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On a recent road trip, primarily a mini-vaca with fishing in mind, a friend recommended a side trip, a visit to the birthplace of outlaw Jesse James in Kearney, Missouri.  Just off Interstate 35 and conveniently on the way to my lake destination in northwest Missouri, I made the stop.

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the James Farm and the legend of outlaws Jesse and Frank James continues today through the museum and friendly, informative staff.

This was a great journey into history!  The tour of the museum and grounds starts off with a 20-minute movie highlighting the exploits of Frank and Jesse, including an unsuccessful raid by Pinkerton detectives trying to capture the outlaws.

I do a fair amount of traveling on Interstate 35 always seeing those Jesse James Birthplace billboards along the way suggesting travelers take the tour.  I've always made the mental note to make the effort, shame on me for not taking the tour before this trip.

Costing me just $8 with a Veteran discount, the history lesson, nicely displayed artifacts, and well-preserved grounds should be a "must visit" on anybody's trip itinerary taking them through northwest Missouri.

Hat tip to Pam W., who recommended the tour.

$pend Wisely My Friends...

~ Mike

The Keeper of the Plains and the Ring of Fire is a very cool site to see.

By Mike Thayer

It's been awhile since I posted a travel piece.  When I worked in the corporate world, I would do reviews of hotels, list gas prices, searched for the best travel stops when on the road, etc., but I haven't really traveled much since leaving the corporate job to do my own thing.

Which got me to thinking, aside from traveling around the metro area to check out the Wichita food scene, it's been awhile since I took the time to re-visit some great non-food spots.  There are some fantastic places to visit in Wichita, or re-visit if you haven't been for awhile.  I've listed some of my favorites below, to include a link and a blurb from the respective sites.

When is the last time you 'traveled' the Wichita Metro?

Botanica - Botanica, The Wichita Gardens is open year-round and repeat visits offer new surprises as The Gardens change with the seasons. In spring, more than 50,000 tulip bulbs and 120,000 daffodil bulbs bloom along with an assortment of wildflowers and flowering shrubs. Later bloomers include azaleas, irises, roses, peonies, and other perennials. More than 20,000 annuals combine with beautiful perennial color in the summer along with spectacular prairie wildflowers. In autumn, you’ll find asters, liriope, sedum, and more than 5,500 chrysanthemums amongst the backdrop of fall color from trees and shrubs. In winter, The Gardens feature 12,000 pansies, red-twig dogwood, witch hazel, and berried hollies.

Frank Lloyd Wright's Allen House - The residential structure at 255 N.Roosevelt, Wichita, Kansas was designed for the prominent Journalist and Statesman Henry J. Allen and his wife Elsie J. Nuzman Allen, who was active in local art organizations. The Allen’s were referred to Frank Lloyd Wright by their close friend William Allen White of Emporia, Kansas. The design ideas date from 1915 and the House was occupied in 1918. The Allens continued to live in the house until late 1947.

Great Plains Nature Center - The Great Plains Nature Center is a cooperative project between the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Kansas Wildlife & Parks, City of Wichita, and the Friends of the Great Plains Nature Center. These Partners share a common goal of providing opportunities for the public to investigate, understand and develop an appreciation for wildlife and the environment, while promoting sound stewardship of natural resources.

The Keeper of the Plains and the Mid-America All-Indian Museum - The Keeper of the Plains is a 13.4 metres Cor-Ten steel sculpture by Kiowa-Comanche artist Blackbear Bosin. It stands at the confluence of the Arkansas and Little Arkansas rivers in Wichita, Kansas, adjacent to the Mid-America All-Indian Center.  The Mid-America All-Indian Museum (MAAIM) is a unique cultural museum located on the shores of the Arkansas River in downtown Wichita, Kansas. Visitors from around the globe pass through our doors to learn about the American Indians. Established in 1969, the goal of the MAAIM is to educate the community about the art, culture and heritage of American Indians while recognizing the important role they play in today's society.​

Old Cowtown Museum -  Old Cowtown Museum's collections reflect aspects of life on the frontier in the late 1860s and 1870s. They include historic structures and their period furnishings, clothing and domestic textiles, tools and machinery, farming equipment and rolling stock. An archival collection of photographs, letters, and documents also provide primary source material for historical research. A separate study collection and reproductions are used by costumed history interpreters to bring this historical period to life.

