American Museum of Natural History - New York City, NY

After lunch at Shake Shake, I still had a lot of time until I could check into my hotel. So I headed across the street to the American Museum of Natural History. On all my previous trips to New York City, I had never actually been. I'd seen the Metropolitan Museum of Art a twice and the Museum of Modern Art once, but never the Museum of Natrual History. So I was extremely to see what one of the most famous museums in the country had to offer.

Unfortunately, the first sight I was confronted by were hoardes of children. And I don't mean a crowd of children or even a mob. I mean a literal hoarde of children like regiments of an invading army that occupied every floor, room and exhibit available. They were not polite hoardes, they were running, screaming, shouting hoardes with screams that echoed off every imaginable surgace. It was not how I had hoped to see the museum. That doesn't mean I don't like children, I'm actually fond of them. Just not when they seem to be re-enacting a scene from Dawn of the Dead.

The first exhibit I was was the Mammals of North America. It was extremely disconcerting because it was pretty much just taxidermy animals in backlit glass cases with plaques that were difficult to read in the dark hallways. Taxidermy has always given me the willies. It was also strange to see exhibits about animals I usually regarded as road kill, included one of the oppossum. I decided to skip the rest of the exhibits on the floor, mostly because I didn't have enough time to take in the museum in its entirity. So I hopped an elevator and jumped straight to the dinosaur exhibits.

I am officially not smart enough to appreciate any of the exhibits on palentology. Everything I know about dinosaurs I learned from "Land Before Time", "Jurassic Park", and the BBC sci-fi show "Primeval". These are apparently not reliable sources of scientific information. A lot of the displays focused on the claws and wrists of the dinosaurs. I was really confused by that and when I mentioned it to my mother on the phone later she explained at great length why this was important, but I still didn't get it. So my reaction to the most important palentology exhibit in the country consisted almost entirely of: "Cool, the skeleton of a T-Rex! Cool, the skeleton of a triceritops! Cool, the skeleton of that dinosaur with the really long neck! You know, the one Little Foot was in "Land Before Time"."

With my admission, I also bought a ticket to one of the special exhibits. There were several available, including one on the world's largest dinosaurs (which given my failure at understanding the permanent exhibits, I'm glad I didn't choose). Instead, I opted for the exhibit on the brain.

It was absolutely fascinating! It started with an explanation of the parts of the brain and their function with an introductory video similar to what you could have seen on PBS. But it continued with very thought provoking displays. The sensing brain portion focused on how our brain interprets sensory signals, such as what we see and feel. For example, you stood in one spot and saw a person walking in the rain while hearing a sound. At first, my brain heard it as the sound of rain based on what I was seeing but it was later revealed to be sizzling bacon. The display on the thinking brain was probably my favorite as it showed how our learning and developing can actually change the physical nature of our brain. For example, London cab drivers have to learn every possible route throughout the city from one location to another. In order to accomodate this incredible amount of information, studies found that part of the brain associated with long term memory in these individuals actually enlarged! The final portion of the exhibit focused on exciting new developments in brain technology, such as anamotronic limbs that can be controlled by thought. This would allow ambutees to control their prosthetics with their minds, like a natural limb.

By the time I finished the brain exhibit, I realized it was time for me to check my hotel. In about three hours, I had only managed to see a few of the exhibits, which made me sad. But I still was happy to see as much as I did and especially happy to have been able to see the special exhibit "Brain: The Inside Story."

The Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics - Lawrence, KS

Recently, I have been thinking I must have done something well in my life. I have been lucky enough at my young age to have shaken the hands of a former President and two Supreme Court Justices. The first Justice I met was Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. I attended a luncheon with a dozen other young female law students and had the incredible opportunity of speaking one-on-one with the first woman ever appointed to the Supreme Court of the United States. The second was Justice Sonia Sotomayor, who recently hosted a Question and Answer Session with law students and members of the community at The Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics in Lawrence, Kansas.

After Bob Dole lost the 1996 presidential election, he received a proposal to entrust his 35-years of congressional papers to the University of Kansas, where Dole had studied before leaving to serve in WWII. Together Dole and KU established the Dole Institute, which houses Dole's papers and also offers programs for students and members of the community to learn about American politics and public service. The building was officially opened to the public in 2003 and since then has hosted numerous national and world leaders, including President Clinton, former Secretary of State Madeline Albright, and former President of Poland Lech Walesa. Justice Sotomayor is not the only Supreme Court Justice to visit the Dole Institute; she was preceded by Justice O'Connor, Justice Alito, and Chief Justice Roberts.

While the Dole Institute offers an opportunity for the people of Kansas to hear famous politicians, justices, journalists, authors, historians, and public servants speak, it also offers interactive opportunities with the Dole Fellows. Dole Fellows are individuals with extensive experience in public service, who offer public study groups on a political topic. This Spring, Walt Riker (former Vice President of McDonald's) and Hon. Dennis Moore (former US Congressman for Kansas) will be the Dole's Fellows. Riker will be leading a study group on Corporate Responsibility and Moore will be leading a study group on Life in Congress.

