On the road again

We’ve hit the road and it’s such a bittersweet feeling, as I think it is for any long-distance traveler.

We’re away from our big, old wonderful city house that, in retirement, has become our refuge, our constant project and our entertaining space. We’re out of view of the tiny, prissy backyard garden that we both now tend and, this year, is full of bumper crops of lettuces, kale and nasturtiums (started from the  Missouri’s fabulous Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds! http://rareseeds.com/). 

And, we’re away from Josephine, the cat we took in  for nine months while her owners/neighbors were away doing visiting-professor stuff. We fell in love. She’s in good hands with a new house-sitter for the owners' last month away -- right Stephen!?!

But driving out of tornado alley isn’t so bad. Three or four instances of cowering in the basement makes a trek west in calm winds, under puffiest clouds ever a relative dee-light.

And we approach Kansas City quickly! Should we stop somewhere along the way for a picnic lunch from the cooler? We’ve packed chicken salad and baked ham for sandwiches, gala apples and cheeses. Or should we drive easily off of the Interstate to Arthur Bryant’s? Picnic, or ribs? Sandwiches, or one shot at the best-BBQ in the Midwest (world)? Hmmmmmm? Which should it be? 

Arthur Bryant’s (http://www.arthurbryantsbbq.com/), of course. It’s 1 p.m. and the place is mobbed! We stand in line for a long time right next to pictures of Stephen Spielberg and Kate Capshaw with platters of Bryant’s  ribs. We finally get to the bustling kitchen/serving area and have decided to do a Spielberg – order a slab of pork ribs plus a side of cole slaw (for me, of course)  and fries (for Alex, he’d live on frites if he could). We are in hog heaven, literally, as we join the serious eaters tableside. There’s very little conversation. Lots of napkins and much dolloping of sauce out of squeeze bottles. We climb back into the car and, remarkably, are just pleasantly full, not stuffed.

But the next travel choice cinches it that our ribs decision was the right one. We remember our hike years ago in the nearby Nature Conservancy preserve that is the huge Konza Prairie (http://www.konza.ksu.edu/KNZ/default.aspx) that's just north of the Interstate near Manhattan, KS. We get gas near there and find the quiet little entrance to trails off of McDowell Creek Road. We walk up steep slopes surrounded by new, knee-high uber-green prairie grasses and the occasional burst of big, yellow Missouri evening primrose among a few small lupine and daisy-like flowers.

 
Konza is quiet, treeless and amazing. Buffalo graze in the far distance. We love it. We walk nearly three miles and feel totally guilt-free about the lunch.

Tomorrow, leaving from a motel in Hays, KS, we’ll feel like we’re in the true West  -- singing “Home, Home on the Range” and looking roadside for antelope. So far, a great beginning!!