TravelStream™ news feed for member kayaker902 on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/kayaker902 en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Fri, 23 Oct 2009 23:12:15 -0400 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kayaker902/6/1256353804/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kayaker902/6/1256353804/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kayaker902/6/1256353804/tpod.html Fri, 23 Oct 2009 23:12:15 -0400 The Texas Trip

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Rochelle, Illinois, United States

Day 1610/23/2009What can I say, We were supposed to be home but circumstances as they are it is best we did what we did.  The last day of vacation was not supposed to be as it was.  But at this point that is all I am going to say.  The day has been emotional hard, and not how you would like to see the last day of a vacation be, but one can't control what happens.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kayaker902/6/1255958267/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kayaker902/6/1255958267/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kayaker902/6/1255958267/tpod.html Thu, 22 Oct 2009 22:32:42 -0400 The Texas Trip

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Des Moines, Iowa, United States

Day 1510/22/2009Witchita, Kansas to Des Moines, IowaHuh, yeah, reality is coming back slow but sure and that should just about say it all. It was insanely cold this morning, 40 degrees.  Ok, so a week ago I was sweating bullets in the 90 degree weather on the first full day of vacation that we did not have any rain, and now 40 degrees and rain with predictions of heavy wet snow and I 70 is closed to the west due to heavy snow.  Really, seriously, reality doesn't need to bite this bad.  My new employer called twice to confirm plans for orientation, check on the moving status and see what they could do on their side to help with the moving arrangements.  All that being said, that was really nice.  Today we stopped in Abilene, KS at the Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum and looked around.  A bit of a history lesson as I looked at things from the WWII era and tried to see what was what in concerns to things Grandpa might have done, medals and badges he earned, and equipment he might have operated.  Then it was back to the Interstate Highway.  I35 North was closed to a car accident which left 4 dead and 4 injured that required rerouting.  I sufficiently slept through Missouri and am now awake writing this in the last 30 miles before I need to start navigating us through Des Moines to the hotel.  Tomorrow, head over towards the Quad Cities, see my aunt who just got diagnosed a couple days ago with stage 4 cancer that had spread to the brain, and then work towards home for a late night arrival.  Sigh, there have been many things that have made us wonder if this vacation should have occurred, but yet we survived and life with hectic and chaotic once we get home, Sigh
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kayaker902/6/1255958141/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kayaker902/6/1255958141/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kayaker902/6/1255958141/tpod.html Wed, 21 Oct 2009 22:43:05 -0400 The Texas Trip

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Wichita, Kansas, United States

10/21/2009Day 14Amarillo, Texas to Wichita, KansasIn the famous words of Pepe LePew, "Le Sigh". That should just about say it all.  Vacation is winding down, we are on the return trip home, and yup, you might have figured it out, it started raining last night.  Well, I guess I should say that we had 5 days this trip with no rain at all for 24 hours, the rest, and well, it rained.  There was a real pretty thunderstorm show with lightening last night.  We ate at the Big Texan (the place on of the competitions was held at in the"Great American Roadtrip); it's a Route 66 Icon along with some other places we stopped at.  For those who watched the Disney movie cars I will reference these locations in the Cars form as well.  Last night we went to “Cadillac Ranch”, aka (the idea for the angled mountains in the cars movie), today we stopped at the VW bug Ranch (5 bugs, no cars reference), we drove by the leaning water tower (The leaning tower of tires in the movie), and stopped at the U-Drop-Inn café and gas station which is now a chamber of commerce building and the café closed due to inability to remain open, (aka Ramones shop).  We attempted to go to Palo Duro canyon (The idea for the canyon, that and Havasu falls in Arizona at the Grand Canyon) and the ghost town of Jericho and the Jericho gap, but as the hazard of the Jericho gap with rain and mud, Route 66 was never paved here and travelers got stuck on a regular basis here thus, needless to say, why we didn’t go there.  We also stopped at a place for a geocache, like one Colin and I got last year going to space camp, with a big cross.  It was really kind of interesting, in that, it had stages of the cross and the crucifixion, with a tomb with angels, showing him carrying the cross, and this gigantic cross that looks to be probably at least 4 stories high.In Oklahoma, we stopped at the Oklahoma city bombing National Memorial, we walked around and looked at all the different things people had left on the fence in memory of loved ones, the empty chairs with the names of those killed in the bombing (both big chairs for the adults and little chairs for the children, all with names of each person killed in the bombing) and the reflection pool with the two entrances showing the times of the bombing (which lies where the street had been).It has been cold and rainy today, pretty much has not stopped.  I type this as we drive to Wichita, KS and the rain is still coming down.  We are nearing the exit for Ponca City, OK, brings back some memories of the trip down here to see Erik 9 years ago.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kayaker902/6/1255958008/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kayaker902/6/1255958008/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kayaker902/6/1255958008/tpod.html Tue, 20 Oct 2009 23:23:17 -0400 The Texas Trip