These unique educational opportunities at the Dole Institute are quite inspirational. After a visit, Tom Brokaw had this to say:

“I was just at the Bob Dole Institute at the University of Kansas, and I recommend to everybody watching this broadcast that if you get anywhere near Lawrence, Kansas, go to the Bob Dole Institute.....and you'll see some bright young people who are entering public life or are interested in the issues of the day. And you'll see a remarkable small museum about Bob's astonishing life. It is a great tribute to a great American."

In addition to the great service it provides, the Dole Institute is visually stunning. It is reminiscent of the federal buildings in Washington, D.C. It even includes a 32,000 square foot reflecting pool, similar to Washington's Tidal Basin. But even with its national influence, the Institute is still uniquely Kansan. A fourteen-foot replica of the Kansas state seal crowns the building's facade. Inside, the Dole Institute honors its namesake in the Hansen Hall with exhibits about Dole's military service, personal life, and political career. At the south end of Hansen Hall, visitors can see a soaring, 29-foot tall stained glass American flag window, and two eleven and a half foot steel columns which were salvaged from the World Trade Center and presented to Senator Dole by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

The Dole Institute is a shining temple to the ideals of American history, politics or public service. Whether you stop to simply admire the architecture and exhibits or to learn from one of the Institute's many speakers and fellows, it will certainly enrich your mind and inspire your soul to those American values of freedom, democracy, and public service.

Total Time Traveled: 10 minutes

Total Distance Traveled: 2 miles

Soundtrack: "Let It Bleed" Rolling Stones

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The Eldridge Hotel - Lawrence, KS

Few sites in Kansas can claim the spirit and endurance of the Eldridge Hotel. It has been at the center of two major conflicts in Lawrence - the fight between the Free State men and pro-slavery forces as well as Quantrill's raid. But through it all, The Eldridge Hotel still stands and offers the best in luxurious accommodations.

The original hotel was built in 1855 as the Free State Hotel. The name is particularly meaningful. It was called the Free State because the early settlers were determined that Kansas should enter the union in the Free State and it served as the headquarters of the Free State men.

But in 1856, the hotel was attacked and burned down Sheriff Jones and his posse of pro-slavery men (the same group that burned down Liberty Hall). But true to Lawrence spirit, it did not remain rubble for long. In 1857, Colonel Eldridge rebuilt the hotel with his brothers and swore they would rebuild it again if it were re-attacked. Colonel Eldridge must have had a premonition because the hotel was attacked and burned down again, this time by Quantrill's raid. In that infamously brutal raid, Quantrill and his band left Lawrence in ruins and killed 180 men and boys. In a mere four hours, they had decimated the city.

Quantrill and his men stomped the city but not the heart of Lawrence. The city adopted the motto, "From Ashes to Immortality," and set about rebuilding. Colonel Eldridge reopened The Hotel Eldridge in 1865. Over the years it has been through numerous renovations. Most recently, a group of investors with support of the city of Lawrence rebuilt the top four floors and restored the lobby in 1985.

In addition to its history, The Eldridge Hotel is also haunted. There have been numerous reports of ghostly activity on the fifth floor, including reports of elevators opening and closing on their own as well as people seeing apparitions. Room 506 is the primary source of these spooky reports. Supposedly, people have seen breath marks on recently cleaned mirrors, doors opening and closing, and even lights turning on and off by themselves.

If you need somewhere to stay in Lawrence and appreciate the rich history and endurance of the town (as well as enjoy a bit of luxury in your accommodations), then book a room at the Eldridge Hotel. Or at least stop by to see just how beautiful the hotel can be from ashes to immortality.

Total Time Traveled: 10 minutes

Total Distance Traveled: 6 miles

Soundtrack: "Fever to Tell" Yeah Yeah Yeah's

Roadside Jayhawk Spotting - Lawrence, KS

You can't travel an inch in Lawrence, Kansas without seeing a Jayhawk celebrating the University of Kansas' prolific mascot. But these birds have a fascinating and colorful history. The term "jayhawk" is believed to have been first coined in 1848, combining the blue jay, a loud and angry bird known to rob other nests and the sparrow hawk, a hunter. You wouldn't want to turn your back on a Jayhawk.

The term was originally used around the country in places like Illinois and Texas, but during the 1850's it found a home in Kansas Territory. As the civil war raged on, factions on both sides fought violently in Kansas Territory to determine whether it would be a Free State or whether slavery would be legal. Fighters on both sides were called Jayhawks as they looted, stole and attacked each other's settlements. Ultimately the free state side prevailed and Lawrence became their stronghold, as well as the future home of the University of Kansas. They earned the right to be called Jayhawks, passionate patriots committed to freedom who were willing to fight and die for their cause.

When the University of Kansas was established, it seemed natural to take the Jayhawk as its mascot and in 1912, the first picture of a Jayhawk appeared (and for some reason, it wore shoes. No really, the original Jayhawk had shoes.) Today, Jayhawk statutes can be found all around the KU Lawrence campus and the town itself.

