Day 5 of the Drive East: baseball + jazz + barbecue = a good day in KC

After the many miles travelled over the past few days, we decided to relax in Kansas City this morning. It was a good choice.

We started with breakfast at our hotel. We love Embassy Suites because the rooms have enough space for us, and because of their made-to-order breakfasts. The Embassy Suites Kansas City Plaza was where we stayed, and it was great. The breakfast area was a zoo, and Levi was cranky -- he wanted cereal, and wanted it now, but we didn't want to lose our place in the breakfast line. One of the hotel's hostesses, Barbara, noticed Levi and asked if she could get him cereal. He took her hand, and next thing we knew he had cereal, plus a glass of apple juice with a straw! Levi was a happy camper, and Barbara was a hero.


We checked out of the hotel and headed to the Negro League Baseball Museum, a tribute to the history and legacy of ballplayers who couldn't play in the major leagues because of the color of their skin. We all enjoyed the story of players like hurler Satchel Paige ("I never threw an illegal pitch, I just threw some that hadn't been seen by this generation"), speedster Cool Papa Bell (who was so fast it was said he could turn off the light switch and get in bed under the covers before it got dark), and slugger Josh Gibson (Babe Ruth was called the "white Josh Gibson"). The kids were also confused by the overt racism the players had to endure in this country. What a sad episode in our history. Particularly poignant was the display on African-Americans in World War II who fought for freedom in other countries, while they were denied many of the same freedoms at home.

Adjacent to the baseball museum was the American Jazz Museum. We didn't plan to visit that museum, but it was next door and just a few bucks extra, so we thought we'd spend a few minutes there. Instead, we all enjoyed it for a couple hours. The two museums are located at the corner of 18th & Vine, once the hub of Kansas City's social scene and the performing center for the likes of Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Charlie Parker (a local jazz artist told us a great story on how Parker got his nickname "Bird"), Billie Holliday, and many other artists.




It was said that if you could make it in Kansas City in its heyday (the 1920s - 1950s), you could make it anywhere. With this rich history as a backdrop, the museum did a great job explaining the structure of jazz, how sounds are mixed, and some of the titans of different types of jazz. We were all wearing headphones at various exhibits and enjoying the music.

From there it was time for lunch. In Kansas City, that meant barbecue. One of Jason's high school friends recommended Oklahoma Joe's, a barbecue joint located in a gas station. We got there at 2 p.m., and the place was packed. PACKED. We stood in the line that snaked through the restaurant, past the convenience store, and outside (that's right, we were standing in line outside).


We learned while standing in line that Kansas City really takes its barbecue seriously, as evidenced by the barbecue sauce section of the gas station -- no Bullseye, no KC Masterpiece, but a whole section of specialty sauces and rubs (Dylan especially liked the "Butt Rub" -- for pork butts).



We took our big bag of barbecue (which was holding roughly an entire pig, plus "the best fries in Kansas City") to a city park around the corner. It was, quite possibly, the best barbecue we have ever had. We ate it all and skipped dinner.

From there, back on the road, across the state and crossing over the Mississippi River to Nauvoo, Illinois, and a condo out in a cornfield. We stopped at a rest area in central Missouri along the way, and the kids enjoyed a playground with a metal slide (we're not in Vegas anymore) and lots of grass and trees.



The only bad news: we lost our banana. The windy and bumpy roads of Missouri claimed the banana Jason left on the bumper in Albuquerque. We were bummed when we noticed it missing. Just think, though: a banana grown in a third world country comes to America, grows and ripens, then travels halfway across the U.S. before settling on its own piece of land in the Midwest. It's the American Dream. We were glad to be a small part of it.

Tomorrow, no packing up and driving. We'll explore Nauvoo and get some rest, then head to St. Louis on Sunday for two days.

Day 4 of the Drive East: the tenacious banana, and a Royal game

We now know why the NBA's Oklahoma City franchise is called the Thunder. It rained hard -- HARD -- with thunder and lightning all night during our stay in Oklahoma City. By the morning, though, the rain was a light drizzle, the air was fresh and cool, and we were off to Kansas City.