Sedgwick County Zoo - The Sedgwick County Zoo is home to 3,000 individual animals of nearly 400 species.  These residents are grouped geographically and in settings that duplicate their natural habitats. Exhibits include: Africa, North America, Tropics, Children’s Farms, Amphibians and Reptiles, Koch Orangutan Chimpanzee Habitat, Cessna Penguin Cove, Downing Gorilla Forest, Slawson Family Asian Big Cat Trek and South America/Australia, which is among the largest walk-through aviaries in the United States.

There are so many things to check out and do in Wichita, exploring right here in town is fun!

The fridge & microwave setup at Days Inn

By Mike Thayer

The Days Inn in Olathe, Kansas does not give a rat's rear end about its customers.

I could write a number of paragraphs about how bad, how run down and how poor the customer service at this hotel is, but I think in this case, bullet points and the pics tell the story just fine.

• Terrible customer service, front desk not always staffed - "ring the bell" for service.  Customer needs not met
• Website lists a free breakfast as one of the amenities.  There is none to speak of, the only thing available in their 'breakfast' area was coffee. 
• The indoor pool is closed, won't open until May 2022
• Stayed during a snow storm of 5" with strong winds and 3' snow drifts, hotel did not plow parking lot, leaving vehicles trapped, couldn't leave hotel
• Rooms outdated, run down
• Broken ice machine

Want coffee? You have to unplug something to plug in the coffee pot... and they only give you one package of regular coffee

I selected this hotel for a recent business trip because it was close to my work site and a recent stay at the neighboring La Quinta was less-than-stellar so I figured the Days Inn couldn't be any worse.  Wow as I wrong!  This Days Inn made the La Quinta look pretty good!

I paid $161.10 to include taxes for a two night stay at this hotel and I would have left on the second day if not for the snow storm and getting trapped at the hotel.  Truth be told, I should have found a different hotel right after walking in to check in at 4:30pm and having to ring the bell for service at the front desk.

DO NOT STAY AT THIS HOTEL!  There is nothing good at all to say about it.

A cubicle shower

I'm giving the Days Inn of Olathe, Kansas just 1 out of 5 Bachelor on the Cheap Stars.  It is NOT worthy of a reservation, the website looks FAR better than the reality and you could even say it's false advertising.

$pend Wisely My Friends...  I certainly didn't on this occasion.  After two unsatisfying stays in Olathe, Kansas (La Quinta and now the Days Inn, both under the Wyndham Hotels/Resorts umbrella by the way), and with more trips to Olathe on the agenda, it's time to start driving out of my way to stay at a Hampton Inn, my normal go-to.

Not only outdated, but too cheap to have a bedside clock

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By Mike Thayer

According to Google, I've traveled more than 3,250 miles so far in 2022, which means I've stayed in a lot of hotel rooms.

I picked the wrong one in a recent stay in Olathe, Kansas.

My option to plug in my laptop was to unplug the coffee pot or tv

Staying at a La Quinta Inn, I selected it because it's located just a mile from my work site and there are decent restaurants nearby.   My other choices in proximity were a Days Inn and a Best Western, both are hit and miss in my experience.  I haven't stayed at a La Quinta Inn for a long time and my previous visit was good so "Why not?" I decided.

Ooops!

I paid $94 after taxes for my room and while the service was polite and the place was clean, it was a bit run down.  Little things here and there left me with a, "This place is not well maintained" impression.  The pics kind of tell the story, from being cheap on the in-room coffee, to rooms not matching the pictures on the website, to the room I stayed in particularly needing maintenance and an upgrade.  The walls in this hotel were super thin.  I could hear the guest in the next room having a phone conversation, he was a salesman.  I turned up my TV to drown that out and the mattress on the bed I slept in was overly firm.  Even the complimentary breakfast was a bit disappointing, not the freshest scrambled eggs, hard biscuits and soft tater tots that had sat unattended too long.

