http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Missouri/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from North America , United States , Missouri en-us Thu, 24 Jul 2008 09:20:43 BST Thu, 24 Jul 2008 09:20:43 BST The drive from Colorado through Kansas to St. Louis Missouri was better than we expected...a bit boring but not as boring as driving down I5 in California. Kansas was very green and the corn fields are actually quite beautiful. We made a little stop in Topeka KS at a the Brown Vs. The Board of Education historic site. It was very interesting and sort of gave us a feel for what the south felt li http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Missouri/St--Louis/blog-303210.html Sorry guys there won't be any pictures as of this writing due to the fact that the chip for the camera is in the car and all of us are too tired to go get it. The kids are hanging with us on this road trip. Today was a very long driving day and only two stops which made all of us pretty cranky. April Danny did manage to squeak out at least one paragraph describing the events today. We have http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Missouri/blog-302960.html GreetingsWell I did sleep fabulously last night and have felt fine all day In fact this has been one of the best days of band camp I have ever gone through. Everybody in the trumpet section is just sooo funny and I am sore from laughing where I used to be sore from pushups The band has done an awesome job and we have completely learned the show Gosh everybody works so hard and they r http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Missouri/blog-302085.html YoSo its the end of day 2 for the band and it's been a very productive day. Most of the band already has their music memorized and we have over half of the show blocked and rolling. We even have a big dance section where we do all these fun hip hop moves. I'm impressed with the caliber of dancers we have in the band For myself though it was an unproductive day. I'm sorry to report that I http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Missouri/blog-302082.html Greetings from STL. We decided it would be pretty neat to see some fireworks over the Gateway Arch in St. Louis just once. Hey when in Rome..... We never managed to make it down to the fireworks over the DC Mall over the WA monument something I miss but always too crowded HOT and stormy. So no regrets in St. Louis. The night was very pleasant low 80s to high 70s and a nice breeze. I guess http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Missouri/St--Louis/blog-301560.html HowdyAfter a Jazz rehearsal this morning the full marching band began to arrive. What an exciting band we have Everyone is fabulous I have 13 trumpets in my section which for a band of 100 is pretty phenomenal. Mr. Bernhardt he's our director has made me the Section Leader for this trip. Finally after 6 years I get to be section leader I think they all like me okay Okay so I' http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Missouri/blog-301332.html Hello Ya'llSo this is my first official blog of the trip. I arrived in Cape last night and the Jazz Band met today. Oh the jazz band is performing at the International Jazz and Blues Fest while we are in Edinburgh. Apparently 20000 people are going to be there so we have to be great So here's the thing...in the brass world we have this thing called Summer Chops which is where you ha http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Missouri/blog-300843.html The drive from Rapid City to Sioux Falls SD was very interesting but long. We were amazed to see how much of the country is volcanic. The Yellowstone supervolcano comprises nearly all the park but its last eruption spewed ash rocks and lava over many neighboring states. This was no surprise but to see how volcanic forces have been at worked underneath so much of the west was astounding. Fro http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Missouri/Kansas-City/blog-298559.html Getting ready to travel by autovan from Springfield MO to Kansas City MO. http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Missouri/Springfield/blog-298397.html HowdyI'm still in Kennett I'm just testing this out. I created this blog so you all can see what I've been doing especially for all you happy peppy people who don't have facebook. I am going to try to keep this updated as much as possible with new journal entries and pictures The shortened address for my blog is www.mytb.orgMcRowdy. mytb stands for My Travel Blog if it is hard for you to http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Missouri/blog-297572.html Irsquove been more than a week ramblinrsquo now and itrsquos been pleasant. My stay in Missouri has been idyllic really awash in the unbelievable greenery of the Ozarks with the requisite ticks chiggers and mosquitoes of course. Which I guess is a decent enough metaphor for the time spent here.I am reminded of why I left Missouri to begin with. Itrsquos not the inconvenience of re http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Missouri/blog-294999.html WEIS 659 June 28thRoss has been Marioing forever. He