“T” is for Topeka, T-bone, and Donnie

June 23, 2004

Topeka, KS

(GK) – Yours truly was the DH today. Slept in the shade while the other boys played in the pool. We lounged around Shirley’s pad and waited for the anticipated trip to the Topeka Steakhouse. I finally came around when we got to the Saint Gregory lounge and had some monster vodka and soda’s from Donnie, the world’s friendliest bartender.
Then it was on to the steakhouse, which did not disappoint. My eight-ounce sirloin turned out to be at least 10 ounces and a huge Long Island Ice T brought me off the DH and into the game. There must have been about 50 people eating with us. The night again ran late and we closed down the patio at the Goose. Three AM is becoming a strange friend to us…

(STA) T-town is my town, for better or for worse, but if my life were filled with plenty of trips to the St. Gregory and the Steakhouse, one would probably not hear too many complaints. Chillin’ in Mom’s pool drinking Miller Lites while watching a combine thresh the back yard is fun too. The St. Gregory Suites is a residence hotel in downtown Topeka that boards many of the legislators when the state Congress is in session and houses a good number of Busch League T-town arena footballers otherwise. Donnie is the main bartender there, and he is an absolute angel of a man and hellion of a drink-drafter. Only honest pours to be found there, mind you. After a few drinks, on to the Steakhouse for gizzards and beef, both of which are excellent. I can only assume that my first dining-out steak was at the Topeka Steak House, seeing how my family has been going there for my entire life and a goodly bit of time before that. Wednesday is all-you-can-eat fried chicken nite, something I also highly recommend. Thanks to all the friends and family who showed to wish us well at the cost of their health.

Larryville

June 22, 2004

Lawrence, KS

(GK) – We left Lyons after a hearty meal at the Ranch House. No one working there had real eyebrows. STA had to make a few unwelcomed trips to the bathroom at Chez Ranch House. He’s a survivor. Consequently he was awarded the DH (designated hangover) or the remainder of the day. We went through Topeka on the way to Lawrence. The gang had dinner at the Free State Brewery and waited for some folks to show up. I was pleasantly surprised with the town of Lawrence, KS. Very collegiate even in the summer; it was a beautiful Midwest Summer night. We hit some of the locally owned establishments met some really cool old friends including a guy from WhyNot Minot, ND. The night ran late and the bars closed so we headed to an outdoor establishment called The Terrace. Stayed up way to late and took about an hour to set up the tent in the backyard. Next morning the Kansas he had arrived…

(STA) Ahh, ah…Kansas! The above should really be amended to say that I felt ambivalent about one trip to the bathroom and perhaps even thankful for the second, but that is enough of that. After a good nite’s rest at Casa Markle, a quick chat with Dad and stepmom, and it’s on to Lawrence, a town entirely accountable for the higher erudition for half the crew and responsible for about 90% of the aforementioneds’ drinking ability. Glad to know the Cheddar Ale soup at the Brewery is still par excellence and that there’s always a good chance that they will serve your beer in a warm glass fresh from the dishwasher. Apologies to Marc Mc for never seeming to have the ability to actually see each other. Wonderful conversation and drink were had at the Taproom, and we can’t thank Sidener, Mans, Davis and Bliss enough. We should also thank the Outhouse for closing at 2am so those shenanigans were thwarted…

On Through the Night

June 20-21, 2004

Start = Vernal, UT
End = Lyons, KS

(GK) – From worst to first in less than 8 hours. This was going to be an easy day for us and it turned out to be the best day, like ever… Left Utah downwind and headed for the golden lands of Colorado. Steamboat Springs. Our first major thunderstorm. We uploaded our blog outside of JJWEB Technology offices whom despite there name didn’t encrypt their network. My favorite part of Winter Park was the stuffed squirrel hanging overhead at the Gasthaus. The Baron took MVP this day with his driving endurance rivaled by no other; his only downfall was the constant whistling of the theme from “Alice”. Two words describe Kansas; the Classic. More about that later, but I ate half my body weight…

Addendum: We were stopped by the fuzz just inside of Kansas for no apparent reason. It all became clear when I heard the latexed finger tap on the driverside window. It appeared that he was just lonely and looking for a good time. We left without incidence.

