Travel

Swim Beach

/ Jess / 19 Comments

Yesterday we went to a super cool place called Crowley’s Ridge State Park in Arkansas. It was built by the CCC in the 1930’s.

There is a 31 acre fishing lake and a smaller lake that is so awesome. It’s a swim beach, complete with water slide, steps leading into the lake, and there’s even paddle boat rentals.

We missed the swimming season by about a month and I love summer, but on this early fall day, we had the place to ourselves.

If you’re traveling through Arkansas, north of Jonesboro, Crowley’s Ridge State Park is definitely worth a stop.

Carnival Rides

/ Jess / 26 Comments

I love an old fashioned county fair. We went to one today, over in the southeast corner of Missouri. We saw some exhibits, watched a little barrel racing, got a snow cone, and spent a good chunk of the afternoon in the midway.

PS Don’t let that round Ferris wheel looking thingy fool you– it is fast! We were way up on the top and that thing started rockin’ and rollin’! I actually heard myself say out loud, “It’s ok, look at all the physics that when into building this thing, we’re going to be all right!”

Hilarious.

When I stepped out of the seat, the guy working there asked me if I liked the ride. I said “yes, but I didn’t know it was going to be SO scary.”

And, we both laughed. Loudly.

County fairs. The tail end of summer. What a great way to spend the day, riding carnival rides.

The Archway

/ Jess / 15 Comments

If you are anywhere around Exit 275 on I-80 in Nebraska, and you want to see something really cool, stop at the Great Platte River Road Archway museum in Kearney.

On our way from Cheyenne Wyoming to northwest Missouri yesterday, we took I-80 through Nebraska and stopped there. Oh my gosh, you guys, it is amazing!!

The museum chronicles travel history in the area starting with covered wagons, stagecoaches, the Pony Express, and highways.

We each got a ‘personal-type’ museum guide via a device that looks like a tv remote with headphones. The exhibits had numbers on them and you can just point them at ones you want to learn about and press play.

That was my first experience with those and it was really neat. You can move at your own pace, turn the volume up or down, there’s no rush to miss a tour group.

The museum itself is extraordinary with its escalator entrance, the lifelike figures, the detailed murals ceiling high, railroad history, and a great display about the highway system. It ends with a step inside a vintage diner with booths and jukeboxes.

The gift shop is really nice and there’s even an ol’ vintage Coca Cola machine, if you fancy a soda in a glass bottle.

I’m so glad we went! Their website is http://www.archway.org if you’re interested in learning more.