lindley's page if you are interested, but keep reading for the other resources we used.

This is not our first Disney trip, but it will be our first with kids. While we were stationed in Georgia we ventured down to Disney World twice. We stayed at Shades of Green and had a lovely time enjoying the parks as adults. When we moved out to Southern California I was an annual pass holder for Disneyland and went with the girls, with the husband and basically anyone that came to visit us. While I was pregnant with my first I ended up at both DisneyWorld Paris and Tokyo Disney while on other trips... so like I said, its not my first trip.

Previously it was easy to anticipate what we would enjoy doing, eating, seeing. I could calculate how late we would want to stay up or get up in the morning. I have always found everyone on the phone at Disney to be helpful and I was easily able to make my own reservations.

Now back to present day... I've got two kids in tow, grandparents joining us and no idea what my kids are going to want to do. The park has had one of its largest expansions ever both physically, with the addition of new fantasy land, and technologically, with the addition of the magic bands and My Disney app. So even though I'm a good planner I was completely overwhelmed by options.

Lindley, guided me through all the decisions, but I still got to feel like I did the planning. (A total win win for my type A self.) I got to do all the fun research with none of the inconvenience. When my sister had a last minute change of plans, Lindley handled moving her reservation. Lindley woke up early to make sure we got our dining reservations. When they announced you could make lunch reservations at Be Our Guest, yep Lindley took care of it for us. I'm sure I could have done it all on my own, but it was nice to have it done for me.

Even with a Disney Vacation Planner there are a lot of decisions to be made - where to stay, where to eat, what to get fast passes for, what your touring plan is going to be. There are so many wonderful Pinterest boards out there you could literally spend days reading just about preparing for your Disney trip. Here is my Pinterest board for Disney.

WDW Prep School was one of my favorite pages to browse for lots of helpful tips on doing the parks with kids. I love the pro/con list for each resort. I love the focus on doing the parks with little ones. The articles are short and to the point so I can digest the information quickly. WDW Prep School has a podcast as well, but I could never get into it. I much preferred reading the blog.

Touring Plans is probably one of the most recommended pages. There is some information available for free, but otherwise it works on a subscription basis. This is great if you are going to try to maximize your time at the parks, or are a data freak like me. I love the crowd prediction calendars and you can tell the program what rides you want to do on a certain day and it will make suggestions of what you should get fast passes for. I love all the information you can get here, but several of my friends found it completely overwhelming and thus, not at all helpful.

My Disney Experience is the Disney run program and app. You can make your own dining and fast pass reservations or see what you have already done. All the menu's for Disney restaurants are also helpful here.  The navigation can sometimes be frustrating as you think you are logged in but may be asked to log in again for certain things. Overall though it is very user friendly.

Kenny the Pirate has a full list of (mostly) updated Disney World Resort Property recreation guides. These are perfect if you are planning to do some resort hopping and want to find out what is going on when.

I love to listen to podcasts when I am working out or doing housework. I downloaded a few Disney ones and enjoyed them. The DIS Unplugged and WDW Radio are two of my favorites. I like to scroll through the titles and pick the ones I am most interested in. I tend to prefer hearing about people's "Top 10" or something or the history of some of the attractions or resorts.

On Instagram I enjoy following Marvelousmerriment, FantasmicDreams, and OhYeaDisney for some fun Disney pics that are getting me excited for our trip.

You can see some of the crafts I've done for our Disney trip on the craft blog Peach Stitches.

This Disney trip is part of our "Farewell Tour" as we prepare to leave the country on our next adventure. We leave in just a few short days...stay tuned.

Here is a great list of other resources you may want to check out.

*Edit*
After getting through the planning phases I started to look into ideas on how to memorialize my trip and found this great blog: Capturing Magic. It has some great ideas on autograph books and picture opportunities.

Denver Airport: Concourse C with a Baby

H enjoys room to crawl around before the flight.

I'm always looking for good places for H and I to hang out at the airport. I had a little extra time on my way to Detroit today and found the best place. Once you get off the train in Concourse C, take the escalators up...all the way up. There is an empty level with some seating and no people. It is the perfect spot for some quiet nursing or to spread a blanket and let H crawl around a bit before the flight.

View from the Concourse C Second Floor.

Note: There is a great USO on Concourse A.

Also on this trip, I checked both the stroller and car seat before heading to the gate. We will see how everything fairs, but it has made getting around on my own much easier and we breezed through security. (Thank you Ergo!)

Funny Signs

Road Trip America has a great collection of funny signs. Today our picture from Alaska was chosen to be part of the collection. You can view our picture here.

National Park Fee-Free Days 2011

You know how much I love the National Parks (and not just because I can get my NPS Passport stamped!) I think they offer some of the best vacationing the US has to offer. In order to make sure everyone can take advantage of these treasures the National Park Service has expanded their Fee-Free Days.