We had some fun along the way. Jason's iPod spit out several Beatles tunes during the course of an hour. Melissa commented, "Wow, there's a lot of Beatles on this." Colin, a self-identified bug hater, started looking around frantically and patting himself down: "Where? Where?" We died laughing. Melissa could barely speak: "We're talking about the Beatles' music!" Colin was quite relieved.



The day featured more overcast skies and a few light showers, but nothing too dramatic. Oklahoma and Kansas were much more green than we expected -- but even though it was pretty, the view didn't seem to change much. It was like driving through a photo. For five hours.

We had just arrived in Kansas City and were driving to our hotel when a woman pulled up next to us, laughing hard and pointing at our vehicle. Yvonne rolled down her window to see what was up. The lady said, between gasps, "Do you know you have a banana on the back of your car?." Jason leaned over and said, "We know, it's been there since Albuquerque." She laughed harder.


Go back to Tuesday morning. Leaving the hotel in Albuquerque, Jason grabbed a banana from the breakfast area to eat during that day's drive. After packing the Suburban and getting on the freeway, Jason looked around for his banana but couldn't find it. He figured he must have left it in the hotel. Ten hours later, unpacking the Suburban in Oklahoma City, he found the banana on the back bumper. He was going to throw it away (it didn't look edible), but Melissa insisted he leave it there. So he did. It's still in the same place on the bumper, through more than 800 miles on the highway and a hellacious Oklahoma storm. I guess we'll see how far it makes it.

We ended the day at a Kansas City Royals baseball game. Our love of baseball is well documented, and there are few places we enjoy more than the ballpark. After four days in the car and hotels, it was pure therapy to sit at the stadium and watch the Royals beat the Mariners 8-2.

While the team may struggle on the field, Kansas City has the game experience wired. Tickets for good outfield seats were -- brace yourself -- $7 each. The kids got meal deals (hot dog, animal crackers, and a drink) for $5 each, while Jason and Yvonne had authentic Kansas City barbecue sandwiches. We also enjoyed the Royals Hall of Fame behind left field that featured a short movie on Kansas City baseball history and some great memorabilia. And the temperature was in the mid-80s with a cool breeze. Like we said, therapeutic.






We sat with some cool people, so we laughed a lot. Our biggest laugh came when Levi had just stopped drinking from his juice box and had it just in front of his face; Melissa asked him if he wanted to go with her to the movie again, and he was so excited he squeezed the juice box and sprayed himself in the face. After he realized what happened, he laughed with us.




Tomorrow we'll see a few things in Kansas City and Independence, then hit the road for Nauvoo, Illinois, and a day off from driving on Saturday. We're looking forward to a day off the road.

Day 3 of the Drive East: Big Daddy's and air guitar

A long day on the road finds us safely resting in our Oklahoma City hotel, weary from over 500 miles on the road, enjoying a terrific thunder and lightning storm over the city (the kids are enjoying the view out the window because the storm knocked out the hotel's satellite; call it nature's reality television).

We left Albuquerque this morning after quickly cleaning out the back of the Suburban (i.e. where the huddled masses known as our kids sit). The cleanup brought two lines of the day:

1. As one of the boys complained about having to clean up, Melissa exclaimed "Oh, My Lanta!"(Jason thought it was hilarious.)

2. As all of the boys complained about straightening up their seats, Yvonne "encouraged" them: "Clean it up now. This is not your bedroom!"

We dreaded what we thought would be a boring drive through uninspiring scenery. And we were right for the first few hours as we drove east from Albuquerque and across the New Mexico-Texas border.




We trusted Jason's iPod (which started the day on song number 180 of our shuffle mix) for entertainment, and were rewarded just after we hit Texas when Van Halen's "Hot for Teacher" got its turn. An impromptu five-kid air-guitar jam session broke out as Jason cranked the volume. Levi led the band, starting on drums and then seamlessly transitioning to lead guitar (which he shredded). For an encore, they tore through Guns N Roses' "Paradise City". Then the kids went to sleep.


Along the way we saw several signs that made us miss Nevada, including the exit sign for Las Vegas (N. Mexico), Red Rock Canyon State Park (Oklahoma), and El Reno (Spanish for "the Reno", also in Oklahoma).




