TravBuddy.com: bkretzer's Cross County to Kentucky 2003 travel blog Copyright 2005 TravBuddy LLC http://www.travbuddy.com/blogs/22111 My Dad had a stroke in Oct 2002, and with his emphezema he was not unable to travel unassited. All of his side of the family is in KY. So vacation this year was going to be an 11 day roadtrip to Ashland, KY and back. Many stops along the way; Abilene, KS, St. Louis, MO, Nashville & Memphis, TN, Huntsville, AL, and Branson, MO to name a few. Long trip, but great experiences and fun en-us Wed, 30 Jul 2003 16:52:54 PST And then we went home. http://www.travbuddy.com/travel-blogs/22111/went-home-18 Wed, 30 Jul 2003 16:52:54 PST And then we went home. Brighton, Colorado, Jul 30, 2003

Right after we got out of the stagecoach we got in our car and headed north to link up with I-70. We had six hours of driving plus stops before we go…

]]> Gettin' out of Dodge http://www.travbuddy.com/travel-blogs/22111/Gettin-out-Dodge-17 Wed, 30 Jul 2003 19:03:26 PST Gettin' out of Dodge Dodge City, Kansas, Jul 30, 2003

Day 11, July 30, 2003—Our last day   I got to sleep in all the way to 6:30 AM this morning. After getting up at 5 AM, and often not getting …

]]> And the winner of this year's Father of the Year Award is...not me http://www.travbuddy.com/travel-blogs/22111/winner-this-years-Father-Year-16 Tue, 29 Jul 2003 18:47:34 PST And the winner of this year's Father of the Year Award is...not me Dodge City, Kansas, Jul 29, 2003

I had planned to be on the road at 11 AM, spending two hours in town. But we enjoyed ourselves so much, at least I did, that we spent an extra half h…

]]> The Dalton Defenders Museum http://www.travbuddy.com/travel-blogs/22111/Dalton-Gang-Rides-Again-15 Tue, 29 Jul 2003 20:36:07 PST The Dalton Defenders Museum Coffeyville, Kansas, Jul 29, 2003

The Dalton Defenders Museum, opened in 1963, is dedicated not to the criminals who tried to rob two banks in the town of Coffeyville. But, to the men…

]]> The Dalton Gang Rides Again! http://www.travbuddy.com/travel-blogs/22111/Dalton-Gang-Rides-Again-15 Tue, 29 Jul 2003 00:00:00 PST The Dalton Gang Rides Again! Coffeyville, Kansas, Jul 29, 2003

Day 10, Tuesday, July 29, 2003   We have a long drive ahead of us today. Our ultimate destination is going to be Dodge City, in west Kansas. W…

]]> Boot Hill Museum http://www.travbuddy.com/travel-blogs/22111/winner-this-years-Father-Year-16 Tue, 29 Jul 2003 18:23:14 PST Boot Hill Museum Dodge City, Kansas, Jul 29, 2003

The Boot Hill Museum and Front Street is great way to spend a day! The title of the attraction is woefully inadequate to describe what they have to o…

]]> What's a Baldknobber, anyway? http://www.travbuddy.com/travel-blogs/22111/Whats-Baldknobber-anyway-14 Mon, 28 Jul 2003 18:21:47 PST What's a Baldknobber, anyway? Branson, Missouri, Jul 28, 2003

Day Nine—Monday, July 28, 2003     We started the way we had finished the previous night, by eating at the Golden Arches Dinner Club. …

]]> "My dad says it's like Vegas, if it were run by Ned Flanders."---Bart Simpson http://www.travbuddy.com/travel-blogs/22111/My-dad-says-like-Vegas-if-were-13 Sun, 27 Jul 2003 20:05:44 PST "My dad says it's like Vegas, if it were run by Ned Flanders."---Bart Simpson Branson, Missouri, Jul 27, 2003

Day Eight, Sunday, July 27, 2003     Margo and I discussed it last night before we went to bed and decide to vote Little Rock off the is…