To see how the image of the Jayhawk has changed throughout history, visit the University of Kansas website.

Liberty Hall - Lawrence, KS

If you want to watch a movie in Kansas, you could go to multiplex. It will have 20 screens, plenty of movies, overpriced tickets and concession stands, and the same experience you could get at home. Where is the fun in that? I've written before about my love of classic movie theaters, like the Rio Theater in Overland Park. I'm lucky to have another classic movie theater not too far from where I live at Liberty Hall in Lawrence.

They have only two screens - a little theater and a big theater. But what they lack in diversity they make up for in the quality of films. Sure, I could go see the latest romantic comedy with insipid dialogue at a corporate multiplex. Or I could go to Liberty Hall and see something good. Recently, I went there to see "Black Swan" in the big theater while "Inside Job" was playing the small theater. And while the concession stands have your typical staples like popcorn, they also serve alcohol. You can get a glass of wine or a draw of Free State beer to sip while you enjoy your film. (The beer doesn't have far to travel because the Free State Brewing Company is located just next door to the theater.)

If you're seeing a film in the big theater, you can go up the stairs to the balcony, which has small and closely packed theater seats. Or you could stay downstairs in the open hall. There, you can sit anywhere you like among the free standing chairs with tables set up (which is good if you need somewhere to rest your beer). The reason there is so much open space in the downstairs of the main theater is that the Liberty Hall is also a venue for concerts and local events.

In addition to being one of the cultural centers of Lawrence, Liberty Hall is also a very historical location. From 1855 to 1856, an abolitionist newspaper called "The Herald of Freedom" was published there. But then something happened that seems to have happened at one time or another to most buildings in Lawrence - it burned down. (Fun Fact: it was actually burned down by the Sheriff of Lawrence.) In 1882, the Bowersock House was built in the same spot. It was intended to be an opera house but also served as the site for public assemblies and city meetings. Until it burned down in 1911. But the Lawrence community has never been discouraged by a little fire and set about rebuilding once again. In 1912, the current Liberty Hall was built. It was renovated in 1980 but continues to serve as a cultural center for Lawrence - the place to go for concerts, movies, plays, operas, and even movie rentals.

For over 100 years, Liberty Hall has been the site for culture in Lawrence. It has survived the times and the flames, continuing to offer the people of Lawrence great films, great concerts, and a great place to go.

Total Time Traveled: 20 minutes

Total Distance Traveled: 6 miles

Soundtrack: "Super Taranta!" Gogol Bordello

Roadside Stagecoach Spotting in Kansas and Missouri

If you're driving through Kansas or Missouri, you will start to notice a similar roadside attraction - stagecoaches. Before highways or even railroads, the only way to really travel across the country was by stagecoach. The earliest stagecoach line to travel through Missouri and Kansas was the Santa Fe Trail, which in 1849 ran a monthly line of stagecoaches from St. Louis to Santa Fe, New Mexico, although the trail was first blazed in 1821. It later moved to Independence, Missouri and those crossing the wide open spaces of the country would travel the 1,200 miles of the Santa Fe Trail for $250 with only 40 pounds of baggage.

The trail was fraught with danger. Even as travelers struggled to survive the arid plains, deserts, and mountains there were more challenges to overcome. Stagecoaches were sometimes attacked by Native Americans. Rattlesnakes, lightening storms, and more all posed deadly threats to lives of those brave souls trying to cross the wild, vast space of the country. This brief history is, of course, only cursory, but if you want to learn more about the Santa Fe Trail, including its economic significance to trade as well as its military history, I encourage you to read more on the Legends of America website.

Many of the sites along the Santa Fe Trail are marked and commemorated as national historic landmarks. But also along the road are stagecoaches that mark intersections and businesses throughout Kansas and Missouri.

In the Westport neighborhood of Kansas City, Missouri there is a large stagecoach at a major intersection. I've tried to find out when it was built or why, but can't seem to find an answer. It's simply there. I ran into the same problem when trying to find out about a stagecoach at an intersection in Overland Park, Kansas. As much as stagecoaches and stagecoach trails are commemorated as a significant part of Kansas and Missouri history, it seems these roadside stagecoaches has simply become part of the scenery - erected and forgotten as though it has always been there and always will be there. I now wonder if anyone else notices the stagecoaches, or if they simply drive on by.

Allen Fieldhouse (The Phog) – Lawrence, KS

Few things in Kansas are as important as basketball. After all, Lawrence is the birthplace of college basketball. In 1989, Dr. James Naismith came to the University of Kansas, just six years after writing the official rules for the sport of basketball, and began the University of Kansas men’s basketball team. (Fun Fact: Naismith is the only KU basketball coach to have a losing record, 55-60).

One of the students he coached was Forrest “Phog” Allen. Allen would go on to become a basketball legend; he was called the Father of Basketball Coaching. He would go on to coach the KU team for 39 years and lead the team to two Helms National Championships (two seasons in a row) and an NCAA Championship. He also coached the US basketball team in the 1952 Summer Olympics, helping the US bring home the gold.