This was my first and last stay at this particular La Quinta and the brand won't be on my list for any other travel destinations either.  I'm giving the La Quinta Inn in Olathe, Kansas just 2 out of 5 Bachelor on the Cheap stars.  For just under $100 a night, I expect more from a hotel for that price, as in, not run down.  Next hotel stay, I'll go out of my way for a Hampton Inn or the like.  Travel Tip:  Don't use the hotel sites like Priceline or Expedia, you'll only save like $5 off the price of a room vs. going direct to the hotel website and if you have to cancel, you HAVE to go through the third party hotel reservation outfit to do so, the hotel can't cancel, only the vendor can, it may come with a penalty and they make you jump through a few online hoops and try to steer you into setting up an account with them to boot.  No thanks!  Reserve directly with the hotel you're staying at!  A need to cancel is a simple phone call away should your plans change with no penalty and that to me is worth $5.

They give you one package of regular coffee, the standard is two packets

No Kleenex after two tissue pulls

Tub/shower needs caulk

Cracking caulk, rust, poor water pressure

Nice fridge/microwave setup

Rooms not as bright and inviting as the pics on the website

Broken ice machine

It's a bit tough to see with the window screen blurring things up a bit, but a cracked window

By Mike Thayer

I recently treated myself to a vacation, a few days of fishing fun on a lake in Missouri. It's my favorite kind of vacation, just the sounds of the great outdoors, appreciating the natural beauty, catching a few fish....

That being said, while roughing it in a tent had its appeal and saved me money on many a fishing trip, I've determined I'm really not into the camping thing anymore.  I've been there and done that, the camp fire, the tent, air mattress, all meals coming out of a cooler or cooked over the coals.  But in the heat of the summer and after being outdoors all day on the water, come nightfall, I want the comforts of air conditioning, the TV on and a good bed to sleep in.  These days when on vacation, the tent and camping gear stays at home.  I'm a hotel guy. 

There were several budget-minded hotel chains to choose from in the Cameron, Missouri area I was vacationing in and after doing some online homework, I went with the Red Roof Inn. It's been quite awhile since I've stayed at a Red Rood Inn, the online reviews were positive, the amenities looked great and the most important thing, the price was reasonable.

This particular Red Roof has been recently remodeled.  Everything was new, to include vinyl floors instead of carpeting.  I got a room with a king size bed and the room itself was spacious, with nice desk space.  The amenities you come to expect in a decent hotel were all available and working, the Wi-Fi, a cable TV package with a good selection of channels and what I like about the room is something that often gets overlooked, PLENTY of outlets so I didn't have to hunt for any to plug my devices/chargers into.

The bed itself was quite comfortable and the linens were higher end.  This Red Roof - franchise operated - didn't cut any corners in the remodel.

There was an ice machine just down the hall from my room and the stay included the typical complimentary breakfast consisting of cereals, waffles, donuts, biscuits and sausage gravy, assorted yogurts, fruits, juices and coffee. I could also make coffee in my room with one of those one cup coffee makers and there was a mini-fridge as well.  The maid service was also top notch.  This wasn't a noisy hotel either, I slept well, no noise distractions.

Costing me $65 a night, I enjoyed my stay at the Red Roof Inn and I'm giving them 5 out of 5 Bachelor on the Cheap stars.  The room was comfortable and the price was reasonable. 

The Red Roof Inn visited on this occasion is located at: 

501 Northland Dr, Cameron, MO 64429

PH: (816) 632-6623

By Mike Thayer

So you're cruising down the Interstate needing to go somewhere 200 miles away, you're making good time when your progress gets slowed by a stop at a toll booth....  UGH!  Having to stop is a bit of a pain, sometimes there's a line of cars and trucks, more pain....  Stop to get the paper ticket when going on the toll road, stop to take cash out of the wallet to hand over to the attendant when getting off the toll road.....  And then there are the times when you arrive at an automated toll booth, you unknowingly got in the "Exact Change" lane and don't have exact change....   Ooops!  Or then there's the credit card payment processor isn't working in the lane you're in or the person ahead of you doesn't know how to use it right.....  More UGH moments.

Whether you travel on toll roads a lot or just once in awhile, get a toll pass, it's worth it.

