“And I love you dear, but just how long
Can I keep singing the same old song
I’m going back to Kansas City” – The New Basement Tapes
#RTXVIII has finally begun!!! Usually day one of our road trips is the least exciting day. This year, however, we couldn’t help but repeatedly ask the question “Will this be the best day of the entire trip?”.
Everyone’s alarms went off simultaneously at 6 this morning and Molly, Zoe, and I promptly hit our respective snooze buttons. Five minutes later Ellie expressed her disgust that we weren’t out of bed yet and we all sprang to action showering, loading the cooler, and completing the rest of the last minute checklist. By 6:50 we were out the door, by 7 we had coffee in hand, and by 5 after we were legit on our way.
I took the first shift behind the wheel for the completely uneventful trek through Illinois. Molly took the second for an equally uneventful few hours worth of Southern Illinois and Missouri. After a third bland shift through Western Missouri we arrived at our first NPS site, the Harry S Truman National Historic Site.
President Truman grew up in, lived his adult life in, longed to return to (while in the White House), and retired to Independence, Missouri. I’m not sure why he or anyone else in their right mind would do that. I don’t feel any need to ever again return to Independence. Perhaps it is the kind of place that shines a little brighter if it’s the only place you’ve ever been. Sadly, the first thing we did learn about the Truman NHS was that they were sold out of tour tickets for the day and that we wouldn’t actually be able to visit his home. We were able to walk several blocks to see the exterior of the house. <ZAKFacts>We also learned that Truman was notorious for forgetting to close his garage door, and that it is now left open full time in his memory.</ZAKFacts>.
We took the scenic route back to Fred. I spotted a pawn shop with what I assume must have been a faux rhinoceros bust that would have looked stellar mounted on the front of Fred, but the girls all disagreed so we pressed on. We also spotted the production facility for Polly’s Pop and were able to taste one at Clinton’s Soda Fountain (black cherry, and the 3rd best part of the day). I think it was around this point where we started asking the “best day of the trip?” question.
We quickly nixed a potential visit to the Truman Presidential Library & Museum when we learned that admission was $8 and the free beer promised inside would only be served for another 45 minutes and would require walking into a lecture already in progress. Instead we headed to the Kansas City Market where we hoped to find something similar to the market’s we’d visited in Milwaukee or Cleveland. Instead we found a mostly empty and largely deserted space. Best day of the trip?
Supposedly nearly half a million people live in Kansas City. I’m not sure where they were or what they were doing today because I counted them and there were 73. Total. All day. 73. For proof check the background of the header photo. We took that at the “bustling” market. There were also a lot of industrial looking structures that seemed to be derelict. Best day of the trip?
The only redeeming feature of the city is Joe’s BBQ. Without question it is the best food available in a place where you can also buy gasoline. For some reason I didn’t think to take pictures, but the ribs, pork, brisket, fries, onion rings, beans, gumbo, and dirty rice were all amazing earning it the “best of day” award.
The second best part of the day was walking into a hotel room that Molly approved of. Last year Z, E, and I all wrote about how we nervously hold our breaths throughout the check-in process and entry into the evening’s accomodations. If Molly approves there is potential for a very nice evening. If she doesn’t we can only keep our fingers crossed that tomorrow will be a better day. So thanks to the Holiday Inn Express in Lawrence for not sucking!
So although I certainly hope it isn’t the best day of the trip, it was OK. There was Trumanish stuff, local pop, a not-sucky hotel, and some kick-ass BBQ. Let’s hope it only gets better from here!
