After spending a couple of Mardi Gras seasons on the Gulf Coast, we decided to do something different last year. We traveled to Liberal, Kansas, for the 75th annual International Pancake Day, always held on Shrove Tuesday, or Fat Tuesday as we also know it. What fun!
Read more
We’ve been to a lot of botanic gardens, in the Midwest and other parts of the U.S. So, when we say Botanica, the Wichita Gardens is at the top of our list of favorites, it means a lot. What makes it special? Read on (or watch the video) to find out.
Read more
When the Kansas Gunsmoke Trail launched last year, we couldn’t wait to experience it. The trail is made up of four Kansas cities that were mentioned often in the old radio and television Gunsmoke series— Wichita, Dodge City, Hays, and Abilene—and includes lots of Old West-related attractions.
Our latest Midwest Wanderer Explores e-zine issue, “Kansas Gunsmoke Trail,” includes twelve articles about our experiences on the trail, plus links to related blog posts we’ve published in the past.
…and so much more.
Read more
We used to enjoy an occasional afternoon at a greyhound racetrack. Over a nice lunch in the climate-controlled clubhouse, we’d place our two-dollar bets on the races. We each used our own “scientific method” of determining the winning dogs. Our methods rarely worked, but we had fun. So, when we saw that Abilene, Kansas, is home to the Greyhound Hall of Fame museum, we had to visit. The Hall of Fame highlights the history of the greyhound racing industry and pays tribute to both humans and dogs who impacted the industry.
Read more
Last summer we visited Old Abilene Town in Abilene, Kansas, as part of a media event. That evening, our hosts treated us to a cattle drive featuring Texas Longhorn cattle, a ride on the Abilene and Smoky Valley Railroad, and a museum tour. In the museum we learned about Wild Bill Hickok’s time in Abilene. So, we were excited when we were also invited to attend the Wild Bill Hickok Rodeo, where we could see real cowboys and cowgirls in competitive action.
The Wild Bill Hickok Rodeo is an annual event, named multiple times as one of the top five professional outdoor rodeos in America. What was the rodeo like?
Read more
More often than not, we travel the back roads on our road trips. It beats dealing with heavy traffic on interstate highways, saves on gas mileage since we drive slower, and we see more of real America, passing through small towns.
Read more