Travel - Growing Older Everyday

New Mexico Land of Enchantment

Posted on September 7, 2022September 1, 2022 by Kimberly Anne

Checking off another state in the United States, we went to New Mexico, the Land of Enchantment, in April of 2022. We went with three other couples (relatives), two of them were in trailers, like us. The other stayed at a hotel nearby. Our main focus was National Parks. I will say that this was not a fun way to travel. When we go by ourselves, I plan out our agenda. Going with others means we go with other people’s plans. We did try to get off by ourselves and visit a few places I had on my list.

We were traveling in our trailer, so we ended up camping in one spot in Santa Fe. The Trailer Ranch RV Resort, 3471 Cerrillos Rd, in Santa Fe, doesn’t really look like much from the exterior, but it was a great place to stay. It was quiet, and the staff was very pleasant and helpful.

Continue reading →

Standin’ on the Corner in Winslow, Arizona

Posted on August 24, 2022August 23, 2022 by Kimberly Anne

My sister-in-law called me to suggest I visit the “Standin’ on the Corner in Winslow, Arizona” tribute since we should be driving close to it soon. She had already passed it and wanted someone to go there on our trip. My husband wasn’t thrilled with the idea, but he went along with it.

The corner is dedicated to the song “Take it Easy” by the Eagles.

Continue reading →

Cruising in Modesto, California

Posted on June 22, 2022August 23, 2022 by Kimberly Anne

So many places to see and things to do in Modesto, California

Modesto is off the 99 freeway in Central California. However, most people driving by likely don’t think much about it. Unless maybe you are familiar with the presence of the Gallo Family businesses, including the Gallo Winery. If you haven’t heard about what is unique in Modesto, I will give you a list of unique things to see and do here.

However, before we get to those details, I’ll let you know that Modesto is known to most residents as the place where Director George Lucas was raised. He wanted to be a race car driver one day, but after a near-fatal crash in his Fiat, he changed his plan. His inspiration for the movie American Graffiti, his first big film, was from his youth in Modesto, when he spent time cruising McHenry with his friends. The movie is set in Modesto, but none of it was filmed there. Modesto had vintage and customized cars driving up and back McHenry Avenue on Saturday nights until 1993 when cruising was banned.

Continue reading →

Nebraska – Amazing Things to Do

Posted on October 27, 2021August 23, 2022 by Kimberly Anne

A friend of mine was surprised that Phil and I were going to spend three days in Nebraska. “What is there to do in Nebraska?” he asked.

I had already made my plans, hotel reservations, and fun places to visit. So we went forward on our trip, knowing I could show my friend many places to visit. And we did. In fact, after seeing Nebraska, I thought I could enjoy living there, except maybe in the winter. So join me on our mini-tour of Nebraska. Remember that we were limited on the number of days we spent there, but I hit nearly everything I wanted to see.

Continue reading →

Oklahoma – Incredible Things to Do

Posted on October 20, 2021August 23, 2022 by Kimberly Anne

In the summer of 2021, my husband and I went to Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska. In this post, I will mention the best things that we saw on our trip to Oklahoma. We were only in Oklahoma for a few days, so it was essential for us to see the most incredible things to do. Here are some places that we visited on our trip. I hope that if you live in Oklahoma, you have already visited these places. If not, I suggest you plan a trip to see at least some of these places that make the state of Oklahoma so great.

If you have never been to Oklahoma, you might consider going there on your next vacation. Visit Oklahoma, or maybe Oklahoma and bordering states like Kansas and Texas. I have a previous post about our trip to Kansas. Double click here to read it: Kansas – Interesting Things to Do – Growing Older Everyday

Oklahoma is known as the Sooner State, The Land of the Red Man, and Native America. This is partially because Oklahoma has the largest population of Native Americans in the United States.

Continue reading →

Kansas – Interesting Things to Do

Posted on October 14, 2021August 23, 2022 by Kimberly Anne

In the summer of 2021, we flew into Kansas City to start a three-state trip, which included Kansas, Oklahoma, and Nebraska. It’s part of my goal to visit every state in the United States before I am no longer capable. I always try my best to find interesting things to do in each state we visit. This is our second year in a row to visit three states. Last year it was Illinois, Indiana, and Missouri. Next year will probably be New Mexico, North Dakota, and Wyoming. We will do them on two separate trips since they are quite far apart. Other than Alaska, that will finish the western half of the United States for us.

Upon our arrival in Kansas City, we got Kansas City Barbeque for a late lunch and then proceed to the hotel where we would spend the night. I had planned to go to a particular barbeque (Joe’s Barbeque) but was talked into going to the favorite of the person who was at the car rental agency. I’ll never know if the place she recommended was better than the place I was planning to go to, but I wasn’t impressed with the place we went to. It was good, just not as good as I had hoped for. The staff there was great, but I wished I had gone with my first choice. But we can say we had Kansas City Barbeque.

Continue reading →

Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis

Posted on December 9, 2020August 23, 2022 by Kimberly Anne

On a recent visit to St. Louis, we stopped at my aunt’s house for a short visit. She recommended a place that I had not heard of before. I was convinced that if she recommended it, it was worth seeing. My husband wasn’t convinced but agreed to go along with me the next day. We aren’t Catholics and I’ve only seen the inside of a few Catholic churches in my lifetime and I didn’t find them very impressive. Those had definitely not been worth going out of my way to see. The Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis, though out of our way, was an astonishing sight. My aunt had explained it, but until you walk through the doors, there is no way for you to imagine the beauty that is everywhere inside.

The exterior of the Cathedral is also impressive. It has a Romanesque style of architecture on the outside, with Byzantine style on the interior. It sits on the corner of Lindell Boulevard and Newstead Avenue in downtown Saint Louis. The Cathedral is a hidden gem in a city with many popular tourist attractions. There are many architectural features that make this building remarkable. It is a large building with three domes, half domes, arches, and barrel-vaulted ceilings.

Continue reading →

Gateway Arch – An Unusual National Park

Posted on October 28, 2020August 23, 2022 by Kimberly Anne

The Gateway Arch National Park in St. Louis, Missouri, is not your regular National Park. You can’t go camping there. Neither can you see a natural wonder that has been there for hundreds, maybe even thousands of years, or longer. Gateway Arch is man made. It is 55 years old (in 2020.) There are ninety acres of land included in this National Park, covered with a few buildings, a lot of grass, and over 4,000 trees. Plus 5 miles of trails.

Even though the Gateway Arch has only been a National Park since 2018, it has a large amount of history. Before becoming a national park it was known as the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial. Its location is near where Lewis and Clark began their expedition to expand our country to the West. It was also known as the Gateway to the West. The area was designated as a national memorial in 1935. In 2018, President Donald Trump designated Gateway Arch as a National Park.

Continue reading →

Be a Happy Camper: Don’t Forget These 12 Items

Posted on July 4, 2019August 23, 2022 by Kimberly Anne

Everything is packed, and you are off on a new adventure. But once the tent/trailer is set up, you discover that you forgot a few things. Some of these may not be that critical, but others might force you to make a trip to a store that might not be so nearby. And who wants to leave that comfy lawn chair and run to the store?

Flashlight. Walking to the bathroom at night or checking out that strange noise will be much easier with a flashlight.

Coffee and metal coffee pot. I don’t drink coffee, but if my husband forgot this, he’d be heading to the store before the sun rises. Sugar and cream, anyone?

Prescriptions. If you take any prescription medications, this one can be a tough one to forget. Unfortunately, finding a pharmacy and getting your doctor to put in an emergency refill isn’t a quick fix.

Continue reading →