Exploring Palo Duro Canyon: Grand Canyon of Texas

Connie Texas May 15, 2018May 16, 2018Grand Canyon of Texas, Palo Duro Canyon, Palo Duro Canyon State Park, What to do in Amarillo 3 Comments

Driving through the flat Texas panhandle, you’d never guess that only 25 miles south of Amarillo the earth opens to the second largest canyon in North America. Palo Duron Canyon, known as the Grand Canyon of Texas, stretches 120 miles long, ranges from 6 to 20 miles wide, and is more than 800 feet deep. However, unlike the Grand Canyon, where you can reach the canyon floor only by mule or foot, you can drive right down to the canyon floor in Palo Duro Canyon State Park. Read more

Landscape Across America

Connie Arizona, California, Iowa, Road Trips, Texas December 19, 2015amboy crater, channel islands national park, elephane seals in san simeon, elephant seals in california, Great Salt Lake, Iowa, Iowa loess hills, Loess Hills, mammoth lakes, Monterey, Monterey CA, Monterey California, oatman arizona, oatman az, road trip, salinas valley, Salinas Valley Ca, Salinas Valley California, san simeon, san simeon ca, san simeon california, santa monica, santa monica ca, santa monica california, Sierra Nevada Mountains, Sonora Pass, texas, utah, wyoming 1 Comment

O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain

–Katharine Lee Bates

During our twenty-day road trip from Chicago to Monterey, California, down to Santa Monica and back across Route 66, my favorite patriotic song, America the Beautiful, came to mind. The topography constantly changed. From mountains, some still with snow, to lush valleys, to the hot, dry desert and ocean views, the landscape painted a beautiful backdrop for our trip. We’re sharing some of the scenic areas that we drove through in this video.

Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared in U.S. Long Cuts. We are merging U.S. Long Cuts with Midwest Wanderer, adding a “Beyond the Midwest” menu option. Read more

Kicks on Route 66

Connie Arizona, California, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Road Trips, Texas December 1, 2015December 3, 2015Arizona, Buffalo Run Casino, California Route 66, Elk City OK, Flagstaff, Holbrook, Loretto Chapel, Loretto Chapel Santa Fe, New Mexico, New Mexico Route 66, Oatman, Oklahoma, Oklahoma Route 66, Prairie Fire, Route 66, Santa Fe, Santa Monica Pier, Seligman, Tucumcari, Tulsa, Williams 0 Comment

Editor’s Note: Following are links to Route 66 articles that first appeared on our U.S. Long Cuts blog. We are merging U.S. Long Cuts with Midwest Wanderer, adding a “Beyond the Midwest” menu.

More to Giant Crosses than Visible from the Interstate

Connie Attractions & Events, Illinois, Texas April 3, 2015May 14, 2015Amarillo Cross, Cross at the Crossroads, Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, Effingham cross, Effingham Illinois, Giant Cross, Groom Texas 4 Comments

We passed the giant Cross at the Crossroads dozens of times over the years. Repeatedly we’d commented that on one of our trips we should stop to check out the cross that soars into the sky just off the interstate where I-57 and I-70 intersect at Effingham, Illinois. We finally visited recently following our visit to another giant cross in Groom, Texas, the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Read more