The Allen Fieldhouse is named for the illustrious couch and a banner hanging in the rafters of the Fieldhouse reads: "Pay heed all who enter, beware of the Phog." Of course, KU honors Dr. Naismith as well. The actual playing court is named the James Naismith Court. Since the opening of Allen Fieldhouse in 1955, the Jayhawks have a home record of 651-106, that means they have won 86% of their home games in the Allen Fieldhouse!

Allen Fieldhouse is known for its dominating team and also for its noise! This year, ESPN The Magazine named Allen Fieldhouse the loudest college basketball arena in the country. And they are not kidding around. If you’ve ever been to a KU basketball game at the Allen Fieldhouse, you know that the KU students don’t mess around. They cheer, they jeer, they scream, they throw confetti – it is an experience that will leave your throat raw and your ears ringing. There is nowhere else in the country you can experience true basketball fervor like you can at the Allen Fieldhouse.

The Allen Fieldhouse also has some rich traditions. Before the start of every game, it is tradition to sing the University of Kansas alma mater "Crimson and the Blue" and then the Rock Chalk Chant. (“Rock Chalk Jayhawk! KU!”) During the song, students wrap their arms around their neighbors and sway. It is really a moment of community when the college students come together to support their teams.

But the traditions don’t stop with a few songs and chants. While the opposing team is being introduced, the members of the student section take out a copy of the student paper, The University Daily Kansan, and wave the paper in front of their faces, pretending to be reading it instead of paying attention to the other team (they also have a tendency to shake the pages, drowning out the names of the other players with the sounds of russeling paper). After the opponents are introduced, a short film is shown about the history and the accomplishments of Kansas basketball. If that doesn’t make you proud to be a Kansan, then you really don’t have a heart. Then as the Jayhawks are introduced, the students rip up their newspapers and throw the confetti pieces of paper in the air. But they still hold on to a bit of the confetti, they throw the rest when KU scores their first basket.

If you are passing through Kansas, you have to stop at the Allen Fieldhouse. It’s simply the one thing you have to do. And if you are lucky enough to score tickets to a home basketball game, remember: "Pay heed all who enter, beware of the Phog."

Total Trip Time: 10 minutes
Total Travel Distance: 2.5 miles
Soundtrack: "Crimson and the Blue"

The 1914 Ingram/Foster Biplane - Albuquerque, NM

On my way home from Arizona, I got stuck in the Albuquerque, New Mexico airport for about three hours. But it turns out the Albuquerque airport isn't that bad a place to be stuck. There are tons of historical exhibits and artwork for the stranded traveler to enjoy, like the 1914 Ingram/Foster Biplane

(By the way, I asked security before I took this picture. I don't recommend taking unauthorized pictures in airports unless you want to get tackled by TSA).

According to the Albuquerque Museum: "While on a business trip to Dallas, Jay Ingram, a Ford dealer from Decatur, Texas, met Charles A. Foster, an exchibition flier. Foster's flying stories spaarked Ingram's imagination, and the two men struck a deal. Foster would come to Decatur, build aeroplanes, and together they would from the Pioneer Aeroplane Exhibition Company."

"In six months, Foster built a copy of a Curtiss pusher that was sturdy enough for limited aerobatics. The wheels, tires and many fittings were purchased from mail order aeroplane supply houses. The ribs, interplane struts and wing sections were custom-made from raw lumber. The wings were covered with cotton or linen fabric and painted with a varnish made from cellulose dissolved in ether. The eight-cylinder Roberts engine was rated at 100 horsepower."

I don't know enough about aviation or airplanes to be appropriately impressed. But I do know enough to think it was a very cool looking biplane and its was fascinating to learn a little bit about aviation history while waiting for my modern flying tin can to finally show up.

Johnny Kaw Statute – Manhattan, KS

You can keep Paul Bunyan, Kansas has Johnny Kaw. On the southeast corner of City Park facing Poyntz Avenue in Manhattan, a 30-foot Johnny Kaw looks out with scythe in hand to harvest wheat.

Kaw is a sort of Midwest compilation of American folk heroes into one great Kansas myth. While Bunyan was creating the Grand Canyon, Kaw was digging the Kansas River Valley. While Johnny Appleseed was wondering the countryside to plant trees, Kaw planted wheat and grew giant potatoes. He is also credited with inventing sunflowers, the state flower of Kansas.
Kaw did not have a sidekick blue ox like Bunyan, but he did have a pet wildcat and a pet jayhawk (the wildcat is the mascot for Kansas State University and the jayhawk is the mascot for Kansas University). Just like the rivalry between the schools, Kaw’s pets weren’t too keen on each other and their supposed fights were the cause of the Dust Bowl. Kaw had his own effect on the weather he was supposed to be able to control the weather by lopping the funnels off of tornadoes and wringing out clouds to bring rain to dry crops.

While the tall tales of Bunyan and Appleseed have developed over time, the legend of Kaw was invented in 1955 by George Filinger, a professor of horticulture at Kansas State University, to celebrate the centennial of Manhattan. The myth of Kaw was published in The Manhattan Mercury to celebrate the centennial and later collected into various books.

