While I appreciate a slow day as much as anyone else...this seems extreme.

Where do you call home karens? It is easy to bash others whilst one is hiding.

PS I do not, nor have I ever, lived in Kansas.

I've lived in Kansas for a few years now. I find there is much more here than people realise, that I started www.kansastravel.org as a hobby earlier this year.

Keith

placeu - please read my P.S.

I am joking. I think a place called Prairie Dog Town, is, on its face, a funny sounding place. I'm sure it would be a neat place to visit with young kids.

I live in Philadelphia.

You may feel free to make as much fun of Philadelphia that you want. I will not be offended. Philadelphia is not perfect, and I won't claim that it is.

I'm sure most "off the beaten path" type places, and states, have more to do than a lot of people realize.

Stopped by Nicodemus on US-24 several years ago, a very interesting place.

http://www.nps.gov/nico/

Spent the night in Beloit and the next morning a few miles to the east got some fantastic photos of a sun flower field. All the blooms were facing the morning sun. Have never failed to find something to see and do no matter where we have wondered. Just stay off the Interstate highways and you would be surprised how much different things look.

I am gassing up the car for a trip to Prairie Dog Town. I haven't seen a five-legged cow since I was 10 and went to Tom's Monkey Jungle.

Prairie Dog Town is a stop off of I70 in western Kansas. Living in eastern Kansas the only reason to be on I70 in western Kansas is trying to get to Colorado.

Prairie Dog Town boasts the world's largest prairie dog. When they first opened years ago, this prairie dog was visible from the interstate. It was a very large cement prairie dog. They have now built a tall wooden fence around it so that you have to pay to see it.

People bash Kansas, but there is worse. Half of Colorado is just like western Kansas. Large portions of Wyoming, Nevada and Texas aren't that great either. Don't get me started on Oklahoma and Nebraska.

I think Nebraska is pretty cool.

Keith

The USA is pretty cool....

http://www.recreation.gov/index.jsp

Good one, karens. It is actually quite embarrassing for Kansas to have a place called "prairie dog town" listed in AAA, as though we have nothing actually worth visiting here. I've driven by "Prairie Dog Town" many times with my kids on the way to CO and never even been tempted to stop. If you'd like, I could give you some places that truly are worthwhile in KS.

It is possible to see the back end of the giant prairie dog if you crane your neck as you pass Prairie Dog Town. We've never stopped but it is fun to read the signs as we approach the attraction.

Call me crazy but I think the plains of Kansas are pretty. I guess I enjoy the beauty of the wheat fields glistening in the sun, the rows of corn and just the vast openness. It definitely gives me an appreciation for the pioneers who traveled in their wagons, while I fly by in my air conditioned car.

Plus it still can be a adventurous drive. This past summer we were dodging flash floods, "chicken egg" size hail and tornados. All we could do was pull over at a rest stop and hope the tornado wasn't coming in our direction.

I found Kansas beautiful.
Please don't forget the largest ball of twine in Crawford!

I wanna go see the biggest ball of twine -
http://www.roadsideamerica.com/map/ks.html

Now see what you started karen - it's a good and interesting post about a state that doesn't get talked about much on Fodor's. Good job.

Two more for the Sunflower State.

http://www.rushcounty.org/BarbedWireMuseum/

http://www.50states.com/kansas.htm

So sorry! The ball of twine is Cawker City. How could I forget? And I've been there!

I've driven through Kansas more times than I can count, and yes there are some pretty boring parts. But, if you've never been through the Flint Hills in Kansas, you don't know what majestic beauty you're missing. This is the last expanse of Tallgrass Prairie on the continent. Any time of year, it's just awe inspiring. annieladd

We make the trek at least once a year from Omaha to Lubbock to see two of our grandkids and sometimes their parents. We altered routes on occasion and a couple of times they were changed for us. It's not a bad drive at all Iowa on the other hand well that's another topic.

Nothing is funnier than someone from Philadelphia
making fun of Kansas. John Brown's body DOES lie a moldin' in the grave I guess.
Hey here's sumptin' hilarious-how bout that wacky cop killer Mumia Abu-Jamal? Rocky-he was a sophisticated oaf....I'm sure there must be more characters in your AAA guidebook?

I think Kansas is probably better visiting , than living. I've heard it is cliquish (such as " Where did you go to High School?"..and "What subdivision do you live in?"..things that are un-important, especially if you aren't from Kansas).

well, I know if you stand on a tuna fish can in Nebraska, you can actually see Kansas

http://flyoverpeople.net/v-web/bulletin/bb/index.php
these folks are happier than you all are.

