Pat & Cats Heartland Tour 2010

KC Skyline

Oregon Trail

The Oregon trail passed through Independence and is commemorated. Though the trail head was St. Louis, MO the most popular departure place was right here in Independendence. And, there are some beautiful old homes linng the walking trail and marked with placques. You can also see the KC skyline from here.

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Every so often we see something that reminds us WHY WE LOVE TRAVEL. You don’t have to be on bicycles to grow and learn from the experience of TRAVEL but we feel that it helps to see between the lines of countries, cultures and get to know people of the WORLD. This photo and video says it all, don’t you think?

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We’d seen a life sized Dinosaur as we cycled past Union Station. Curious we walked more than a mile in sticky heat. There was a display but we’d had our fill of museums for the day. We took pictures of the big guy and a video then took the bus back to Camp Hotel Phillips.

Dino Bites Lamp

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Steamboat Arabia

Pat and Jane dropped us near the entry to the Steamboat Arabia Museum. We usually avoid Museums but they insisted. And, they were right, this expeience was quite different. The ship was steaming upstream on the Missouri River in 1856 when it slammed into a snag, a tree trunk coming downstream. The ship sank, the only known casualty was a mule.  Over the years the river changed course and the Arabia was lost, but not forever. You can see a great presentation of the sinking and recovery at   

  http://www.1856.com/ .

What we loved most about the Museum is that it’s privately owned by the two families that turned a treasure hunt in to a display of all the treasures for public viewing. Like a window to the past. 

Pitchers & Pots

Tableware

Boots n' Powder

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The good news, we love the Hotel. The bad news, they only serve one Continental Breakfast for each room? We weren’t the only ones confused. We witnessed 3 other couples enter and the embarrassed staff explain. Seems like a classy place doing the cheap.

Our new KC Irish Family, Pat, Jane and daughter Kelly picked us up at 10:30 AM. They gave us a whirlwind tour including a stop at Kelly’s new Loft Condo. We lunched together at Fran’s a great local place near our Hotel. What a joy, having friends like this in a strange City. 

WW I Veteran's Memorial

Jane Dances

New Family, New Loft

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View from Our Room

Last night Steve layed out a route into and through KC. This morning Pat revised some of the route into Kansas City. We did laundry and talked Real Estate, the economy and travel. We rolled out of the driveway at 12:00 noon in clean cloths. Jane had helped Cat book a room on Hotel’s.com and we are staying in Hotel Phillips, downtown, KC.

We rode through Pat & Jane’s neighborhood then onto the series of streets Pat had mapped out. Perfect directions, we were at the door of Hotel Phillips by 1:30. The staff was interested in our story and upgraded us to the 20th floor. Nice room, great view. We even saw some of the 4th of July fireworks from our room. Dinner at the Sea Food Grill. Best blackened Tuna and Scallops we’ve ever had. We like this City! 

KC Street Scene

KC MO Skyline

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Our Realtor DaughterLori, in Orange, introduced us to Pat & Jane on e-mail and telephone. We rolled up to their door in the early afternoon. Jane was there to greet us, Pat was working out in his club’s swimming Pool. Jane instantly welcomed us with snacks. We sat on the deck overlooking their beautiful property eating and getting acquainted.

Pat came in and joined us. We mentioned that we need to find a bike shop. He insisted that we use their car while he showers. We found the place and bought inner tubes, gloves and upscale shorts for Cat. We learned that her seat is a little to wide for her rear. We decided to replace it when we get back home.

Back at Pat & Jane’s, we met neighbors for wine then expanded the plan to include dinner at Jack Stack’s Barbecue. The place was packed with an hour and a half wait. They opted for take out. We really enjoyed getting to know new friends along with Ribs, Yum!  

New Friends, Wine & Food

Ribs To Go

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Damn, another flat tire! Just as we were starting out of the driveway I realized the rear tire (of course) was flat. As I turned back a family came out the door. The two boys were pretty interested. They asked where we came from. Cat told them our story then asked where they were from. Hastings Minnesota, wow that’s the city Cat’s dad was born and raised in. We chatted, they know Russ and Lisa, Cat’s cousins. Another small world encounter.

The good news, we’re only going about 30 miles, in to Overland Park, MO today. The ride is countryside and beautiful. The heat is down but the humidity is way up. There was a few miles of construction. The detour would have taken us Lord know where? So we rode inside the barriers then back down an ON RAMP just being completed. After a tough push through the mess we were on the road, again. We made a wine stop at WalMart and were in to our new friends place by 1:00 Pm. 

Old Barn & Hay

Wind Knocked out of it

In the Zone, Construction

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Steve & Karen

Nevada Street Scene

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The land is flat and the wind is with us. Cat says, “It feel almost effortless.” I look out toward the horizen and say, “Effortless but it also looks almost endless!” Then as we pass another of those “almost ready to pick” corn fields I broke out in song.

Effortless yet Endless

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