Benefits:

• Most tollway tag enrollment plans are free, there's no account or setup fee.
• There's no stopping to get that paper ticket, no stopping to pay, just drive right on through.
• You actually pay less in tolls.  Most tollway/turnpike pass programs offer a discounted toll rate for people that have passes. 
• Most tollway/turnpike pass programs give you the flexibility of having the toll automatically deducted from your bank account or the option to receive a monthly statement.

Save yourself both time and money by getting a toll pass. 

By Mike Thayer

According to their website, Valero is the world's largest independent petroleum refiner, and a leading marketer, ethanol producer and corporate citizen.

Their convenience stores however, are less-than-stellar.

Out and about running some errands one day, I decided I needed a snack, craving some Nacho Cheese Doritos, my favorite chip.  I pulled into the Valero located at 7101 E Lincoln St, Wichita, KS 67207.

I wish I hadn't.  A Grab Bag of my favorite chip and a 12 ounce bottle of soda cost me $4.17!  In contrast, that Doritos grab bag of chips and a Big Q fountain drink costs just $2.99 at QuikTrip.  And yes, I could have poured myself a fountain drink, saving on the drink price, but given the appearance of this store, I didn't trust how clean that fountain service area would be.  Some lights in the store were out, another was flickering, the floor needed a good sweep and mop and the price of gas has to be the highest in town at $1.95 a gallon.  The attendant on duty was less-than-friendly, no greeting as I entered, no smile.

I've visited other Valero locations before, and while they aren't as bad as this Lincoln location is, there always seems to be something that's not right.   I've never been impressed with how Valero presents itself to customers. 

I have to quit stopping at Valero convenience stores, I wouldn't recommend them at all!  Only stop at a Valero as an absolute last resort!

The Valero located at 7101 E. Lincoln Street in Wichita gets one out of five Bachelor on the Cheap stars.  They are NOT wallet friendly, the store wasn't clean and the service was sub-par.  

By Mike Thayer

I don't know about you, but when on the road, I HATE pulling into a place that looks OK on the outside but has nasty restrooms and unfriendly and/or unmotivated staff on the inside.

So with traveling on the agenda last week, I thought it would be appropriate to rate the more well-known chain/franchise travel stops along our nation's highways, checking out who has the cleanest rest rooms, the best snacks, who pushes that ethanol crap, and more.  Basically, I evaluated which gas station/truck stop/convenience store chain is frankly, the most convenient overall?

I traveled through three Midwest states during my trip and here's what I found from worst to best:

Phillips 66, Gardner, KS:  This was one of those places that looks OK on the outside, but has nasty restrooms and lazy staff on the inside.  This seems to be a theme with this chain, I say that based on past experience in visits to other locations.  The general lack of cleanliness and staff members with bad attitudes must be related to low pay and training issues with this company.  The restroom on this visit, like other locations in past visits, was dirty, as in, very nasty.  The drink area was in need of attention, the replenishment of cups, lids, napkins, a wipe down.  Saying "Hello" generated NO conversational friendliness from the attendant when paying for my drink and pre-paying for gas.  I didn't want to bother with the food here, so there's nothing to report.  The price of gas was $2.64 for regular (87 Octane).  Ethanol is not real big in Kansas.  Qualifier:  Most all gasoline blends in the United States have around a 10 percent blend of ethanol in it, it's called E-10 but gas stations don't have to label it as such.  So when I say ethanol, I'm talking beyond that 10 percent ethanol component.  E-85 for example is 85% ethanol.  The typical stuff the state of Iowa pushes, is 15% corn-based alcohol, a.k.a. E-15.

Valero, Emporia, KS:  The Kansas Turnpike Authority has six service areas located along the toll road and they're all pretty good, EXCEPT this one.  The gas station is a Valero, where you have to navigate very tight isles because there's an overkill of shelves, overstuffed with overpriced trinkets.  Seriously, only one person can walk down these isles.  On the way to the restroom, if somebody is already coming down the isle from the other direction, you have to wait for them to pass through the isle before you can proceed.  Once you get into the restroom, that's tight too.  Get ready to say, "Excuse me," a lot.  Snack options weren't in abundance and the only meal option is at a McDonald's in a separate building.  Outside, there aren't enough gas pumps to handle a large volume of vehicles.    Otherwise, the facility was clean, it's just not traveler friendly.  The price of gas on this visit was $2.64 for regular. 