In 1966, Kaw was memorialized in a 30-foot, statue that cost $7,000 to build. He was designed by Elmer Tomasch, a member of the Kansas State University’s Art Department. Just as Kaw’s legend was created in Manhattan, the local residents created the statue by donating time, materials, and money in the hopes of cementing Kaw’s status as a Kansas folk hero.

I had never heard of Johnny Kaw before I moved to Kansas and still had not heard of him until I saw the statute on a recent trip to Manhattan. As the faded yellow and red Kaw looks out over Manhattan, children were running and screaming through the park playing on the jungle gyms and cooling off from the triple degree heat in the public pool. They didn’t seem to pay much attention to the giant folk hero towering over them as they played, but I suppose they are used to seeing the stoic yellow face with hollow eyes and a set, square jaw set against the clear blue sky.

For me, it was interesting to see though rather unremarkable. Since learning the legends of Johnny Kaw, I feel like the statue doesn’t do him justice. It is tall and it is prominent, but it lacks the whimsy of his adventures. It is monotone – a yellow and red painted statue that is only notable because it is big. When he was built, Kansans hoped the statute would solidify Kaw’s standing as a folk hero and the statute itself would become a roadside attraction. Well, he has become a roadside attraction but I don’t think as great a one as he could be. I wish there was something more to tell the wandering traveler who this legend is – who is the brawny man clutching a scythe so large it would clear a field in one swoop?

Even if the Kaw statute is not entirely awe-inspiring, I have fallen in love with the legend of Johnny Kaw. There is something quite brilliant about having a folk hero for your own state; something that conveys a sense of pride in the natural wonders of your home and the imaginative myths created to explain them. While Kaw may not have Bunyan’s fame, he certainly has a lot to smile about when he looks out from his home in Manhattan.

Total Time Traveled: 3 hours
Total Distance Traveled: 170 miles
Soundtrack: "Are You Man Enough?" Betty Blowtorch

Road Trip Philosophy – A Brief Aside in Admiration of Lady Florence Baker

When I was in elementary school, I had a small children’s anthology of famous women in American history. It was one of my favorite books and quickly surpassed my interest in the more common titles for a girl my age, like the Baby Sitter’s Club. I must have read the short biographies a dozen times, especially the stories of Susan B. Anthony and Harriet Tubman.

Recently, I finished reading “Living Among Cannibals and Other Women’s Adventures” by Michelle Slung. I picked up the book when I was browsing a bargain bin at a store and remembered that childhood anthology of female heroes. Here were the collected stories of women who had traveled the world in all its forms – land, sky, sea, and space. I have spent the last couple weeks reading it slowly to savor every adventure and story of triumph. These women are testimonies to any virtue humanity could claim to possess.

It is impossible for me to share all of these stories with you and even more impossible for me to share all the stories of women adventurers not included in the book. There are simply too many. But there is one I felt I should share: her name is Lady Florence Baker.

Samuel Baker was an English explorer. In the late 1850’s, he was in a Vidin slave market where he fell in love with a white slave girl. There are conflicting stories of whether he purchased her outright or bribed her attendants to help her escape, but he left the market that day with Florence who would become his lover and travel companion. The couple eventually married in 1865. (While their relationship may be the stuff of a romance novel, there is one icky detail that should be mentioned – the age difference. At the time of the slave market, Florence was 14 and had just reached puberty while Samuel was a widower in his late thirties).

Florence had been born in Transylvania in 1845 and orphaned during the Hungarian Revolution. Before she had been taken to the slave market, she had been raised in a harem in the Ottoman Empire. Once free from slavery, Florence was not a weak-willed side-kick to Samuel but a spirited and fiercely intelligent partner. She possessed talents and skills that would be essential to their travels, including the ability to speak English, German, Hungarian, Romanian and Arabic. She rode camels, mules and horses and carried pistols when necessary.

With Samuel, Florence traveled Central Africa in search of the source of the Nile. They did so successfully, but not without danger. They were forced to contend with illness, mutiny, and dangerous tribal wars. In one such perilous encounter, the couple was confronted by an African king who agreed to help Samuel on his journey if he left Florence behind. Samuel drew a gun and was prepared to duel with the king to protect his lover. But Florence stood her own ground. She gave a short but powerful speech in Arabic, which her husband did not understand. After the speech, the king backed down. He turned out to be the brother of the king, posing as royalty, and he had only hoped to trade a woman of his kingdom as a new wife for Samuel in exchange for his current traveling companion. He assured the pair he would never mention such a trade again.

The couple successfully found the source of the Nile, but only Samuel would reap all the rewards. Queen Victoria knighted Samuel but refused to allow Florence into the court, citing how she had been “acquired” by her husband and that they had traveled together as a couple before being legally married. But by virtue of her husband’s knighthood, she still became Lady Florence Baker despite the Queen’s disapproval.

