It’s K-K-L Time.

Please note the dashes. This is not about the KKK. This is about Kansas, Kentucky and Louisiana. The next 3 states in the alphabet. There’s no state that starts with J. “Jersey” is a cow. The state is New Jersey. So with that out of the way let’s get to the good stuff…

KANSAS

No, can’t say that I’ve been there but I know a song:

I’m goin’ to Kansas City, Kansas City here I come

I’m goin’ to Kansas City, Kansas City here I come 

They got a crazy way of lovin’ there,

and I’m gonna get me some…

Kansas is the start of the west. The 100th Meridian, although an imaginary line on the surface of the earth, has long symbolized the end of the east and the beginning of the west. It’s located at 100 E. Wyatt Earp Blvd., Dodge City, KS 67801.

On the subject of Dodge City, The TV show Gunsmoke was filmed there. Plus, who hasn’t heard the expression “Get out of Dodge!”?

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So Top  picks for Cities in Kansas are : Kansas City, Dodge City and we can’t forget Wichita.  The cattle drives of the old west often came to Kansas and there is a Fort from the age of the old west that has been preserved…F troop here we come!

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Kentucky

No But when I go I want to see Churchill Downs, preferable for the Kentucky Derby, the Run for the Roses, arguably the most famous horse race in America.

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If horses aren’t enough to keep me happy in Kentucky, how about gold? Kentucky is home to Fort Knox. Do they give tours?

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What else is Kentucky famous for? Mint Juleps?

Louisiana

No. But what’s the most famous City in Louisiana? Not Baton Rouge. I’d bet it’s New Orleans. Oh yeah, I need to experience Mardi Gras, see the French Quarter, get a look at Lake Pontchartrain.

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Is Louisiana the true south, dotted with plantation homes? Do they have air boat rides in the bayou?

Got a lot to learn about Louisiana.

So that’s 3 more states I need to visit.  The tally is now 6 visited, 12 still to go and we aren’t even half way yet!

This is what 90 Looks Like

Yesterday was my mother’s 90th birthday. She still lives on her own and goes bowling in a league every week. That’s 10 pin, “big balls”. No little wimpy candle pins or duck pins for her.

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My Mother lives in New York State so I drove up to join the celebration. Her two brothers and their wives, my youngest brother and his wife  and my sister were all there to sing happy birthday. Missing was my other brother and his wife. They live  in Virginia and just couldn’t get away this time but it was still a good turn out.

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For some reason my mother doesn’t want to acknowledge that she’s 90 but I think it’s an awesome milestone.

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Good thing my mother doesn’t go on the internet or she’d be shortening my life for telling and we can’t have that!

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Happy Birthday Mom…and many more 🙂

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H & I

Oh no, the numbers are stacked against me here. I haven’t been to the “Heartland” of America.

H is for Hawaii

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YES! With an asterisk of course.Hawaii is still my favorite state. Just thinking about it makes my heart flutter. 2 trips so far and hopefully more in my future.  The first trip was  to the Big Island. This trip was amazing. It was the first BIG trip I’d ever taken. The first trip where I’d used my time share. The first Luau I’d ever been to…The Island is amazing, half rain forest and half desert. We explored both and I loved Volcano National Park.  In Hilo we explored the Tsunami Museum and went to the Zoo. Just north of Hilo was a beautiful botanical garden.

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We even got to walk on a black sand beach.

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Trip two was to Oahu where we made a visit to Pearl Harbor, beautiful and emotional. This is a must- see stop on anyone’s bucket list. We visited Waikiki and the Polynesian Cultural Center. We climbed Maka Pupu Point and shopped at the International Market Place. We drove up to the crater of Diamondhead but didn’t climb to the top. Maybe another trip. 🙂 Next up is Maui and the road to Hana!

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I is for Idaho

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No. But it sounds like there’s couple of must do things. Lava Hot Springs for one and Craters of the Moon National Monument, 618 square miles of lava field.

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I is for Illinois

NO. Although I did go to Chicago once for a work seminar. It was probably 30 years ago and I don’t recall much about the city at all.

Of course there’s Chicago itself  and many travelers get into Illinois via O’Hare International Airport, one of the busiest in the country. I do remember being there. I was stuck on my way to Wisconsin. My plane out of Boston had been delayed so I missed my connecting flight. At the time OJ Simpson was still a football hero and  was running through airports in a Hertz Commercial. I remember thinking I felt like that as I raced to my gate only to see the plane taking off as I got there. It’s one of those moments seared into your brain! 🙂

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RT 66 is in Illinois. I saw part of the iconic highway when I was in Arizona. I’ll have to look up how many states it crosses or maybe I should say crossed as many parts are closed now.

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There seem to be a lot of scenic drives in Illinois and I saw something about a Japanese Garden. So More research needs to be done to plan the visit to this state.

I is for Indiana

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No. Once again I have to say I don’t know much about this state. The tourism web site lists National Parks and Monuments, and I know racing is big there; Indianapolis Speedway. It’s the boyhood home of our 16th president so I could certainly include a visit to the Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial.

