Columbia
June 4 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 82 °F
Our next leg was from Colby, KS, to Columbia, MO. A shorter drive, but still nearly 500 miles. But we'd have time for a stop in Kansas City for a couple of things.
One of the cool things about a road trip is that not only do you see the obvious sights, but you also experience local stuff like roadside attractions, rest stops, and gas stations, which vary from state to state. When we filled up in Kansas, for example, I was confronted with a gas pump with four different options, and that didn't even include diesel. Lots of different flavors with varying quantities of ethanol. It was actually a really nice gas station, and I liked the little "you are beautiful" sign on the mirror in the bathroom (I don't generally take photos in bathrooms, but there was nobody else in there).
Our first stop was at the Eisenhower Presidential Library in Abilene. This wound up being a really nice visit. I've always had respect for Eisenhower, and seeing the museum and reading his letters and thoughts deepened that. Nice to remember someone who put service and country before self. I also started getting some eastern birds in the grounds, including Northern Cardinal and Eastern Warbling Vireo.
Our route took us through Topeka, where we stopped at the Brown v Board of Education National Historical Park. This is centered on the old Monroe Elementary School, one of the segregated schools that was integrated as a result of the Brown v Board of Education decision. It was good for DJ to see how life was for some people in the very recent past.
In Kansas City our first stop was for some truly excellent sandwiches at Bay Boy Specialty Sandwiches. Really unique and tasty. It was a bit too far to walk to the Nelson-Atkins Museum from where we were, so we drove over and parked there. We didn't get a whole lot out of our tour of the interior, but we love the installations on the outside, especially the Oldenburg shuttlecocks. We got some decent walking in and then it was time to carry on to Columbia.
We got to the Drury Inn in Columbia just before 7:00, a notable time as that's when they stop serving their evening buffet. I was still full from my Bay Boy sandwich, but DJ wanted something to eat so he hustled over while we checked in. We love Drury hotels as they are always clean and provide a pretty bountiful free food selection for both breakfast and dinner. The Columbia hotel was no exception and we had a good night's stay.Read more