I once read that the Denver airport is actually in...Kansas! (commenting on the geography of this area of Colorado).

bbqboy - I did not open your link, but you seem to be taking this way too personally.

What's wrong with asking someone where they went to high school, or where they live? Or, what they've been reading, or where they traveled this year? Aren't they all ways of finding things in common, things to share, new things to learn? annieladd

Most want to know hoosier daddy.

ha ha. You're afraid to open a link to a small town newspaper columnist? OK. Live in fear.

You all have completely forgotten our most beloved treasure....the worlds largest (or deepest) hand dug well. Enjoy!

Annie..when you are 40 years old and asking another similar aged person "Where did you go to high school?"..it is time to get a life.High school?..why not college?.. ANd what difference does it make 'what subdivision ' one lives in?..why not ask what street?..or why ask these questions at all? I found it odd that 'high school' and 'subdivisions' define kansas citians. Then I heard the same thing about St. Louis, too.

Odd, I've lived in Kansas for 20 years and haven't noticed the high school/ subdivision questions.

But I'm rarely asked where I went to college, either.

Leith

Sister, do you realize that half of Kansas City is in MISSOURI and that the Kansas City area in Kansas is only a tiny part of the state?

yep..and it is the Kansas side my friends live in.

Fairway Manor; Shawnee Mission North.

The Kansas side of greater Kansas City consists partly of Johnson County. Johnson County is the wealthiest county in Kansas.

Growing up, whenever we saw a car with Johnson County tags, we always said "there goes the rich people."

Johnson county is not known for diversity.

Actually pretty diverse nowadays.

Corinth, Shawnee Mission South

C'mon Keith, what about you? annieladd

Deerfield, Mackinaw City Public

Keith

I've been to Kansas. It's pretty. Eastern Kansas actually looks a lot like Eastern Washington, but flatter. Konza Prairie is beautiful, as are the Flint hills. And the people are super nice! I just wish there was more hiking options.

I've never been to Kansas, but if I ever find myself visiting, I think I'd like to stop at "Prairie Dog Town" to check it out. But then again, I'm just weird that way.

After living in Kansas for almost three yuears I can definitely say that the only people who think there is nothing to do there have probably never visited.

As to the "where did you go to school?" thing..well, that sounds like New England to me!

Dukey, A lot of the people living here in Johnson County think there is nothing in Kansas. All they have seen is the Interstate on the way to Colorado and they have no idea what lies just a few miles off I-70.

Keith

the giant prarie dog is a statue. on family vacations on our way to CO, we drove by it many times, along with the five legged cow. none of it is real. and i've lived in KS for almost my whole life.

Old Leawood, Hickman Mills

Funny, when I lived in NY and DC, I used to report back to all my KC friends how clicquish it was -- to the extent that my friends in those cities would go to reunions and talk incessantly about the summer camps they attended year after year as children.

Geez...asking someone what part of town they're from is meant to start conversation...I hardly see how it should be a problem for anyone...

Hamilton Heights; North Kansas City SD

This thread is Hilarious...

Three points: First... For a Michigan transplant, Kansas really did seem like the REAL midwest and quite a different climate/topography than the east. Even Kansans are not impressed with the plains of the west but I think they have a strange and awesome beauty and really do resemble an unending sea of prairie (then you get to Denver).

Second: Everywhere you go people want to know where you lived and went to school, but in Smalltown USA (regardless of state) it might actually mean you know the same people and can talk about something in common. It way beats big city impersonal talk about bad weather, sports teams or outfits! Well, I take that back since I have been known to dog a team or two and laugh at a random speedo sighting. It's just a different way of finding a connection.

And last point: Having lived on the Missouri side, it is funny how much enmity still exists between the Jayhawkers of Johnson County and all the rebels in Missouri. But, since these are the friendliest and most polite people you will ever meet, it's pretty veiled and mostly comes out at college sporting events. I'm gone from that area now but I'd go back in a NY minute! Kansas City, MO ROCKS!

Traveled across Kansas a few years ago hauling a fifth-wheel camper. Entered from the east and visited Ft. Scott. Very interesting and worth a visit if you're in the area.

Continued west on US56, thru Wichita (saw a few linemen) to Greensburg where we stopped and entered the "Worlds Largest Hand Dug Well".