(STA) Vernal, UT…f*ck, let’s get the hell out…Ahh…Colorado, Hwy 40. Some of the most beautiful land around. Steamboat Springs was ever so hospitable. But we really found kindred spirits at the Gasthaus Eichler in Winter Park. If you are there…go. Great old line German/French/Classic American. Of course I had the escargots Provencale. Heather, the bartendress, about the nicest folk around and a helluva mixer behind the stick. You could do worse on a Sunday night in almost anywhere. Missed the RV park she suggested, so the Baron took up the torch and I awoke in my beautiful homeland of Oz. As serendipity would have it, it was the one day we didn’t have few red beers under the belt when one of Kansas’s finest pulled us over under mysterious circumstances. Sparkle B is now a 1-year member at Charlie’s Bar in Great Bend. Although the bartender had never heard of bitters, he made a great sans-bitter Peter Sellers anyhoo. As a final note to be flourished upon later, if you don’t go to the Classic Inn in Great Bend when opportunity avails, I’d have to believe you couldn’t find your ass with both hands. Almost had a Wal-Mart checker joining us, but the lure of her cush job at Waltonville was the immovable object to our irresistible force. To think that some people have never heard of a three-week party…


BVW – Our broadcast day ended at 5 am at a rest stop just outside of Goodland KS. I started my driving at 11 am in Vernal UT on 6/20 and ended at 5 am on 6/21 in Kansas. One hell of a drive, with good times encountered along the way. Steamboat Springs, Old Town Pub-- had the spicy Elk Sausage Po boy sandwich. Pretty good time, except for the 10 kids at the table right next to ours, plus the 2 adults engaged in a compare/contrast discussion of Catholicism and Protestantism. I was hanging on every word.
Winter Park, Gasthaus was a great stop, eating while being eyeballed by a stuffed tufted- eared squirrel (local roadkill?) was a fine dining experience. Bartenderette was very helpful,---best Manhattan this side of STA’s place in Fremont.

Arrival in Kansas was triumphant, with SB s initiation to Charlie’s pub in Great Bend. We were proud to be his guests to comply with local liquor laws.
Had a delightful meal as guests of S B’s parents, now arrived at their homestead played cards until 2 am…and so to bed.


(SB) Nostalgia…Nostalgia…Nostalgia. No that’s not the name of my eastern European mail order bride. The flashbacks of my slipping youth were all abound. SO we drank and played cards till 2am. Thanks to the rents for taking it easy on us. All for now.

Sunday Bloody Sunday

6/20

12:45pm (MDT)

(GK) We just parked the bus at a KOA in Vernal, Utah. Best thing about Utah is leaving Utah. Deserted streets on Sunday. Back in the bus, the drink of the day is Red Beer (Clamato and Olympia beer). Just got wind-blasted and the Baron (aka Waffelbone) handle it with aplomb. Glad to be in Colorado.

(STA) Agree with above. The Mormons can keep their Golden Tablets. Although the gin supply was deleted last night and the vodka’s running low, we’re surviving on a lean diet of mini-box cereal, red beers and bloody marys. Morale, as always, is running high.

(SB) Yes goodbye Utah. Beautiful state, just a strange place if your say I don’t know….not from Utah. We got the sleeping quarters to living quarters conversion down to a science already. Our livers are switched on and apparently so is Sherm’s intestinal motility. Lets just say that if our RV was Sturgis last night and flies were bikers we would have had one hell of a party.

(BVW) glad to be out of land of Mo's, My first day of driving, the RV handles like a dream except for the wind blast that moved us 5 feet into the oncoming lane....I guess it wasn't our time. Colorado much more to our liking,....tomorrow we push for Lyons KS, the promised land.

“It maxes out at fifty dollars”

June 19, 2004 10:15 MST

Currently: sitting in a mustard field outside of Boise Idaho.

(GK) - We drove 500 miles last night. Got out of Oregon as fast as possible. You can’t pump your own gas there. Drank a Peter Sellers last night after leaving Washington State.

(SB) - Got to bed at 5am get some coffee someone has to back this RV out of this one lane driveway. The RV people charge 4 dollars for using reverse.

(BVW) After 4 hours of restful sleep, we wake up parked in a mustard field. Fellow expeditioners are displeased with my snoring habit.

(STA) The learning curve in the RV is steep. Things I have learned in a short time and am better for them:
1. Curves of any mentionable degree are to be taken at a speed of not more than 80 km/h or disastrous results such as the destruction of the glass portion of the cocktail shaker occur.
2. Cold beer is better than tepid beer. Ice helps this endeavor.
3. All drinks consumed while riding on the open road are at least 20% tastier than those consumed while stopped.
4. Sparkle Brightstar is a magnet for falling radios
5. The Peter Sellers is a great drink:
Mix 1 and 1/2 oz. gin and fresh squeezed sweet ruby red grapefruit juice together
Add a good dash of Peychaud bitters and a handful of ice
Add 2 oz Squirt from a distance of 6 inches above the cup, so as to activate the bubbles.
Enjoy
6. We are more displeased with BVW’s flatulence habit

(All) Some Rules of the Road:

5:30pm (local time) – Mandatory stop for Happy Hour.
9:00pm (local time) – Get the Led out – One hour of Zepplin’s greatest hits.
10:00pm (local time) – Rolling Happy Hour. Cocktails in the back. The hour is started off with a hair metal groove. Last night: GnR – Anything Goes