Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Archive for U.S. travel
A Medicine Magnate’s Mansion
By Linda Tancs
Dr. A. B. Seelye made his fortune concocting patent medicines, compounds marketed under colorful names in the 18th and 19th centuries as cures for various ailments. His success bought him a stunning 25-room Georgian mansion in Abilene, Kansas. One of the finest historic homes in the state, the Seelye Mansion boasts among its charms a Tiffany-designed fireplace, original Edison light fixtures, gold-laden French furniture and a bowling alley purchased at the 1904 World’s Fair held in St. Louis, Missouri. You can tour the patent medicine museum at the rear of the house.
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Abe Lincoln Never Slept There
By Linda Tancs
The third oldest continuously occupied governor’s mansion in the nation, the executive mansion in Springfield, Illinois is a gem of Italianate architecture. It’s also rich with native son Abe Lincoln’s artifacts. For starters there’s the “smiling bust” of Lincoln, one he actually posed for. And then there’s the Lincoln table, a priceless work of art created in 1864 from more than 20,000 inlaid wood pieces. From the dizzying elliptical stairway leading upstairs you’ll find the Lincoln bedroom, comprising bedroom furniture given to the Lincolns for their use upon their anticipated return from the White House. Sadly, that was not to be. Although entertained at the mansion, Lincoln actually never slept there. Likewise, he never slept in the Lincoln bedroom at that other executive mansion—the White House.
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Wolf Watching in Wyoming
By Linda Tancs
A must-see for serious wildlife watchers, Yellowstone’s Lamar Valley has been a wolf watching mecca since the wolves were reintroduced in 1995. The Lamar River is a tributary of the Yellowstone River; the river valley is bookended by mountain ranges and is also home to elk, bison, grizzlies and a variety of bird species. Keep your eyes (or binoculars) peeled during early morning or late evening hours.
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Batting It Out of the Park
By Linda Tancs
Carlsbad Caverns is a national park in the Guadalupe Mountains in southeastern New Mexico, an underground wonderland of limestone caves (more than 119 of them documented) discovered by Native Americans centuries ago. The terrain yields fascinating stories about the Ice Age: a stone scraper discovered within view of the entrance goes back to Ice Age Indian hunters, and bones from Ice Age animals like jaguars, camels, lions and giant sloths have been found in the entrance areas of some caves. During summer, another thing you’ll find in the caves is a Mexican free-tailed bat community nearly 400,000 strong. The evening bat flight program takes place from Memorial Day weekend through late October, after which the winged mammals migrate to Mexico for the winter. Preceded by an informative lecture by a park ranger, the seasonal spectacle highlights the mass exodus of the bats in search of an evening meal. Their pre-dawn return to the caves is likewise impressive. During July and August, the herd is increased by newborn bats and migrating bats from northern climes. Photography or other filming at bat flight may be done under a special use permit obtained from the park at least two weeks in advance.
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Grand Canyon of the East
By Linda Tancs
New York’s Letchworth State Park is known as the Grand Canyon of the East because of its scenic gorge. Indeed, its magnificence can hardly be ignored, the Genesee River roaring over three major waterfalls amidst towering cliffs. Located in the heart of the Finger Lakes region, the park covers over 14,000 acres of land along the river. The locale is popular with campers, but those not interested in roughing it will find ample accommodations like guest houses, inns and lodges with light housekeeping. Given its size, there are no shortage of activities at this park, among them 66 hiking trails, guided walks, tours, swimming, kayaking and rafting. Hot air ballooning is a must to take in the glorious vistas.
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World Class Bear Viewing
By Linda Tancs
Alaskan salmon run at different times depending on the location and species. In southeast Alaska, you’ll find the largest run of pink salmon at Anan Creek during July and August. That means the bears won’t be far behind. Southeast of Wrangell, the Anan Wildlife Observatory is a world class destination for bear viewing—so popular, in fact, that only 20 visitor passes are issued each day from July 5 to August 25. Those passes are issued via a lottery that is conducted in March. Plan accordingly, and happy viewing!
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World’s Largest Truckstop
By Linda Tancs
Along Interstate 80 in Walcott, Iowa, you’ll find the world’s largest truckstop. Known as Iowa 80, the stop opened in 1964 and currently serves 5,000 customers per day with parking spaces for 900 tractor-trailers, 250 cars and 20 buses. The amenities include a 300-seat restaurant, a gift store, a dentist, a barber shop, a chiropractor, a workout room, laundry facilities, a 60-seat movie theatre, a trucker’s TV lounge, 24 private showers, a food court, a convenience store, 10 gas islands, 16 diesel lanes, a fuel center, a seven-bay truck service center, a truck wash and the Iowa 80 Trucking Museum. Each year in July, the Iowa 80 hosts the Walcott Truckers Jamboree, a three-day event dedicated to celebrating America’s truckers. This year’s event begins on July 9.
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Wine Doggies of Yakima
By Linda Tancs
A bung is the plug that goes into a wine barrel. Not surprisingly, dogs enjoy chasing and chewing on them. That’s how Bung, a working wine dog at Bonair Winery in central Washington’s Yakima Valley, got his name. He’s one of many working dogs in the fertile valley’s vineyards, helping his owner retrieve errant bungs as the vintner checks the prized contents of the barrels for quality. Winery dogs take on many roles, like greeter, floor sweeper and fetcher-in-chief. Dogs are such an integral part of life in the wine valley that many of the wineries as well as lodging and dining establishments are pet friendly. Fido will have lots of company.
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Utah’s First National Park
By Linda Tancs
Located on State Route 9 in southwest Utah, Zion National Park is Utah’s first national park. The 229-square-mile park is rife with history dating back 10,000 years, a land occupied by peoples ranging from prehistoric hunter-gatherers and ancestral tribes to Mormon pioneers. The best way to see an area this vast is to take a classic hike, like the eight mile climb to Observation Point. At 6,508 feet above sea level, you’ll be rewarded with stunning views that may very well include the California Condor. Released in Vermillion Cliffs, Arizona, in the late 1990s, they are increasingly being sighted in the park. Parking is limited inside Zion, and parking lots at the visitor center commonly fill before noon. To avoid parking hassles, park in the town of Springdale and ride the free town shuttle to the park.
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New York City Goes a Little Bit Country
By Linda Tancs
Hey, New York City, ready for some honky tonk? Don’t worry about heading to Nashville. Nashville is coming to you. Farmborough is a brand new three day country music festival coming to Randall’s Island in New York City this weekend. The lineup reads like a who’s who of the CMAs: Dierks Bentley, Brad Paisley, Dwight Yoakam, Luke Bryan, Maddie & Tae, Brandy Clark, Cassadee Pope, and the list goes on and on. Randall’s Island is easily accessible via car, ferry, taxi, bus, subway and bike. Y’all come down now, ya hear?
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