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Amarillo, Texas, United States

Day 1310/21/2009Dallas, TX to Amarillo, TXWow, huh, what should I say.  Can't really think of much but I can chit chat for a bit.First of All, we did survive Dallas, though I will say the exit portion of it stunk.  While sitting on the interstate I 35E to leave we got stuck. Apparently, not more than a mile in front of us was a really nasty car accident, I don't know what happened to the person but the Chevy cavalier had no rear and the hood, windshield was just smashed.  I can only imagine.  It took us 1 1/2 hours to get 1 mile to where we could get off the interstate and by pass the accident to get going again.  The afternoon is a bit of a blur, I guess I should mention here that I slept the entire afternoon.  I have been really good about getting up in the morning and getting moving but the need for sleep caught up with me.  We did manage to pickup 4 geocaches between rest areas and Cadillac ranch.  We got to Cadillac Ranch just as the cold front was moving through the area and lightening was starting to be visible in the distance.  So it was a short stop and then off for supper at the Big Texan, a restaurant from the days of Route 66. They had a lot of memorabilia plus the kicky stuff as well.  We all had steak as it is a steak house.  Home of the 72 oz and if you can eat the entire meal in less than an hour you get it for free, if not you pay $30.  How's that.  Well, that in general is the sum and substance of the day.  Hope I didn't bore you.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kayaker902/6/1255921035/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kayaker902/6/1255921035/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kayaker902/6/1255921035/tpod.html Mon, 19 Oct 2009 20:02:45 -0400 The Texas Trip

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Dallas, Texas, United States

Day 1210/19/2009Dallas, TX- Dealey PlazaLet's start by saying, We survived.  We left the hotel this morning at about 10am and headed downtown towards Dealey Plaza, we actually made it without any incident, traffic was not bad, the route we had mapped worked smoothly and all was well.  Anyway, we got there and went to get 2 virtual geocaches and walked around the historic district.  One area was the Texas Heritage District, the Grassy Knoll, Kennedy Plaza and Dealey Plaza along with the Book Depository and the 6th floor museum.  On Elm street they even have an X where President Kennedy was shot and fatally wounded.  We worked our way through the 6th floor museum and then once done at about 2pm we decided we did in fact have time to run out to South fork Ranch.  Does anybody know what South Fork Ranch is famous for?  If you answer the ranch where "Dallas" was filmed you are correct.  We entered the visitor center and got signed up for a tour of the ranch and museum.  We saw memorabilia from the various episodes, the directors chairs for the actors and hand and foot prints of the actors.  We got a tour of the whole ranch including J.R.'s bedroom.  The jacuzzi bathtub, the shower with nozzle's that surround you, and a toilet with a phone, all for J.R.  We got to see the famous drive way to the ranch, the patio with the glass table and walk out on to the balcony off of J.R.'s room.  And in the background, the theme song playing.  Very reminiscent.  Mom shot video of me walking up the stairs at the big staircase. All in all, it seemed like a short day, but it really wasn't.  Now back at the hotel after having a genuine Tex-Mex meal we will probably go sit in the hot tub.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kayaker902/6/1255871783/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kayaker902/6/1255871783/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kayaker902/6/1255871783/tpod.html Sun, 18 Oct 2009 21:25:25 -0400 The Texas Trip

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Dallas, Texas, United States

Day 1110-18-2009Austin to Dallas, TX and LBJ LibraryToday has been a very laid back kind of day.  It being Sunday not much has been open, but the LBJ library opened at 9am and so we got there by around 9:30am.  The museum was very interesting and educational, as well as having interactive areas.  I read several documents regarding the assassination of JFK and the swearing in of LBJ, even saw the bible belonging to JFK that was quickly grabbed off of Air force one for LBJ to be sworn in with.  There was also a letter written by Senator Connelly's wife regarding the events of the day of the assassination.  It was enough for me to be able to put together the events surrounding and including that day.  This trip has been very educational for me to understand history prior to my birth, yet related enough to some of my interests, to interest me.As a side trip on the way to Dallas, we stopped at "Willie's Place" which is Willie Nelsons, restaurant and club.  Very interesting as it was, with his records, a concert hall, and the DJ headquarters for the Roadhouse channel off of Sirius satellite radio channel and the Willie country channel on XM radio.  Just kind of neat stop.We picked up a few caches on the way to Dallas, and we successfully navigated around Dallas and made it to the hotel without having any major blowouts of tempers such as what we had the day we got to San Antonio.  I guess maybe we are starting to figure out how these weird interstate off and on, and all the one way streets with turn arounds.  Like I said, very different from the Interstate highways of the Midwest.Got to the hotel and walked to a Tex-Mex restaurant that was closed and ate at what we thought was going to be a lounge that turned out to be seafood restaurant.  Came back and sat in the jacuzzi. Tomorrow's plans include Dealey Plaza and the 6th floor museum.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kayaker902/6/1255701753/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kayaker902/6/1255701753/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kayaker902/6/1255701753/tpod.html Sat, 17 Oct 2009 22:52:34 -0400 The Texas Trip