Casey's, Coralville, IA:  I like Casey's, it's usually a reliable stop, but not this location, on this day.  The restroom was nasty, in dire need of attention.  I know it's hard to get motivated to clean up a restroom, but it has to be done.  The drink area was presentable, but one of the soda tanks was in need of changing out.  In this early morning visit, the breakfast pizza and some biscuits were available, but I passed on it based on the overall condition of the store.  I will say that other Casey's locations crank out some pretty good breakfast fare.  Casey's does push the ethanol crap, offered at a significantly reduced rate compared to regular unleaded, but to be fair it's an Iowa thing, a state mandate.  I don't like the higher ethanol blends, it's bad for your car and actually decreases gas mileage.  I pay the higher price for 'regular' unleaded, which on this visit was over $3 a gallon.

Quik Trip, Wichita, KS:  You can almost always rely on Quik Trip for clean restrooms, a plethora of snack options and friendly staff.  I love their fountain drink and coffee bar setup, it's spacious with more than one service area so there's no "excuse me" or waiting in line for ice or soda, a variety of cup sizes both in foam (no cold hands or cup sweating) and plastic and they feature Pepsi products (I'm a Diet Mountain Dew drinker).   Straws, lids, napkins and such are all easy to find and well stocked.  I'm not a huge fan of their hot food offerings, I'd rather go to a fast food restaurant, but for chips, nuts, jerky or anything like that, they've got it all covered.  If you do want a hot food offering, the QT Kitchen (if staffed) isn't a bad option because it's made to order.  Quik Trip also has the roller foods, hot dogs, taquitos, etc., as well as a warmer bin of sandwiches.  The price of gas here on this trip was $2.59 for regular and no, they don't push that Ethanol crap. 

Casey's, Bethany, MO:  This Casey's rocks!  I stop here often in my Midwest travels, it's always busy, but always clean, well stocked and the staff is friendly.   They've got an excellent variety of snack options, to include a kitchen always at the ready with a nice menu that competes with three fast food options across the street and they do a pretty darn good job of it.  The price of gas on this visit was $2.59 for regular.  I thank Missouri for having lower gas taxes.  Missouri doesn't push the ethanol real hard either, E-85 is available, but only at 125 stations statewide.

Shell, Cameron, MO:  Shell has rebounded from being on the nastier side of travel stops - like a Phillips 66 kind of place - to being a top tier travel stop.  I like the new Shell model for travel stops because they incorporate the modern plaza style, a very large gas pumping area that can accommodate a large volume of vehicles; a well-stocked convenience store; nice fountain/drink area; a variety of snack food options; well-maintained, large 'capacity' restrooms; and the best part, an attached fast food restaurant, in this case, a Wendy's.  The Homestyle Chicken Sandwich rocks by the way.  The price of gas was $2.59 for regular.

EZ Go - Topeka, KS:  This is another one of those Kansas Turnpike Authority service areas and this is a very nice one.   For gas, there's the EZ GO, open 24 hours and no waiting for a pump to open up during times of high traffic volume.  Food options are plentiful.  Choose from Hardees, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and Dunkin' Donuts.  Facilities are well maintained and the price of gas on this visit was $2.65 per gallon. 

Love's - Eagleville, MO:  If you can ever plan your travels so that you can stop at a Love's, do so.  These truck stops are top notch featuring large volume pump station areas, large restrooms, a large convenience store with all kinds of snack options, easy access fountain/drink area and if none of the Love's food options trip your trigger, there's a Subway restaurant attached.   Overall, Love's should be a go-to for anybody traveling over-the-road.  And remember to gas up if your travels take you through Missouri, the state has lower gas taxes, thus, lower gas prices than neighboring states.

By Mike Thayer

I'm preparing for another road trip and it hit me, I need to do an article on travel stops!  I don't know about you, but I HATE pulling into a place that looks OK on the outside, but has nasty restrooms and lazy clerks on the inside.

So of the more well-known chain/franchise travel stops along our nation's highways, who has the cleanest rest rooms, the best snacks, who pushes that Ethanol crap, which gas station/truck stop/convenience store chain is frankly, the most convenient overall?

I'll write about my road trip experiences and travel stops in an article coming soon...

Stay tuned and,