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Published: March 9th 2006
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Note: we wrote this over a week ago but Amy just realized it was never published. Oops! Kyoto will hopefully be up in a day or 2. Before leaving on our around the world trip we made visits to Roger’s parents in Southern Utah and Amy’s in Kansas City, Kansas. Both trips were great fun and it was very nice to spend uninterrupted time with out families before taking off for the year. Both visits also passed way too quickly and it was very hard to say goodbye to our parents.
Our first day in Utah was spent in Nevada in the booming gambling village of Mesquite. We holed up at one of the four local casinos to eat, watch the Super Bowl, eat, gamble, and eat. It’s a pretty nice way to pass the day. And thanks to the low number of sacks and the high number of interceptions we made a nice little parlay that paid for our losses a few days later at the Stardust in Las Vegas.
While in Southern Utah we visited Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks. These parks represent a slice of geologic evolution that starts back in western Colorado.
Zion
View from the tunnel The bottom layers of rock along western Colorado essentially become the top layers of Bryce, the bottom layers in Bryce then become the top layers of rock around the Grand Canyon. If you’ve ever driven from Grand Junction in to southern Utah it is very evident what you are seeing, and most of it is stunning. The weather was perfect. Clear and sunny and cool.
If you ever swing by St. George we’d urge you to slide on in to Winger’s for some sweetly spiced chicken wings and burgers (all low cal). If you are in the mood for a buffet but can’t get the few miles further to Las Vegas you should know that at Golden Corral busses are welcome. We didn’t eat at Chuck-A-Rama buffet, but we know Chuck and we think that anything he puts his name on has got to be good eating.
We made the obligatory visit to Wal-Mart to watch for polygamists and we were successful in finding some but unfortunately have no pictures to share. If you have read Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer, you know Colorado City and several small, rural, communities in southern Utah and northern
Zion
Amy at Zion Arizona have a good number of folks living in polygamous unions. If you want to cruise for polygamists, Wal-Mart is the place.
Our visit to Roger’s folks wrapped up in Las Vegas at the Stardust Casino, which we will miss when they tear it down late this year to build a non-denominational house of prayer. If you believe that that is why they are tearing down the Stardust please be sure to visit the casino before it goes. They want to give you free money. While in Las Vegas we also stopped in on the shiny new Hooter’s Hotel and Casino because Roger’s mom really, really, really wanted to go (and she has a tank top to prove it). We had great action on some poker slots and ate wings in their driveway before heading off to the Tropicana (another Vegas old-timer that they are tearing down to build an artist’s colony).
It was far colder in Kansas City, Kansas than it had been in Nevada and Utah. As cold as it was outside, it was colder in the Ameristar Casino where we spent part of our second day prowling around Kansas and Missouri. We also paid a
visit to the Negro Leagues Museum, a place well worth the visit. If you are a baseball fan, a history buff, or have any interest in America’s struggle toward equality it will broaden your horizons sharply. Jackie Robinson, who for most of us is synonymous with baseball’s integration, was just one of hundreds and maybe thousands of black baseball players who played between the game’s inception following the Civil War and the final complete integration of the major leagues in 1959. The Negro Leagues Museum does a great job at fleshing out the other characters and pioneers in the game.
One of the highlights of the trip to Kansas City was going to see KU play Iowa State in Lawrence. Amy had not been to a game in Lawrence since law school and Roger had never even seen a great college basketball team play at home. The experience did not disappoint and KU crushed Iowa State. We went early and were able to walk around courtside as the team warmed up and then watch them as they ran out to the locker room before game time. You don’t realize how big the players are until you’re standing 10 feet
away. Another food recommendation - Quinton’s (affectionately referred to back in school as Peach Pit After Dark) has fantastic sandwiches, chips and soups.
No trip to Kansas City would be complete without a good helping of barbecue. Although we really like Arthur Bryant’s and Gates, Oklahoma Joe’s, which is located in a gas station, is delectable and receives our highest recommendation. If you can’t decide between the pork, ribs, sausage and beef, don’t. We managed to eat them all and hope you will, too.
During our time in Kansas we took a side trip to Des Moines, Iowa for a visit to Amy’s alma matter and some of her closest friends from college, Darci and Eric. As we are now in the habit of pushing our favorite eateries on you we’d like to mention two places in Des Moines. One is Cheddar’s. Amy worked here in college, the experience directly responsible for her coining the term “cheddarmares.” Roger was unable to pick up on the fearful aspect of this fine casual dining institution as he was busy consuming cheesey baked mashed potatoes, chicken tenders done just right, and some sort of pan-baked cookie sundae. Amy ate some, too.
The other place you need to eat is at Darci and Eric’s house. Eric grilled up a beautiful piece of meat that melted in our mouths. If you are passing through Des Moines stop at Cheddar’s (we can’t promise you won’t regret it the moment the meal ends). And let us know so we can call Darci and Eric and let them know you are coming over.
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Mike
non-member comment
I enjoyed this entry. I found the highlights to include, "Our first day in Utah was spent in Nevada" and "If you want to cruise for polygamists, Wal-Mart is the place." However, the best part was definitely, "If you can’t decide between the pork, ribs, sausage and beef, don’t." Words I live my life by. If that isn't a t-shirt somewhere, somebody really dropped the ball.