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

San Antonio, Texas, United States

Day 910-16-09Sea World San Antonio, TXWell, today has been a very busy hectic and tiring day.  We got to Sea World at 10:00am this morning and started trying to explore the area to see where everything was.  We went to the Clydesdale Hamlet and walked through it looking at the Clydesdale's and then went to the dolphin cove at feeding time and watched and played with the dolphins and then proceeded to the Coral Reef and Shark Encounter.  After walking through it we started exploring more.  But while at the Coral Reef and Shark cove we saw all kinds of fish, sharks and rays, along with an occasional eel.  After being at that exhibit I have to confirm that my favorite fish is the Blue Tang, it is just really pretty and colorful.  We then worked our way towards lunch prior to the Beluga encounter, grabbed a quick lunch and I decided while we were working towards the Penguin Encounter that I wanted to ride the Steel Eel. So rather than doing the penguin encounter I rode the steel Eel and what a ride it was, It went so high I could see the town and parking lot then the bottom dropped out.  Afterwords, I looked at the picture they take as you hit maximum speed and I just had this horrible look of sheer terror on my face.  After getting off and seeing the time we skipped the penguin encounter and went to the training.  At the training we watched a video and listened to the trainers explain what we would be doing and how to interact with them.  We then went to put our wetsuits on and headed out to the tank.  As we got in the tank the coldness of the water hit us as we had started to over heat with the wet suits on sitting outside.  The belugas' gates we open and they just came and went as they wanted even the new 1 month old beluga.  Really cute but not sure what to do and kept trying to interact with us.  We cuddled them, splashed with them, rubbed heads, tails, flukes and even floated with them.  I am not quite sure what mom thought, but after it was over Dad had said well, I could have done that.  He didn't want to when we scheduled it because he wasn't comfortable with being in the water with the whales not being a good swimmer, but afterwords he was acting like he wished he could have done it.  After that we went to the showers, cleaned up and headed out.  We went for a snack and then I decided to ride the Steel Eel a second time, this time I made sure the sheer look of terror was not on my face.  We then made our way to the Shamu Stadium for Believe and then to the Beluga stadium for the Viva! show.  After wards we went to supper and then I rode the Journey to Atlantis, another surprise lose your stomach in your throat ride, but a good time none the less.  We finished up our shopping and took our souvenirs out to the van and headed to Shamu Stadium for the Hall-o-scream with Shamu.  We never did make it to the penguin encounter, oh well.  Next time.  It was 9:30pm before we returned to the hotel.  I just downloaded the pictures from my camera and from the CD I bought with the Beluga training and just looked at them.  So I will finish up my blog post a couple quick pic's and then head to sleep.  I will finish downloading pictures later but will put some pic's up temporarily.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kayaker902/6/1255830196/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kayaker902/6/1255830196/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kayaker902/6/1255830196/tpod.html Sat, 17 Oct 2009 22:52:14 -0400 The Texas Trip

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Austin, Texas, United States

Day 1010/17/2009San Antonio to Stonewall to Austin, TXThis morning was a slower start to the day than usual, however, that was somewhat predictable.  We got up and started heading out to the San Antonio Mission National Historical Park which is comprised of four missions.  Mission San Juan, San Jose, Conception, and Espada.  They together form the NHP and are on a national mission trail.  The missions are very interesting, with relics left and just amazing detail to archeology and architecture.  The missions are about 2-3 miles apart each time, along with aquifers, dams and walls as well as the chapels.  The chapels are still in current use for masses.  All of this is in regards to the Spanish missions that came to the area to try and convert the paganism's that were they believed were taking place.  After the missions were completed we headed to the Lyndon B Johnson National Historical Park we took a tour around the ranch and a ranger led tour in the "Texas White House" and tomorrow we are going the LBJ presidential library.    All in all, the day was very relaxed and easy.  The cafe we had lunch in had an autographed picture of George Strait, man I would have given anything for it.  We also saw a major traffic backup on the way to the LBJ NHP and we noticed a hearse sitting next to us.  It wasn't until we put all the pieces together seeing that charred car that appeared to rear end a suburban and the hearse backed up to the ambulance, that we knew what had happened.  We later heard that they also airlifted another person out.  It keeps coming back to my mind periodically.  Just changed the mood of the car for a while, knowing what was taking place.  But all in all it was a good day.  Dad and Mom seemed to have really enjoyed the day as well.  So tomorrow we go to the LBJ library and drive to Dallas, and then in Dallas we do Deally Plaza and the 6th floor museum.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kayaker902/6/1255661927/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kayaker902/6/1255661927/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kayaker902/6/1255661927/tpod.html Thu, 15 Oct 2009 23:34:20 -0400 The Texas Trip

