wowbagger's Journal: Vacation: Use it or lose it

Well, I have to use 48 hours of vacation time before 1 July or I will lose it. So, I decided to take it starting this Friday (27 May 2005) to gain the advantage of the Memorial Day holiday.

Normally, when I take vacation, I have a fairly specific set of objectives in mind, but this time, I really don't.

So, I thought I'd see if anybody had any good suggestions for things in the Kansas and neighboring states.

Now, let's see if anybody can come up with a suggestion I've not already done.

I am thinking about a scenic train ride in Colorado that I've not done - the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad.

And maybe swing through Baton, New Mexico and go to the Whittington Center.

Ideas

[nizo]

...any good suggestions for things in the Kansas...

Rent a moving van and move someplace more interesting? :-)

Currently due to hot weather southern Colorado and northern NM are, believe it or not, having problems with flooding (due to severe melting of mountain snow). That said, there are tons of places to go in the SE Colorado/NE NM areas, but my recommendation is to go all the way to Albuquerque and help me work on my newly bought but really old house :-) I am kinda in the same boat you are, I gotta star

Minnesota

[Kymermosst]

Take a trip up to Minnesota and spend some time in the lakes region. The weather is quite often decent this time of year, and the fishing is great, if you fish.

If you want to see the sights, the headwaters of the Mississippi at Lake Itasca is a nice place to go.

Eh... I really couldn't tell you much though, without knowing what you like to do for fun.

Re:Minnesota

[wowbagger]

Little bit more of a drive than I'd thought of, but I'll keep it in mind....

Suggestion:

[djh101010]

If you're into space history, the Cosmosphere in Hutchinson, Kansas is a good day worth of really cool stuff to see. They have the command module from Apollo 13 there, many of the Mercury and Gemini capsules, and an actual SR-71 in the lobby (big building; huge plane). Well done, and seeing things like Von Braun's sliderule (OK, I'm a geek, but aren't we all, here?") is just really freaking cool.

Re:Suggestion:

[wowbagger]

I'm a Cosmosphere member, so I go there regularly, as well as encourage anybody I can to go as well.

I'm waiting for them to open the new exhibit space - that should be pretty damn awesome!

Re:Suggestion:

[djh101010]

Where are they putting new exhibit space? The place was packed to the, well, whatever a building is packed to, I guess it wouldn't be "gills" now, would it, but anyway, last time I as there it was full.

My 6 year old daughter loved "Dr. Goddard's Lab". The guy doing the experiemnts is fantastic. We've re-done a couple of those experiments at home.

Re:Suggestion:

[wowbagger]

They've set up some of the downstairs rooms that were used for Spaceworks to be exhibit space.

Yes, it would be nice were Hutchinson to clear the space occupied by the ball field to the west over to the Cosmosphere - they need the room.