Continued on from there to Dodge City, which has the freshest smelling air of any city in the country

Actually, Dodge City was interesting in that I actually got to stand on the infamous Boot Hill.

Exited Kansas on US50 and entered Colorado, where Bent's Old Fort was the next stop on the journey.

I remember Kansas as being mostly flat but still interesting.

Keith

For some unknown reason, my dad had a bumpersticker on his car that said Kansas, Land of Aahs. And he was the original owner of the car.

I spent three years in Leavenworth (literally)...the only people who think there's nothing to do in Kansas have obviously never been there.

"Land of Aahs" was the state tourism slogan at one time. The people reponsible for promoting Kansas do a poor job.

Another year, they went with "Kansas As Big As You Think." Really gave people a reason to go there

Keith

Thanks, Keith.

I don't think "Kansas As Big as You Think" is a great slogan, but I don't think it's as bad as one of Philadelphia's:

Philadelphia's not as bad as Philadelphians say it is.

(I can't believe how bad that one is!)

You know, I've always wondered why "Arkansas" and "Kansas" sound nothing alike when pronounced....

Keith (the other one)

The Arkansas River is pronounced Ar-Kansas in the state of Kansas. So is Arkansas City.

Keith
(The original

Thanks KSLADY for topping this thread. I'm heading to Kansas the first week of May to see what I can see. The geographical center of the U.S., Nicodemus, Ft Scott, Ft Larned, the ball of twine, Big Brutus, the giant Van Gogh, the Cosmosphere, Garden of Eden, Flint Hills, the old section of Rt 66 that cuts through the southeast corner, etc. I'm wondering how I'm going to fit it all in in one week! I'm going to have to be up and out early everyday but I love all that ecentric, off-the-beaten-path stuff. And, of course, all the historical stuff is very interesting to me as well.

Harland Schuster's web site is what originally sold me on Kansas. www.kansasphototour.com
That guy should work for the tourism board. Now he knows how to sell Kansas! I especially love all his pictures of old barns.

As you can tell from my screen name I love big metro cities but I can appreciate wide open spaces too. I'm up for traveling to just about anywhere which is why I'm on Fodor's before every trip. I can always find something useful for every destination.

Passion,

In my opinion, the geographical center of the U.S. and the giant Van Gogh are not worth adding to your drive.

Allow extra time when you visit the Garden of Eden. The little town of Lucas is full of equally interesting, quirky attractions.

Be sure to add either the Chalk Pyramids or Castle Rock to your list. And consider visiting some of Kansas's self taught artists http://www.kansastravel.org/kansasart.htm

Keith

In USA today there is an article about THE EIGHT WONDERS OF KANSAS:

WICHITA (AP) — Forget the Pyramids of Egypt and the seven wonders of the ancient world.
Let's talk about the eight wonders of Kansas.

A non-profit group called the Kansas Sampler Foundation is asking the public to submit nominations using eight elements of rural culture: architecture, art, commerce, cuisine, customs, geography, history and people.

State officials hope the effort will boost tourism and draw attention to quirky attractions, such as Big Brutus in Cherokee County, a 16-story high coal-mining shovel; the giant ball of twine in Cawker City, or the Garden of Eden in Lucas, a folk art site that includes Biblical figures.

"The best places you can find are in those small towns, in some of those family-owned restaurants that fix fried chicken and fresh-baked pies," Caleb Asher, spokesman for the Kansas Department of Commerce, told The Wichita Eagle.

FIND MORE STORIES IN: Kansas | Lucas
The campaign is accepting nominations for the wonders until May 15 through its website, www.kansassampler.org. A committee will then pick 24 candidates, and the public will vote on a final eight from mid-May through Dec. 31. The winners will be announced Jan. 29, which is the anniversary of Kansas statehood.

The Kansas wonders contest was inspired by the New 7 Wonders of the World contest, in which 20 million votes have already been cast choosing from 21 sites around the globe. According to the New7Wonders.com website, the most recent ranking for the competition has Chichen Itza, Mexico; China's Great Wall; Peru's Machu Picchu; the Pyramids of Giza; the Colosseum in Rome; Petra in Jordan and India's Taj Mahal as the seven sites with the most votes. The middle seven are the Acropolis in Greece; the Alhambra in Spain; Angkor in Cambodia; Brazil's statue of Christ the Redeemer; the Eiffel Tower in Paris; the Easter Island statues and Stonehenge in England. The bottom seven are Turkey's Hagia Sophia, Japan's Kiyomizu Temple, the Kremlin and St. Basil's Cathedral in Russia, Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany, New York's Statue of Liberty, Sydney Opera House in Australia, and Timbuktu in Mali.