]]> Ride The Ducks http://www.travbuddy.com/travel-blogs/22111/My-dad-says-like-Vegas-if-were-13 Sun, 27 Jul 2003 23:00:18 PST Ride The Ducks Branson, Missouri, Jul 27, 2003

We first experienced Ride the Ducks in 1994, on our first visit to Branson. For those of you who have never heard of “The Ducks”, these are World…

]]> Can't blame it on Memphis http://www.travbuddy.com/travel-blogs/22111/Cant-blame-Memphis-12 Sat, 26 Jul 2003 13:10:20 PST Can't blame it on Memphis Memphis, Tennessee, Jul 26, 2003

Continued…….   My reason for stopping in Corinth, MS was to cross this state off my list of states I have visited. I have strict rules tha…

]]> They grow'em big in this garden! http://www.travbuddy.com/travel-blogs/22111/They-growem-big-this-garden-11 Sat, 26 Jul 2003 00:00:00 PST They grow'em big in this garden! Huntsville, Alabama, Jul 26, 2003

Day 7, Saturday, July 26, 2004   Another short night! Between all of the load and unloading, doing the books, keeping up with this journal, an…

]]> US Space and Rocket Center http://www.travbuddy.com/travel-blogs/22111/They-growem-big-this-garden-11 Sat, 26 Jul 2003 00:00:00 PST US Space and Rocket Center Huntsville, Alabama, Jul 26, 2003

The US Space and Rocket Center has something for just about everyone. Obviously if you are interested in the United States space program you will fin…

]]> Our Last Family Obligation http://www.travbuddy.com/travel-blogs/22111/Our-Last-Family-Obligation-9 Fri, 25 Jul 2003 00:00:00 PST Our Last Family Obligation Monterey, Tennessee, Jul 25, 2003

Day 6, Friday, July 25, 2003   We have another full day planned. We need to drive nearly 500 miles from Ashland to Nashville, TN. We have a pl…

]]> Grand Ole Opry http://www.travbuddy.com/travel-blogs/22111/Mamas-dont-let-your-babies-stay-10 Fri, 25 Jul 2003 11:05:40 PST Grand Ole Opry Nashville, Tennessee, Jul 25, 2003

The Grand Ole Opry is the longest running radio show in the world. It began broadcasting in 1925 on WSM out of Nashville, TN. The show was originally…

]]> Mamas don't let your babies stay at Motel 6....but the Grand Ole Opry is great! http://www.travbuddy.com/travel-blogs/22111/Mamas-dont-let-your-babies-stay-10 Fri, 25 Jul 2003 10:31:02 PST Mamas don't let your babies stay at Motel 6....but the Grand Ole Opry is great! Nashville, Tennessee, Jul 25, 2003

Continued……   Well 80 minutes turn out to be optimistic. The state of Tennessee was working on I-40, so it was more like two hours until w…

]]> The Kretzer Family Cemetery http://www.travbuddy.com/travel-blogs/22111/Kretzer-Family-Cemetery-7 Thu, 24 Jul 2003 15:15:30 PST The Kretzer Family Cemetery Hitchins, Kentucky, Jul 24, 2003

Thursday, July 25, 2003   Today is our last day in Ashland. It does not escape me that after we leave my Dad and his siblings will never see e…

]]> Good-byes http://www.travbuddy.com/travel-blogs/22111/Good-byes-8 Thu, 24 Jul 2003 19:10:59 PST Good-byes Ashland, Kentucky, Jul 24, 2003

We made it back to Ashland and we met up with the rest of the family over at Aunt Ellen’s. Aunt Ellen and Uncle Tom’s place was the gathering pla…

]]> Best Western River Cities Hotel Ashland (Kentucky) http://www.travbuddy.com/travel-blogs/22111/Good-byes-8 Thu, 24 Jul 2003 21:26:32 PST Best Western River Cities Hotel Ashland (Kentucky) Ashland, Kentucky, Jul 24, 2003

As Best Western in the largest hotel chain in the world their properties can be hit or miss. I have had mostly pleasant experiences and this hotel de…