The highlight of the day came in Amarillo, Texas. Just as we wanted authentic southwestern food yesterday in Albuquerque, we wanted to make sure to get authentic Texas barbecue while crossing the Texas panhandle (in case you don't know us well, barbecue rules in our house). Yvonne used her iPhone to Google "best barbecue in Amarillo," and the result was a place called Big Daddy's. The directions to get there were complicated, and as we rolled into Amarillo for a late lunch we passed several new barbecue restaurants right off the freeway. But we decided we were going to Big Daddy's, and we pushed on and carefully followed the turn-by-turn directions.

Pulling up in the parking lot, we knew this was the place. It was clean, but old, and it smelled great. We walked in the front door, and were greeted in a sharp Texas drawl by Kay, the hostess. She asked how we were doing, and Jason said, "good, but we're better now." Her response was priceless (and told us we were in the right place): "Well, it's fixin' to get a whole lot better."




We ordered the family special: two pounds of meat (we got a pound each of sliced brisket and pork shoulder), three sides (two beans and a potato salad), and cornbread. Kay told the staff to make sure we got enough. And they did. We loved the attention from their staff, who took even better care of us when they found out we were moving.

Dylan got a confused look on his face when they told us they had "marj-a-reen" for the cornbread. Yvonne quietly told him it was "margarine", and he was ok.

Kay gave us a jar of sauce to remember them by (it was good sauce; we bought an extra bottle) and loaded us up with fresh baked brownies for our drive. What hospitality! As we prepared to leave, Melissa took the bag of sauce and brownies, and Kay handed our bag of considerable leftovers to Dylan and said, "Let's let the big-un take this." Dylan was all smiles.

The trip from there was great. The scenery improved dramatically, especially as we entered Oklahoma. The rolling hills, lush and green, were beautiful. And the kids showed their appreciation for the improved scenery by watching "Ironman" on our laptop computer.


The only hiccup, which was actually funny, was a near throw-down between two people at a gas station in Sayr, Oklahoma (we weren't involved in the throwdown -- that only happens in department store dressing rooms). As we filled up, one woman said to the other, "I don't have enough money for gas." The other said, "well if you didn't spend so much on your Subway sandwich you would." Then they drove off, and we laughed.

That was the day. A long, long time in the car, but a fun, fun day.

Tomorrow, we drive to Kansas City. The thunderstorm is still rolling through, but for us, the show is over for today.

Day 2 of the Drive East: Gettin' our kicks on (and around) Route 66

Following a Monday that included an emotional (and still difficult) farewell, several hours in the Suburban, and a late night after visiting the Grand Canyon, we slept late (well, most of us slept late) before a big breakfast at the Flagstaff Embassy Suites hotel.

Breakfast was a highlight not only for the food, but for watching the hotel cook who was part Benihana's chef and part Soup Nazi. We watched with mouths agape as he whipped through pancakes and scrambled eggs and omelets made to order at breakneck speed. The best was when he gave us our omelets, one at a time, while announcing which omelet it was as he fired the plates over the counter: "Omelet one with hash browns, go! Omelet two with hash browns, go! Omelet three without hash browns, go!" We grabbed the plates and left quickly out of fear that he might declare, "No eggs for you!" Hilarious -- and tasty.

With a late breakfast out of the way, and since we are in Route 66 country, we decided to stop in Winslow, Arizona, for the express purpose of standin' on a corner in Winslow, Arizona. The Eagles would have been proud. Yvonne even found the right vehicle so Jason could say, "It's a girl, my lord, near a flat-bed Ford, slowin' down to take a look at me."



From there we took the Eagles' advice to "Take It Easy." Further down the road in Holbrook, Arizona, we stopped at a charming local taco shop, serving the finest in southwestern cuisine. Actually, it was a Taco Bell, and it was anything but charming or fine dining, but it was convenient and served chalupas, so it worked.

Colin was sleeping as we pulled into the Taco Bell parking lot, and he was making some funny sounds and faces just before he woke up. As he awoke, Yvonne asked him what he was dreaming about. Before he could answer, Carson said sarcastically from the back seat, "he was probably dreaming about kissing Megan Fox (the actress from the Transformers movie who Colin describes as 'hot')." Colin, whose head was obviously still cloudy from his nap, still didn't miss a beat: "Nah, that ain't a dream. I've been there, done that." Gotta love the confidence, even if it's misplaced confidence.