History has not often given the spotlight to Lady Baker; she is more commonly treated as a romantic interest for the brave protagonist. Fortunately, history has been willing to reconsider its previous omissions. For example, the book “To the Heart of the Nile: Lady Florence Baker and the Exploration of Central Africa,” focuses more on the life of Florence than her male counterpart and her contributions to their expeditions.

To me, Lady Florence Baker was a woman who was so ready, willing, and able to plunge into Africa and face dangers that had killed many who came before her. And for all her efforts, she was only judged by Victorian society as unfit for the honors she deserved. Even though she was free from slavery, she was treated as a harem girl with a tainted past Even though she fought along side Samuel to discover the source of the Nile, she was treated as a story telling device rather than a real person who contributed to the history of the world. Even though she defended herself with valor, she was treated as unclean and immoral because she traveled with a man she wasn’t married to.

I only hope Lady Florence Baker knew that history would be as proud of her as her husband was and as willing to offer her the accolades she earned.

Kansas Information Center - Wellington, Kansas

Just before you cross the border from Kansas to Oklahoma on I-35, you will see the Kansas Visitor Information Center in a small town called Wellington, just outside of Wichita. I love information centers because they are the best place to find out about all the weird tourist attractions of a place. In a desperate bid for tourist dollars, states and cities will fill their information centers to the brim with every single possible site of interest - no matter how big or small.

The Kansas Information Center focuses primarily on two points of pride: the Chisholm Trail and the aviation industry. Wichita was along the Chisholm Trail and so cattle drives headed north to the railroads would pass through. As a result of the Chisholm trail, Wichita became a cattle drive destination from Southwest points throughout the country, especially Texas. (Fun Fact: This is how Wichita became known as "Cowtown.") However, along with cattle drives comes cowboys and cowboys were not exactly known for their decorum when on the trail. Wichita developed a wild reputation where cowboys could let loose in Cowtown. The city employed a number of famous lawmen to try and control the rambunctious cowboys - including Wyatt Earp.

Just outside of Wichita is the little town Wellington, where the actual information center is. Wellington was also part of the Chisholm trail and while Wichita was the cattle destination, Wellington was a stopping point for settlers. Located just along the Oklahoma border, eager settlers would wait in Wellington for the landruns in Oklahoma to begin. Or they would wait until they could sneak across and stake their claims a little early. (Fun Fact: The Oklahoma University "Sooners" are named after the "sooners" who cheated during the landruns and staked their claims before the runs actually had begun.)

The second point of pride is Wichita and Kansas' participation in the aviation industry. Amelia Earhart, one of the country's most famous aviators, is a native Kansan. (You can see my visit to her birthplace museum in Atchison, Kansas here.) But Kansas continues to be a huge part of the aviation industry. Wichita's nickname - the Air Capital of the World - is well earned. Multiple aviation companies are based in Wichita, including: Learjet, Cessna, and Hawker Beechcraft. Spirit AeroSystems, Airbus and Boeing all maintain workforces in Wichita.

While at the information center, I grabbed a few brochures about roadside attractions I hadn't heard about. But then I had to hit the road. I still had a couple hours to go before I would get to Oklahoma City and the weather was not cooperating.

Total Distance Traveled: 190 miles

Total Time Traveled: 3 hours

Soundtrack: "Live and Loud" Cross Canadian Ragweed, "Loud Guitars, Big Suspicions" Shannon Curfman

Langston Hughes Childhood Home – Lawrence, KS

For a small city in Kansas, Lawrence has some famous residents. One such resident is famous poet, novelist, playwright, columnist and short story writer Langston Hughes.

Though Hughes is best known as one of the earliest innovators of jazz poetry and for his work during the Harlem Renaissance, the writer had some early roots in Kansas soil. After his parents divorced when he was young, Hughes was raised mostly by his maternal grandmother, Mary Patterson Langston, at 732 Alabama Street in Lawrence. It was in that house that he received his first education.

Langston inspired Hughes as an artist and also an activist. His grandmother educated him in the oral tradition of black American story telling. Hughes once said of his grandmother’s stories: "Through my grandmother’s stories life always moved, moved heroically toward an end. Nobody ever cried in my grandmother’s stories. They worked, schemed, or fought. But no crying.” (From The Collected Poems of Langston Hughes on pg.620)

She also drew from the activism experiences of her generation to inspire the young Hughes for racial change. It is said that she instilled within Hughes a duty to help his race and because of that he identified with neglected and downtrodden blacks all his life and glorified them in his work. (From "The Darker Brother" in New York Times on Oct. 12, 1986).

When Hughes was thirteen, he left Lawrence to go live with his mother Lincoln, Illinois. But in his works, it is clear he did not forget what he learned in his childhood home in Lawrence. The themes his grandmother taught him are prominent and the poem “Aunt Sues’s Stories” is a tribute to his grandmother and his Auntie Mary Reed. (Rampersad.vol.1, 1986, p.43)

While Lawrence has been proud to call Hughes one of its own and made several commemorative gestures, such as the Lawrence Hughes Elementary School, the actual childhood home of Hughes is long gone. The numbers on the homes jump from 730 to 736, with only a tree between the two seeming to signify that there used to be something else there.

