Every couple of years or so, my friend from college, Peter Steinberg and I decide to take a trip together. To say that these trips are far from the mainstream, is quite an understatement. Past trips have included a weeklong sea kayaking trip in Nova Scotia, exploring northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula and this years expedition to Kansas, Missouri and Arkansas. The motivation? We wanted to see the Eisenhower, Truman and Clinton presidential libraries. Geeky? You betcha!
Late Saturday July 2nd, after pulling an OJ in the Houston Airport (those readers who think this is a reference to Kato and Nicole, ummm grow up!), I arrived at the Kansas City Airport and met up with Peter. Now for an informational nugget. The Kansas City Airport has 90 gates. Who would have guessed a number that high.
The first decision that Peter and I had to make was whether or not to rent an car that had XM radio. The young woman at the checkout counter was quite hip to our banter, but in the end we decided that to visit these states, we should be subject to local radio. XM Satellite radio would be the equivalent of eating at McDonalds the entire trip. So, no satellite radio for the two of us.
Peter and I drove west along I-70 for an hour and stayed the night at the NW Topeka Motel 6. As we drove, the number of signs pointing out things to see and do along I-70 in Kansas was surprisingly large. A small sample include, the territorial capital of Kansas (before it was a state), Leavenworth Military Prison, the Kansas Motor Speedway where Danica Patrick was to race the next day and the Brown vs. Board of Education historic site. All within an hour of Kansas City.
On Sunday the 3rd, Peter and I hauled ourselves another hour and a half west to Abilene, KS, the childhood home of Dwight Eisenhower. In fact, here I am in front of his childhood home.
The first thing I learned is that every president since Herbert Hoover (excluding Richard Nixon) has a presidential library that houses his papers and also a museum, which documents his life. The libraries are run by the National Archives and Records Administration known affectionately as "NARA."
The tour of his childhood home was perfunctory and the library itself had little of interest. But his museum was what I came to see. What I learned is that Eisenhower was immensely popular, but really had few issues to deal with. The 50's, when he was president, was a time of great economic prosperity in the United States. To be way oversimplify in my summary of him, Eisenhower got to benefit from the work done before he was elected.
After a couple hours in the library, Peter and I drove back east to Kansas City. Thanks to Peter for driving through what was apparently a nasty downpour and lightening storm. I napped most of the drive.
We got into Kansas City just in time to get to eat at the famous Arthur Bryant's BBQ. The brisket sandwich and short ribs Peter and I had were everything they were said to be. We literally got in with 15 minutes to spare.
With our stomachs stuffed, Peter and I pushed on to stay the evening at the Motel 6 in Blue Springs, MO.
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