]]> Families: Mine and Loretta Lynn's http://www.travbuddy.com/travel-blogs/22111/Families-Mine-Loretta-Lynns-6 Wed, 23 Jul 2003 17:01:06 PST Families: Mine and Loretta Lynn's Van Lear, Kentucky, Jul 23, 2003

Wednesday, July 24, 2003 11:00 AM   We got a late start this morning, as we needed to catch up on our sleep. After getting ready and a late br…

]]> Butcher Holler-Loretta Lynn Home http://www.travbuddy.com/travel-blogs/22111/Families-Mine-Loretta-Lynns-6 Wed, 23 Jul 2003 17:31:03 PST Butcher Holler-Loretta Lynn Home Van Lear, Kentucky, Jul 23, 2003

Loretta Lynn’s childhood home is located in Van Lear, KY. Butcher Holler, made famous by the song “Coal Miner’s Daughter” and biography of th…

]]> Family Time http://www.travbuddy.com/travel-blogs/22111/Family-Time-5 Tue, 22 Jul 2003 19:53:52 PST Family Time Ashland, Kentucky, Jul 22, 2003

Tuesday, July 22, 2003 9:20 AM   I got to sleep in all the way until 5:20 AM this morning. This is the worst part of road trips. You have to s…

]]> Down on the River. Up in the Arch http://www.travbuddy.com/travel-blogs/22111/Down-River-Up-Arch-4 Mon, 21 Jul 2003 20:41:25 PST Down on the River. Up in the Arch Saint Louis, Missouri, Jul 21, 2003

Monday, July 21, 2003 10:55 PM   What a long day! I don’t know why I do these vacations this way. It’s nearly 11 PM and I still need to wr…

]]> St. Louis Arch http://www.travbuddy.com/travel-blogs/22111/Down-River-Up-Arch-4 Mon, 21 Jul 2003 19:44:09 PST St. Louis Arch Saint Louis, Missouri, Jul 21, 2003

The Gateway Arch is the center piece of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial located on 91 acres next to the Mississippi River in St Louis, MO. …

]]> The Great Phone Mystery http://www.travbuddy.com/travel-blogs/22111/Great-Phone-Mystery-2 Sun, 20 Jul 2003 00:00:01 PST The Great Phone Mystery Ellsworth, Kansas, Jul 20, 2003

July 20th, 1:30 PM   Things were pretty much on schedule until our stop at the Stuckeys in Ellsworth, KS. We stopped for gas, bathroom, and sn…

]]> A Full Day in Two Hours http://www.travbuddy.com/travel-blogs/22111/Full-Day-Two-Hours-3 Sun, 20 Jul 2003 18:57:20 PST A Full Day in Two Hours Abilene, Kansas, Jul 20, 2003

July 20th, 9:10 PM   Long Day. We got to Abilene and headed straight to Old Town. My God, it was hot! It was over 100 degrees and the humidity…

]]> Old Abilene Town http://www.travbuddy.com/travel-blogs/22111/Full-Day-Two-Hours-3 Sun, 20 Jul 2003 19:19:51 PST Old Abilene Town Abilene, Kansas, Jul 20, 2003

Old Abilene Town is recreation of the way 19th century Abilene was supposed to have looked at its cattle drive peak. There are many buildings, most o…

]]> Here we go....... http://www.travbuddy.com/travel-blogs/22111/Here-1 Sun, 20 Jul 2003 00:00:00 PST Here we go....... Brighton, Colorado, Jul 20, 2003

This was going to be our most finely planned trip ever.  We, meaining me, my wife Margo, daughter Jessi, neice Arielle, and parents, Earl & …

]]> Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum http://www.travbuddy.com/travel-blogs/22111/Full-Day-Two-Hours-3 Sun, 20 Jul 2003 18:52:38 PST Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum Abilene, Kansas, Jul 20, 2003

The Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum is a multi-faceted facility dedicated to the memory of the 34th President of the United Stat…

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