seems very into it. He keeps signing and talking about coinsMissourirsquos only city is St Louis based on the pathetic excuses for exits wersquove passed.Tulsa is ldquoGreen Countryrdquo supposedly. On AAArsquos preview page Native American powwows and a 72 foot tall oiler statue are pictured. They say nothing of what to do if you http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Missouri/St--Louis/blog-294714.html Abby 603 June 28thWeis is still driving. We almost went on the wrong road after getting gas from a pump that had ross stumped for a few good minutes. We passed Cuba about 5 minutes ago and now Weis is playing MMJ covering the Who from bonnaroo 2 years ago.Ross and Weis are scared of my Dadrsquos salsa because itrsquos been through rough times in the car but I think it will be fine and I plan http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Missouri/St--Louis/blog-294709.html mmmm....soo i'm a little late on starting this but i'll update everything for everyone soonToday is hot. Not as Hot as Pheonix but its hot. luckily we're next to our good friends at Katy Perry Forever The Sickest Kids and across from Midnight To Twelve and The Maine. They help keep the heat off our minds. Yesturday was our day off but it wasn't really much of a day off we had to drive the Wh http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Missouri/St--Louis/blog-294121.html Its been awhile since I wrote in the blog I am going to try and remedy that. I have been riding alot so more should be posted pretty quick.The XLList had thier annual rally here in KC. Actually it was at Basswood Resort just north of KC. I ran out there on Friday to say Hi and put some faces to the names I see on the list. Screw Loose Dan had not arrived yet but I had a nice conversation wit http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Missouri/blog-293764.html The sight of deer lacing through the misty dawn validated a long monotonous escape through the bulk of Florida. Then came the sun and the Georgia landscape the first hills Irsquod seen in months and a welcomed lack of the Sunshine Statersquos ubiquitous scrub pine. I75 bisects Georgia diagonally through an eternity of billboards promising cheap peaches and the worldrsquos widest variety http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Missouri/blog-290975.html Kansas City Missouri was host to the 2008 EcoQuest Convention this week. Donna and I spent one day in training and three days networking studying etc. This morning we left for Rapid City South Dakota.KCMO was a really pleasant town with little traffic that welcomed pedestrian exploration. KC is known for its barbecue and its steaks. A group of friends joined us at The Majestic Restaurant f http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Missouri/Kansas-City/blog-290192.html Some Pictures http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Missouri/Springfield/blog-288253.html Silver Dollar City Branson Missouri is one of the most popular vacation destinations in the country. Travel back in time to the simplicity of 1880s America and enjoy the best in Branson entertainment plus a host of festivals including Our Biggest Kids Fest Ever America's Biggest Southern Gospel Picnic National Harvest Festival Two Great Festivals In One The Celebration of An Old Time Chr http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Missouri/Springfield/blog-288228.html Branson MO http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Missouri/St--Louis/blog-288226.html Fishing Day http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Missouri/Springfield/blog-288224.html Famous Dave's Best Barbeque everDave Anderson founder of Famous Dave's lives for barbeque. Growing up in Chicago home of the Blues Dave's passion for ribs began as a young boy when his dad would bring ribs home from work in his lunch bucket. His dad would get the best tasting slowsmoked spareribs from street corner vendors who used 55 gallon smokers filled with charcoal and smoldering gre http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Missouri/Springfield/blog-288222.html Mike's House MO http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Missouri/Springfield/blog-288219.html Let's just say that this morning didn't start off like I had planned. I decided to get up at 800 a.m. get my shower get ready and cook breakfast for everyone. My famous bacon egg and cheese McMuffins. The McMuffins never saw the light of day today but we did have some awesome tomato sandwiches for lunch Between the two salesmen one sales manager and my husband no one thought it necessary t http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Missouri/St--Louis/blog-285348.html Louisville Kentucky to Graham Cave State Park west of St. Louis MissouriAnd on to Lenexa KS PRA Santa Fe Trail Baldwin City KansasWe keep on plugging west. The morning of packing out from Mammoth Cave I fell ill kind of fainted had to lie on a thermarest while Rollie and the boys packed up. Of course it rained while we were taking the tent down. Once all packed they headed off to ride http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Missouri/St--Louis/blog-285151.html