Supposedly, there is a plaque to commemorate Hughes' former home but it was far too hot to look for it. When I went out searching for Hughes' home, it was over 100 degrees and climbing. I managed to find where it would have been and snap a few pictures before the searing heat forced me back into the safe air conditioning of my car. Perhaps I'll try again...when its not 100 degrees.

Travel Time: 25 minutes
Travel Distance: 9 miles
Soundtrack: "Common Reaction" Uh Huh Her

William S. Burroughs Home – Lawrence, KS

While some famous lives began in Lawrence, other famous lives ended in this Kansas town. William S. Burroughs, the famous member of the Beat generation and post-modern author, spent his last years in Lawrence.

A brief aside on my love for the Beat generation...

I should say now I love the Beat generation. When I was sixteen I read “On the Road” by Jack Kerouac for the first time and like many young people before me, I was forever changed. As Bob Dylan said of the book, "It changed my life like it changed everyone else's.” I came to believe that there was more than my little world in Tulsa, Oklahoma. There was so much more and I was determined to see it all. Not just see it, experience it. I read that book so many times the damn thing fell apart. For the last couple years I held my first copy of “On the Road” together with rubber bands until I finally lost so many pages it became an exercise in futility. I finally bought a new copy about a year ago and have already read it twice.

As I have gotten older, I have lost much of my youthful naiveté but “On the Road” has remained one of my favorite and most inspirational books. I can honestly say that without reading it, I don’t know if I ever would have thought of doing something like this blog. However, my passion does not extend to all members of the Beat generation. Yes, I have CDs of Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg doing live readings and books by Kerouac, Ginsberg and Lawrence Ferlinghetti on my bookshelf.

But I do not like William S. Burroughs’ “Naked Lunch.”

Perhaps I should be more generous. I could like it. Maybe I would like it. I’ve just never been able to finish it. “Naked Lunch” has no linear narrative and no real plot to speak of. Even Burroughs acknowledged the book could be read in any order because there was no progression from one chapter to the next. I have an English degree and like to think I can master some particularly difficult literary challenges. But I declare defeat after about twenty minutes of trying to read “Naked Lunch.” It is not surprising that Listserve.com named the book one of the top 10 most difficult literary works.

It is for that reason that my love and fondness for the Beat generation has never extended to Burroughs as a writer. But because Burroughs is part of the movement I love so dearly, I am happy and excited to chronicle some of the places Burroughs has been in my little corner of the Midwest.

And now back to Burroughs and his final years in Kansas…

In 1981, William S. Burroughs moved to 1927 Learnard Avenue and would live there until his death in 1997 from a heart attack. He was still a heroin addict when he came to Kansas and would be for the rest of his life. Burroughs' home was like most homes in Lawrence - picturesquely settled amongst the trees. Homes in Lawrence are not landscaped, nature isn't clear cut and paved home to create space for matching houses. The homes are nestled among the landscape, as though they are a natural part of their surroundings and the paved roads leading there are an apologetic but necessary intrusion.

As idyllic and lovely as the home is, Burroughs wasn't resting on his artistic laurels in Kansas. In 1984 - three years after moving into the cozy little red cottage - he signed a seven book deal with Viking Press. During that time, he was also inducted into the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters. His latter years also brought health troubles (and apparently a penchant for guns, there is one particular photo of him on the steps of the house holding a very intimidating shotgun). In 1997, Burroughs passed away and was buried in St. Louis, Missouri.

The home itself is not spectacular. It looks like any number of houses that line the streets of Lawrence. But I suppose it is worth driving by, if only to see where one of the founding members of the Beat generation spent his final days.

Travel Time: 15 minutes

Distance Traveled: 4 miles

Soundtrack: "Who Killed Amanda Palmer?" Amanda Palmer

Sam Houston Statue - Huntsville, TX

Anna and I left the prison museum and decided to go see the giant statue of Sam Houston, commonly known as "Big Sam." Of course, we should have taken into account our inability to navigate. She and I have an amazing ability to get lost no matter where we are and no matter where we're going. This led to our discovery of Homeland Security in Houston and our brief visit to a Texas prison in Hunstville. Yes, Anna and I technically went to prison. We were trying to find the guest center for the statue when we pulled into a parking lot. We then noticed the large fences with barbed wire. And the sign indicating we had just made a big mistake. We promptly freaked out (who wouldn't after learning about what really goes on in a Texas prison for the last hour?) But we escaped quickly and got our bearings. Eventually, we found the welcome center and it looks nothing like a prison.

Big Sam is actually named A Tribute to Courage by David Adickes. Sam is 67 feet tall, made from 30 tons of concrete and steel and stands on a 10 foot sunset granite base. That makes him the world's tallest statue of an American hero. Although comparatively, he really isn't that tall. Not counting its pedestal and foundation, the Statue of Liberty is 151 feet tall - taller than two Big Sam's standing on top of each other. Still, its an impressive site. Big Sam can be seen for 6.5 miles from the south.