Much of our day was spent driving parallel to Route 66, so we enjoyed seeing some of the familiar names from the song: "Gallup, New Mexico; Flagstaff, Arizona, don't forget Winona..." We especially loved the scenery in New Mexico. It was a gorgeous day, with a pastel blue sky and cotton candy clouds feathered about the horizon above majestic mesas. We felt like we were on the movie set for Pixar's movie Cars. If one of the rock formations had been shaped like the grill and hood ornament of a 1948 Cadillac, we wouldn't have been surprised.




We stopped at the Continental Divide, where we saw some interesting local culture (check out the photo of the sign; you might be a redneck if...). Jason also explained to the kids how water that falls on one side of the Divide flows to the Pacific, while water that falls on the other flows to the Gulf of Mexico. One of the boys asked, "So, how does the water know which way to go?" Jason explained it again, and they got it.



We ended the day in Albuquerque with a real local southwestern meal at Gardunos, an Albuquerque favorite that in no way resembles Taco Bell. Blue corn enchiladas, shrimp tacos, stuffed soapapillas, and carnita tacos -- all with green chile sauce and red salsa -- did the trick. We were all stuffed, and we had an amazing waitress who treated us to extra soapapillas for our trip tomorrow. Now we're putting the blog together poolside at the Albuquerque Hampton Inn on a warm, cloudy night that is occasionally interrupted by lightning flashes in the distance.

So two days into the trip it's so far, so good. All the kids are still alive, the Suburban is climbing hills like Lance Armstrong in his prime, and Jason's iPod is holding up well.

We set the iPod to shuffle and decided not to skip any songs until we get to Maryland. We're about 140 songs into the trip, and we're enjoying listening to everything from blues to country to jazz to garage bands to hard rock -- and some other stuff we're not sure how to classify.

Jason loved that as we crossed the border into New Mexico the iPod played Johnny Cash's "I Walk the Line," bringing back vivid memories of family vacations when he was young, listening to Johnny Cash on an old yellow 8-track.

Tomorrow we stay parallel to Route 66, stopping for lunch in Amarillo, then overnight in Oklahoma City (it's oh so pretty). It'll also be the longest day of our trip, nearly 550 miles. Good thing the iPod is charged.

Day 1 of the Drive East: Goodbye Las Vegas, Hello Grand Canyon

With our house sold, our possessions packed and shipped, and another season of softball over, the time has finally come to move east. We pledged to document our trip day-by-day through the blog, so if you'd like to travel with us virtually, we've got a seat for you here.


We started our last day in Las Vegas right, going to breakfast with our close friends the Piets so we could celebrate Alex's 11th birthday before we left. The Original Pancake House at Aliante Station served us well -- chocolate chip pancakes, pecan waffles, fresh squeezed orange juice, etc. We had a great and filling breakfast together, all 12 of us. After an emotional goodbye in the Aliante Station parking garage (an odd setting for a heartfelt and tearful farewell between two families that have grown so close over the years -- yet oddly appropriate for two families that have found joy together in all types of circumstances), we hit the road.



After eight years in Vegas, we had never made the drive to the Grand Canyon, so that seemed an appopriate place to start our cross country trip. We crossed Hoover Dam into Arizona at 12:52 p.m. on the dam clock, marking our official departure from Nevada and the end of a slew of dam jokes, including:

- "This is the best dam view"
- "Look at all the dam rocks"
- "Check out the dam bridge"
- "I'm getting tired of your dam sarcasm"

I'm sure you get the idea... plenty of dam jokes during a long delay across the dam.



One exciting detour was a much needed restroom stop at a roadside gas station outside Kingman, Ariz. The only problem was that we were heading southbound, and the only access was from the northbound lane. We were in the middle of nowhwere, and there was an urgent demand, so Jason did what had to be done -- he cut across the highway median. Dylan, who had dozed off earlier, woke up with a start as Jason turned our Suburban across the gravel center strip. Always calm and collected, Dylan asked coolly in a tired voice, "Dad, why are we off-roading?"

The drive the Grand Canyon was beautiful. We hiked along the rim and ventured along the many lookouts. We wanted to mark our long first day on the road with a view of the canyon at sunset...so we did. It was simply gorgeous...a great start to the long drive to Maryland.

Tomorrow, we're off to the ABQ: Albuquerque, N.M. We'll fill you in from there...