What We Did - Part 5

I am really dragging this thing out.

1. Here we are in Denver, where we spent a few days. We took the train downtown - this is the interstate from the pedestrian overpass to the light rail station.



2. Downtown we saw the state capitol.



3. We went to the awesome Denver Art Museum, with this awful expansion by Daniel Libeskind. The crazy walls exacerbated the dizziness we felt from the altitude. But the artwork was great when it wasn't spinning!






4. Claus Oldenburg at the Denver Museum



5. We went to a fancy mall and did some shopping - it had this great breakfast-food-themed play area. (Christa - I thought of you when I saw the slides!)



6. Went to a great bookstore called the Tattered Cover.
7. Ate at a place called Gunther Toody's. Tee hee.
8. Went to the Denver Zoo.
9. Ate at a place called Pete's Greek World - had the best lamb sandwich ever!!!
10. Saw the Rockies vs. Brewers - an exciting game that the Rockies won 6-4. If you look in the upper right of this picture, you will see the actual Rockies.

What We Did - Part 4

Day 2: To Santa Fe and Beyond!

1. After leaving OK City, we noticed the landscape change - the trees were farther apart and there was lots of green and orange.

2. Then we reached Texas, where the landscape changed to looking like Cookie Crisp, then changed to a flat, dusty nothing.



3. Stopped in Amarillo at Boots & Jeans to get T some boots and jeans.

4. Came down with Texas madness!

5. Entered New Mexico - mesas everywhere, and very little else. Got New Mexico madness before even reaching Santa Fe.

6. Santa Fe is brown.

7. We went to the Georgia O'Keefe Museum. This might be the Georgia O'Keefe Museum. It also might be a convenience store, or it might be the hotel where we stayed.



8. There were Native American vendors at the Palace of the Governors



9. Went to the Cathedral of St. Francis of Assisi


















10. Left Santa Fe for Denver! Stopped along the way in Las Vegas, NM, which has an adorable town square. We also got plum fried pie and possibly the best tamales I've ever eaten from a Tamaleria there.



11. Drove through the mountains and around the mountains and with the mountains to the left of us before reaching Denver.

What We Did - Part 3

We are still only on day one of our trip! Sorry for the delay - I was in Philadelphia writing more lists.

1. Thought about Barbara Kingsolver - I think the book The Bean Trees - while driving through Oklahoma, which is green and hilly, with long views.

2. Got to Oklahoma City and saw the Oklahoma City National Memorial












3. Saw this beautiful house



4. Ate at a restaurant, in Oklahoma City, called the Santa Fe Steakhouse, which served Texas specialties.

5. Went to the awesome National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum - one of my favorite parts of the trip! (Thanks, Eric!)



6. Saw a crazy cactus-like plant



7. Went to the Cherokee Trading Post and Restaurant for cowboy hats and Indian tacos!

What We Did - Part 2

Oklahoma, and so y'all can stop looking at that clown...
1. Oklahoma has signs on the interstate before exits to small towns that say "See (name of small town)," and lists the reasons why. The first one is for Sallisaw, OK, and we fell for it. This is what we saw in Sallisaw:
a beauty shop called "Elaine's"



and The Indian Store, where we bought souvenirs and postcards.



Note the sombrero-wearing parrot on the sign!



2. Robertson's Ham Sandwiches, which SITS ON A THRONE OF LIES. Imagine spending your day on the road and seeing a sign for ham sandwiches. Wouldn't you want one? Wouldn't you pull off the highway? Don't bother, they'll be closed!






3. Sign at the gas station next to Robertson's, where we ended up with a non-ham-sandwich snack.

What We Did - Part 1

Pickle Gap Village, AR (I think that's the name of it - T kept calling it Pickle Jar Junction, which is much more catchy)

1. Went to the Pickle Barrel Fudge Factory Snack Shop for some delicious BBQ and fudge.









2. Went to Kiddie Land, home of the SCARIEST CLOWN SIGN EVER






3. Saw goats and weird chickens












4. and old-school monkey bars

Guestlist: United States

By T, compiled after we drove through 11 states.

United states I have yet to visit and the likelihood that I will:

Hawaii - Highly Likely
How can I become a world champion surfer without visiting Hawaii?

Idaho - Likely
Idaho intrigues me. The people are very quiet about their state. I think there's something great going on that they don't want us to know about. It can't just be about the fishing.

Indiana - Highly Likely
I will definitely attend the Indianapolis 500 at some point.

Michigan - Highly Unlikely
The only scenario I can envision is driving there and back from Chicago just to say I've done it.

Montana - Somewhat Likely
I think this will require a trip to Yellowstone during which we hit Montana and Idaho. Perhaps this is where I will buy a shack and begin working on my manifesto.

South Carolina - Likely
I can ignore the accents long enough to get in a few rounds of golf.

Utah - Unlikely
I'd like to see Monument Valley, but that's pretty much it. And, isn't most of that in Arizona? Besides, Mormons frighten and confuse me.

Vermont - Somewhat Likely
Despite their predilection for socialism, I could see us vacationing there. You know how I love to ski.

Places We Stayed - With Pictures!

1. Oklahoma City, OK




































2. Santa Fe, NM














3. Denver, CO


















4. Custer, SD














5. Sioux Falls, SD


















6. Kansas City, KS