For those unfamiliar with American or Texas history, Sam Houston was an important figure during the Civil War. He was opposed to Texas seceding from the Union and was removed as governor when Texas did secede and he refused to swear and oath of allegiance to the Confederacy. He was a leader of the Texas Revolution and eventually supported the annexation of Texas into the United States. Some interesting things to know about him include that he was the only man in American History to be elected governor of two states (Tennessee and Texas) and he was a citizen of four nations (United States, Cherokee, Mexico, Texas.)

A Tribute to Courage was originally intended to be finished by March 2, 1993 for Sam Houston's 200th birthday. But the colossal nature of the project took longer to complete then expected so the final statue was not dedicated until 1994. Given the sheer size of the honor, I doubt Sam Houston minded the extra time needed.

Texas Prison Museum - Huntsville, TX

Texas is very proud of its prison system. I mean really proud. They're proud to the point it is a little bit creepy and terrifying. That is why they have built an entire museum dedicated to the history, development and prominence of their prisons. If you have ever thought about committing a crime in Texas, I encourage you to visit this museum. You'll rethink that plan pretty quickly.

Our introduction to the museum was a twenty minute video about the history of the prison system in Texas. It reassured us on two points. First, prisons were not as barbaric as they had been in the past. And second, Texas does not have "country club prisons." Again, I became sure I never want to go to prison in Texas.

The exhibits that followed focused primarily on objects made and works done by prisoners. There was an entire display of contraband and items such as toothbrushes that had been made into deadly weapons. There were also crafts made by inmates including board games such as a prison version of Monopoly and "Parole Pals." Parole Pals are dolls, very much like the Cabbage Patch baby dolls I had when I was a little girl, that were made by death row inmates and sold by the prison. I'm not sure what twisted parent gave a Parole Pal to their child on Christmas morning, but thankfully they are not made or sold anymore.

There was also a significant portion of the museum dedicated to Texas' death penalty. As Ron White said, "In Texas, we have the death penalty and we use it!" You can see Ol' Sparky, the real electric chair where many Texas criminals were put to death. Now, I'm not going to get into an argument on whether or not the death penalty is a good thing. That's not what this blog is about. But I will say, it was very disturbing. There was an art exhibit about the death penalty including photographs and final statements of those who had been put to death along with statements and photographs of surviving victims who had seen their tormentor put to death. I was not so much sickened by the electric chair though as I was my the labeled syringes that had been used to put a man to death by lethal injection. There is one small display about the anti-death penalty movement but little in the way of information. It is mostly just some pictures and a protest sign.

I was more interested in the twisted historical facts, such as those about Bonnie and Clyde. They aided an escape from a Texas prison and Clyde had spent some time enjoying the hospitality of a Texas penitentiary. But not all the facts are in order. For example, there is a gun on display that was supposedly used in Bonnie and Clyde's last stand against the police. But researchers found the gun wasn't manufactured until after their death. So where's the real gun? Who knows. The one thing I am sure of - I don't want to go to prison in Texas.

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Soundtrack: Country radio!

Johnson Space Center - Houston, TX

No visit to Space Center Houston would be complete without the NASA Tram Tour of the Johnson Space Center. The Space Center covers more than 1,600 acres and employs 14,000 people. The federal facility houses Mission Control where astronauts are trained and the Space Shuttle program is managed. We had an opportunity to see the real mission control, but it was largely empty on the weekend. Although in another room, there were people communicating with the International Space Station. The employees include contractors, civil servants, and doctors.

In another area, we saw the Saturn V Complex at Rocket Park. It was amazing. When you see the rockets and shuttles on television, it really doesn't do justice to how truly big the whole thing is. However, the majority of it is fuel. The actual shuttle where the astronauts are housed is a small cramped space.

I was so amazed by the sheer size of the fuel tanks, I had to know just how much fuel it took to get into space. Luckily, the Kennedy Space Center gave me the answer, "At liftoff, an orbiter and External Tank carry 835,958 gallons of the principle liquid propellants: hydrogen, oxygen, hydrazine, monomethylhydrazine, and nitrogen tetroxide. The total weight is 1,607,185 pounds." To put that in context, let's say your car holds 16 gallons of fuel at a time and you refuel once a week. You could drive around for almost a year with the amount of fuel it takes to launch a space shuttle. That means in an eight minute launch, a space shuttle could use as much fuel as you do in a year! (That is, if your car ran on hydrogen, oxygen, hydrazine, monomethylhydrazine, and nitrogen tetroxide.)

The Johnson Space Center is an absolutely inspiring example of human ingenuity and invention. The sheer magnitude of what has been invented to allow space travel along with massive manpower required to maintain it is staggering. It shows an incredible dedication to higher cause of science, knowledge and exploration. Currently, researchers on the International Space Station are conducting experiments and asking questions we could never do on Earth. Along the wall of the Saturn V Complex, there are signs about past missions and astronauts you can read as you walk along the shuttle. You get a sense of how far we have really come and all we have achieved. More than that, you have such hope and inspiration for how much farther we could go.