In 2011 you will be able to visit the parks for free on the following dates:

January 15-17 (Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday weekend)

April 16-24 (National Park Week)

June 21 (First day of summer)

September 24 (Public Lands Day)

November 11-13 (Veterans Day weekend)

Edwards is within driving distance of so many wonderful National Parks (including some of the most expensive ones) so take advantage of these fee-free days and plan a trip. Don't know where to start? First, check out our National Park summary. Second, National Parks Traveler is a wonderful travel blog that focuses on the goings on in America's National Parks! For more suggestions Budget Travel offers a whole section on the National Parks. Of course the National Park web page has a complete list of parks in California, or any other state for that matter.

Road Trip!

For as much as my husband is an airplane guy, he cannot turn down a good road trip. When we found out we would be making a "mini-move" for a few months to Texas his head filled with great road trip ideas. We are taking five days to drive from Southern California to Northeastern Texas and have some great stops planned along the way. We looked to RoadTripAmerica and Road Trip USA for some suggested routes and are still debating some side trips that will be time dependent. We hopefully won't be eating too much fast food - thanks to the internet and sites like Google's dining guides and Trip Advisor we have already found a few great options in towns along the way.

While we thought we were keeping this blog mainly for our own posterity and to give us a place to send friends when the asked where we stayed or what we ate on one of our day trips, we discovered over the Holidays that many of you are family and friends just wondering where we are at any particular time. We are going to do our best to update the blog as we travel but you can always check Twitter or Facebook as they are a bit easier to update from the road.

Pumpkins in the Rough

You can get pumpkins much closer to base, but we trekked out to the Murray Family Farms (62 miles west on Rt 58) for the full experience. Their $10 deal this year got you a hay ride to a pumpkin patch where you could pick a small pumpkin, a couple of weak corn mazes, a petting farm and pig races.

The pumpkin was worth about $3 and the corn mazes another $2 (we didn't pet the goats). And had that been all we did, I would have left unhappy. But some guy in a trailer brought four pigs and used Velcro to secure colored jerseys to each. He set up a chicken wire racing track and sent the pigs on a race. I've never seen such a spectacle. The Antelope Valley Fair had 'Mutton Bustin' last year (kids under age 6 riding sheep). But the pig races were something new and something fabulous. They were worth the $10 admission and made my day.

Murray Family Farms is hokey. The produce is expensive. And it's far. But if you're in the right mood, it can be a hoot, especially if they've got racing pigs!

Consider stopping at the Tehachapi Loop to watch a train loop over itself at this engineering marvel. And plan for dinner in Tehachapi on the way home.

Disneyland - SETP Symposium

Disneyland is 120 miles from Edwards and depending on the time of day and traffic, 2.5-4 hours. If you plan to make multiple visits, consider the Southern California Season Pass or a Costco 4-visit pass.

If you're heading to Disneyland for an SETP (Society of Experimental Test Pilots) symposium, consider these suggestions to make your visit more special:

1. Six miles from Mickey, but worlds apart is Park Avenue: 11200 Beach Blvd, Stanton, CA‎ -(714) 901-4400‎. Check their website for no-corkage-fee nights and fried chicken nights. Don't take the kids!

2. Pack breakfast foods. Call your intended hotel first and find out if you'll have a refrigerator. Then, pack a cooler with breakfast foods, snacks and water. You won't regret carrying a snack into the Disney parks when you see the prices.

3. Splurge what you saved on breakfast at the Napa Rose inside the Grand Californian Hotel. Reservations are strongly recommended. The entree prices are high, but it's a good value and you can't beat the location.

4. Walk to P.F. Chang's. Walk from the Disneyland hotels south on Disneyland Drive and go left on W. Katella Ave.

5. Skip the parks. If you're tired of Mickey and Friends, consider visiting the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum. It's 15 miles away from the parks.

6. Take the kids to the beach. Just because you're at a conference at Disneyland doesn't mean you need to take the kids to the parks EVERY DAY. Drive 10 miles south and enjoy Huntington Beach.

50 States - One Great Nation

Our August trip took us to Maine - for a few nights at Acadia National Park. Crossing the border into Maine marked my 50th visited state (Elizabeth isn't too far behind). So it's only fitting to make some mention of the milestone on Out of Edwards. Below I've listed all 50 states and one memory from each. Note: sorry for leaving Alabama for the end.