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

San Antonio, Texas, United States

10-15-09Day 8Padre Island, Corpus Christi, TX to San Antonio, TXWell, what can I say.   What a day.  We got up to sunrise over the gulf of Mexico today, drove down to the national seashore and the red tide was still in, with plans to take a bulldozer to the beach in order to remove all the dead fish, eels and anything else that has washed ashore.  Almost immediately upon exiting the vehicle coughing fits started to the point of almost vomiting, so the visit was short and limited to the visitor center.  As we left we stopped at a gift shop that had a enormous sand castle built for the front of the store with shells and sea turtles, very creative but not much else to say about it.The drive to San Antonio was not all that much to report and with us arriving mid-afternoon we went downtown to the Alamo and the river-walk.  The Alamo was really interesting after knowing the history of Davy Crockett and seeing artifacts from the battle at the Alamo and Goliad.  What we saw were a locket with some of Davy Crockett's hair, 2 of Davy Crockett's gun's, one in the annex and one in the church, I am guessing the later was Ole Betsy, along Jim Bowie's knife along with other artifacts.  The river-walk was really pretty and very intriguing.  We had supper at the Hard Rock cafe, where I found a really cute pink shirt that I got for Jessie.  The other thing I found was what I couldn't find at Graceland and now I know why.  I wanted to see Elvis Presley's karate Gi and couldn't find it, the reason why, it was at the Hard Rock Cafe.  Now it has been seen and picture taken as well. The temp maxed out in the upper 90's this afternoon and for the 8th straight day we did end up finding rain.  As we got back to the van the clouds rolled in and rain began to fall.  Amazing!  We managed to find our way out of the chaos of interstates and highway's and crazy entrances and exits for the highways without much problem but I will complain now about the hotel.  Seriously, has anyone ever seen a hotel with an address on the interstate.  Well, ours did and when I called because we could not find this hotel for anything we couldn't even understand the person and despite telling them precise location that we were at they were unable to tell us how to get there.  Now these interstates around here have exits but once you get off it takes 2-3 miles of frontage roads before you can find a place to get on, and all frontage roads are one-way.  Seriously, it's really screwy.  What ever happened to the traditional cloverleaf onset and exit???Anyway, needless to say I am not in the best frame of mind right now trying to navigate in this chaos.  Seriously though, I can't wait to get out of this crazy state.  I like the attractions but I just can't handle how things are constructed around here.Tomorrow we go to SeaWorld for the day with the swimming with the Beluga program.  I hope tomorrow is better for me.  My temper is really starting to get short with all the navigating and traffic.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kayaker902/6/1255487561/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kayaker902/6/1255487561/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kayaker902/6/1255487561/tpod.html Wed, 14 Oct 2009 23:41:24 -0400 The Texas Trip

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Corpus Christi, Texas, United States

10-14-2009Day 7- Houston to Corpus Christi, TXL.B. Johnson Space Center and Padre Island National SeashoreWell, today has proved to be interesting, yet seven days now we have managed to see rain.  As we were driving to Corpus Christi sky was blue and out of the middle of nowhere a cloud burst.  Honestly, I haven't seen anything like this before, very interesting.  So anyway, we got up and headed to the Space Center to finish up the gallery and see the stuff we didn't get the chance to see.  I managed to stump one of the guides yet again by trying to figure out who was the seventh of the Mercury seven that didn't get to go into space and trying to figure out who flew in the most space programs.  But anyhow, we left Houston for Corpus Christi and made it there around supper time and headed out to Padre Island National Seashore only to see the warning of Red Tide.  We got out and walked the beach and found about 8 sand dollars and some other nice shells, but we all started to notice coughing, sore throats and other weird symptoms and now it appears.  Red Tide is not only toxic to fish and other animals but can make humans ill as well and even toxic if ingested in the form of fish and or shell fish.  Saw many different types of fish though.  Among the dead fish were a puffer fish, alligator fish, trout and others including eels and sea snakes, shrimp and crabs.  Really sad.Not an overly exciting day but educational none the less.  We went and had supper at TGI Friday's.  A good meal indeed.Tomorrow we were planning to spend the day at the beach and then head to San Antonio late but those plans will most likely change due to the red tide and the risk of getting sick.  So we will see what we end up doing.
]]>