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I is for Iowa

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No. I am really lost when it comes to Iowa. It’s broken up into so many sections it’s almost like states within states. 10 different sections to research just to decide what I want to visit! This too will requires some digging and reading on my part.

Boy, I didn’t do well in the “I” category at all!. I’d say that breaks the tie. It’s now 6 visited and  9 on the “not seen” side of the ledger. I really need some suggestions of the  not to miss places for the “I” states. Have you been there? Or maybe you live in one of those states? What is the most important thing to see/visit?

But on to J, K & L.

D, E, F & G

We are on a roll now. We can cover Delaware, Florida and Georgia. There’s no state starting with E so we’ll just skip right over that.

D is for Delaware

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No. This teeny, tiny state ranks # 49 in size. I don’t know much about the state but when I search it on trip advisor there are just loads of attractions and things to do. A lot of it seems to revolve around the seashore, wine and food. They have a Delaware Wine Trail, a Delaware Culinary Trail, a Boardwalk Arts festival, a sandcastle competition, and for the lighthouse lover Breakwater/Harbor of refuge.

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F is for Florida

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YES! and YES again.

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Florida is almost like my 2nd home. From Key West at the tip to South Florida (Miami/ Fort Lauderdale) on to Central Florida with Disney, Kissimmee and surrounding area the only places I haven’t spent much time is the Gulf coast and the northern section and panhandle. I seem to find myself going back there every year or so as I love the Everglades and other natural areas. I don’t need to visit Mickey and Minnie every time I go down.Disney 2012 324a copy

There are an array of Botanical Gardens and parks, both State and National, there are lighthouses and forts, when I can tear myself away from the alligators and tropical birds.

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I still want to see more of the Everglades.

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There are 2 more entrances to the park that I haven’t been to. High on my list as well is Miami Zoo and a place, I think it’s called Bird Island.

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G is for Georgia

Yes. I’ve been to Atlanta. I even went to a Halloween Party in Georgia.

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I visited Stone Mountain

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and followed “Homer” The Atlanta Braves Mascot around.

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No, I wasn’t stalking him, I was “assisting”. 🙂 I went to the zoo and the huge Georgia Aquarium and rode a Segway. ( I even fell off!) And  I watched the fountains in Olympic Park and visited the World of Coca Cola.

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And I can’t forget that we had dinner at Gladys Knight’s Chicken and Waffle restaurant. That was a very full trip!

So I can check Georgia off the list.

So lets me see, what’s the tally now? 10 State in A – G and I think we’re tied up. 5 states visited and 5 still to go. Let’s see how it goes with H & I.

B & C follow A

I have to do 2 letters here because unless I’ve gotten so old and senile that I’ve forgotten a state, there aren’t any that start with B. So I can cross all the “B” states off my list.

For the “C ” states I have 3, California, Colorado and Connecticut.

C is for California

Maybe. I’ve been to California. I was in LA and went to the Queen Mary.

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It was back in the film days before digital. I mostly remember a lot of Smog.

scan0005But although I spent a week there I can’t say I “vacationed” and California is such a big state I’d have to say I barely scratched the surface.

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I have to drive Highway 1

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with it’s majestic ocean views. And Channel islands National Park is another  “must”. And Yosemite

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(that’s been in the news so much lately because of the huge wild fire that threatened.) There’s Monterey,  San Fran and the  Golden Gate Bridge

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and don’t forget Disney was there before Florida. Nappa Valley or Sonoma, oh my , must go wine tasting, and the towering Redwood trees, can’t miss those, and that’s before we even think about the famous zoos (San Diego) , museums, arboretums..oh I could go on and on.

C is for Colorado

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No, a resounding No. Colorado is a definite “must see”.  Any state that could inspire the music of John Denver must have something special in the air. Rocky mountain high…watch for eagles, visit Sand Dunes National Park. Look for wildlife. There are mountain goats in those “hills”. Spectacular vistas await. We’ll drive up Pikes Peak, visit the mile high City of Denver. Maybe make a stop in Aspen/ Vale just to say I’ve been there, in the summer because I don’t ski!

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Now I have all those wonderful John Denver songs running through my head, especially Rocky Mountain High.

C is for Connecticut

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Yes. This is a neighbor state and although I haven’t “Vacationed” there I’ve spent enough time that I am rapidly crossing off many of the things on my list for that state. For example I spent a weekend at a spa in Old Saybrook, I’ve made another visit to Gillette Castle, I’ve ridden the Essex Steam Train

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and the paddleboat Becky Thatcher.

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I’ve made several boat trips on the Connecticut River, had lunch in the town of Essex CT. I’ve watched the ospry nesting on the swing bridge in Hamden, CT and photographed the Goodspeed Opera House over and over.

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I froze while I watched bald eagles at the Shepaug Dam on the Housatonic River. It was the coldest day of the winter.

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Still to go, Mystic Aquarium and that might very well be in the next few weeks.

I know for my long time followers that this may be familiar but we didn’t get much farther than this last time. (2011) So tally so far: 3 states visited 4 to go.

Always open to your suggestions and must see/ wanna see ideas! Keep ’em coming! 🙂