Thanks Keith and Karens!! More info!! Ya gotta love it.

Keith, the main reason I'm going to see the giant Van Gogh is because it is a virtual geocache and it's near another geocache I'm doing called Mingo, the oldest still active geocache. I always geocache when I travel because it invariably takes me to interesting out of the way places. I don't know if anyone on Fodor's knows about geocaching but it is great fun especially when you travel.
Check it out at www.geocaching.com
Kansas actually has a challenge to get a cache in every quadrant. It's one of the few states where every quadrant is accessible and a cache has been hidden in every one. I don't have time to do that on this trip but it sounds like a lot of fun.

Is there a geocache near Mount Sunflower? http://www.kansastravel.org/mountsunflower.htm

Another group of people collect visits to the highest points in each state. This is one of the few that you can drive to.

Keith

http://www.kansas.com/news/story/155600.html
COTTONWOOD FALLS - Being the person who's traveled the farthest for Cottonwood Falls' music night is seen as an honor.

It'll probably be a while before anyone tops the travel of three women at last Friday's performance.

"We traveled 30 hours by bus from New York City to get here," Charlotte Kaufman said between songs. "This is all so cool."

Sophomores at Columbia University, Kaufman, Kristen Edney and Grace Zhou planned the trip after Edney found a feature on the Flint Hills in National Geographic.

"The photographs were fantastic, but one of the things that got me is that they talked about the nothingness out here," Edney said. "In New York, there's never any nothing, you're always surrounded by buildings and people."

It was the first time the well-traveled students had been to America's heartland.

They took a taxi 20 miles from the Emporia bus station to Strong City, checked into a motel and walked three miles to the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve.

Their plan to hike the preserve every day ended when they met Friday night's crowd outside the Emma Chase Cafe.

Deb Zeiner, Chase County Chamber of Commerce director, volunteered a trip to Sunday morning service at a one-room rural church, with a county tour afterward.

Bennie Holtsclaw offered a tour of his ranch. Knowing they had no car, Holtsclaw said, "What time can we pick you up?"

So it went for the trip that ended Wednesday afternoon.

"The hospitality has really blown me away," Edney said. "The incredible beauty of the prairie was a given, we expected that, but the people have been amazing. There's no way we could have experienced some of the best parts of our trip without them."

That included trips to about every eating place in the county.

For Kaufman and Edney, it was their first taste of homegrown tomatoes. They ate about eight peach-sized tomatoes Tuesday they'd picked from the garden of Susan Smith, owner of the Hitchin' Post in Matfield Green.

Kaufman and Edney, who are vegetarians, took a "When in Rome" attitude and ate steak.

"We never got meat like this in New York," Kaufman said. "Without all the fat and stuff this is just so much different. This is great stuff. It's really good."

Tuesday, the trio joined Zeiner in and along a gin-clear stream, skipping rocks and catching vibrant sunfish and bass with bobbers and worms.

It was the first time fishing for Kaufman. They also handled rifles and handguns for the first time.

Trepidation led to enjoyment, and eventually well-shot targets for dorm room display.

"This is probably a once-in-a-lifetime experience for us," Kaufman said. "It's so neat."

Their hosts referred to their time the same way.

"They gave us one of the best days we've had on our place," Holtsclaw said. "They took in all the little things a lot of us have grown to take for granted. They had me stop so they could look at the stars. They were amazed. We're glad we got to meet them."

Zeiner said the women broke New York stereotypes around the small towns with their politeness and positive attitude.

Zeiner was with them Tuesday evening, after they'd just seen a myriad of Flint Hills' wildlife and wildflowers from the bed of a slow-moving pickup.

A cool south wind on their faces, they stayed long enough that the Big Dipper and a bright half-moon replaced daylight.

"It's going to be so strange when we get back," Edney said. "New York's going to seem so different

And what about food? Isn't Kansas famous for beef and barbeque? Who needs sights!

Kansas is beautiful. Come try it out!

here you go leburta:
http://www.roadfood.com/Forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=25234
http://www.roadfood.com/Forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=25801

Are any of you Kansans in the KC area?

Keith is. I'm an ex-pat in Oregon.
What would you like to know?
Here is his website:
http://kansastravel.org