1 - Alaska, Unspoiled America
2 - Arizona, Meteor Crater
3 - Arkansas, Crater of Diamonds State Park, where you can dig for diamonds!
4 - California, Napa Valley
5 - Colorado, Hiking up Pikes Peak
6 - Connecticut, Diner Food
7 - Delaware, I had to fly Space-A from Dover to my deployment in 2006
8 - Florida, Space Shuttles
9 - Georgia, gorgeous coastal islands
10 - Hawaii, active volcanoes - very cool
11 - Idaho, Coeur D'Alene is beautiful
12 - Illinois, Chicago Cubs games are a true American experience
13 - Indiana, Notre Dame's golden dome
14 - Iowa, visited the Governor's office once
15 - Kansas, you actually won't believe how flat it really is
16 - Kentucky, every state has some caverns, but Mammoth Cave National Park is legit
17 - Louisiana, Bourbon Street is crazy every day of the year
18 - Maine, Acadia National Park
19 - Maryland, Baltimore Harbor
20 - Massachusetts, a huge number of National Park stamps
21 - Michigan, fall colors
22 - Minnesota, Culver's for burgers and ice cream
23 - Mississippi, petrified forest
24 - Missouri, I still don't know why it's called the Show Me state
25 - Montana, it's huge and Evel Knievel lived there
26 - Nebraska, riding the Oregon Trail with the Boy Scouts
27 - Nevada, great food in Vegas
28 - New Hampshire, cheap liquor
29 - New Jersey, full service gas stations
30 - New Mexico, Native American history
31 - New York, Niagara Falls
32 - North Carolina, the Outer Banks & the birthplace of aviation
33 - North Dakota, I-94 is a lot of nothing
34 - Ohio, John Glenn's boyhood home and Neil Armstrong museum
35 - Oklahoma, Oklahoma City bombing memorial
36 - Oregon, rode an Amtrak train through the state once
37 - Pennsylvania, home sweet home
38 - Rhode Island, seafaring history
39 - South Carolina, Clemson
40 - South Dakota, the Badlands
41 - Tennessee, home to Jack Daniels (but it's in a dry county)
42 - Texas, I once drove for 12 hours straight with some friends and didn't leave the state
43 - Utah, drove an hour out of the way once to see Mexican Hat (don't)
44 - Vermont, trees & syrup
45 - Virginia, is for lovers
46 - Washington, Museum of Flight (owns an original Sputnik)
47 - West Virginia, white water rafting
48 - Wisconsin, the Brewers
49 - Wyoming, Yellowstone
50 - Alabama, where the Wright Brothers had a flying school

Midnight Plane to Georgia

Ah the Red Eye. I always say I’m not going to take it – but there is something so appealing about having a full working day and arriving at my destination with another full day to burn. No matter how bad my last experience was I always seem to want to try the red eye again. Since being stationed in California I seem to do a lot of red eye flying. Since my family is in Atlanta and all my friends seem to be getting married and having babies in east coast locations I have become a frequent red eye taker.

There are a few key tips to surviving:

First: Make it Quiet. (Earplugs & Noise Canceling Headphones.) I put in the earplugs as soon as I get on the plane just to start quieting everything down. If I haven’t fallen asleep by the time the plane is at its cruising altitude then I switch to the Noise Canceling Headphones. I plug them into the plane’s audio system and set it on the classical music channel or hook it up to my Ipod and set it to an audio book or relaxing mix.

Second: Blackout Curtins. (A good sleep mask.)You will need a good sleep mask – one that fits comfortably without pulling your hair or inhibits your breathing. When looking for my perfect sleep mask I even found some for people that don’t like pressure on their eyes. I choose a mask with a pretty print that also houses a lavender insert over the eyes to release stress.

Third: Get Comfy. (Stick to your Routine.) At home I might be in my flannel jammie-jams but on the plane I wear comfortable, loose fitting, dark clothing. Something I can sleep in and still walk off the plane and look presentable. I like to wear a scarf for easy temperature adjustment. I always change out of my contacts and into glasses before I board the plane so I am ready to sleep as soon as I get on. Pack your carry-on bags with the boarding process in mind. Place items like your MP3 player, phone & headphones in your small personal bag so they are easily accusable under the seat in front of you. This makes me efficient when I get on the plane, pleasing the flight attendants and fellow passengers, and limiting how much up and down I’ll need to do on the flight. Additionally, I try to have a new movie or tv show uploaded on my ipod just in case I wake up with an hour or less of the flight to go. This gives me something to do or listen to as I wake up. You can always entertain yourself by flipping through the Sky Mall Catalog and creating your own “The 7 Most Useless Things” list.

Fourth: Good Linens.(A pillow & blanket set.) Some airlines provide a pillow and blanket but it is just not the same as having something from home. I have a great little set where the blanket stuffs inside the pillow case. When an airplane pillow is available I put it inside my pillow case and use the blanket as a cover. This way I know exactly what is rubbing up against my skin. It also helps me feel a bit more at home.

Finally, bring a toothbrush and toothpaste. Nothing makes you feel better when you wake up then being able to brush your teeth. Your fellow passengers will appreciate it as well.

When I arrive in my location I stay awake even if it means caffeine, sugar and a cold shower. I’m always tired on the first day but come evening I’m ready to go to bed with the rest of the East Coast and then on the right time for the rest of the trip. I also try to remind myself that I choose the red eye to have more time at my destination – not to sleep!

On this particular trip to Atlanta my sister and I both red eyed in for a family reunion. I booked manicures and pedicures for both of us this morning at 10Ten Nail Bar in Morningside. At 10Ten they do your toes in a backwards recliner – so while I relaxed with an eye pillow over my tired eyes, my toes were made beach ready. Then we scheduled lunch with friends at our favorite Atlanta pizza place, Fellini’s. We were home in time to enjoy an Atlanta evening on the porch while updating blogs and reading books. It hardly feels like I’ve only had three hours of sleep, although I know I will be ready for bed a bit earlier than usual this morning. The best part is I got a full day of activity in today and tomorrow I will be ready to head to the beach with the family.