If you’ve been following the blog over the past few months, you’ll know we’re on a mission in 2026 to do more adventuring a bit closer to home. Don’t worry, we’re still making plans to hop the pond and spend some time in Europe. But we also know there’s so much to do and see around the US in general and the Midwest in particular, so let’s gooooooooooooooo!

The Dilemma

Thus far, our domestic travel agenda has taken us to Weston, Missouri, and Tulsa, Oklahoma, both of which we highly recommend. And all was going well with our goal of visiting one new place each month. And then it was suddenly the end of March, and we had no plans. Zero. Nadda. Zilch. What to do? At that point, planning a weekend away wasn’t really in the cards (no, not those cards, they’re still here…sitting on our bookcase…), and so instead we looked for something local, and that didn’t take much planning. Also, we were a bit strapped for time, because we had house things to do on Saturday and our regular agenda in Springfield and Nixa on Sunday. Sound familiar?

The Parameters

Fortunately, there’s loads of stuff to do in Springfield, even on Sundays, and even stuff that doesn’t take a ton of time. More specifically, we had about a 2- to 3-hour window late Sunday morning after the bells played in church and before Tasha had to be to another rehearsal. So, we had a day, a time window, and a general area figured out. That window of opportunity also happened to coincide with what classy folks refer to as ‘brunch.’ And there it was, our adventure for the day.

So, we started looking around for brunch places in Springfield, and it’s a short list. To be fair, Springfield’s Sunday brunch scene is becoming more robust, but many places really just serve the same breakfast options for a little longer, or the usual lunch menu a little earlier. Folks who know brunch will tell you this isn’t brunch. But we’re getting there, as more restaurants are coming up with new, more specific brunch menus.

Okay, so we started looking around, and most places were already booked (you know…last-minute planning and all). Fortunately, a familiar spot still had openings, so we booked a table at The Ozark Mill at Finley Farms. We’d been there a handful of times, but just for brunch, though we know the grounds of Finley Farms have lots of different things to explore. And now we have a local adventure.

Our Adventure

We ended up getting to the Mill about an hour before our reservation, hoping they’d be able to seat us early. No such luck. Bummer. As we headed back out the door to explore the small farm area right outside, the hostess asked if we wanted to do the tour. The tour? What tour? But also, of course we do. It turns out, the Ozark Mill is called the Ozark Mill because it’s…well, it’s in a mill. That mill has been around for more than a century, and there’s tons to learn about, so they’ve created a tour.

So, we headed to the counter to pay the $5 per-person fee, and then they pointed to a staircase leading to the lower floor. Thinking it over, one of the employees ended up taking us downstairs, showing us the way.

A Restaurant in a Restaurant

As soon as we got to the lower level, the manager pointed off to the left at what was a HUGE old molasses tank, on its side, with the ends cut off, making one of the coolest tunnels we’d ever seen. He asked if we wanted to go in. Um, of course we do, but why? What’s there? So in we go to find a restaurant and speakeasy. You guys! What?! Wild. Such a cool vibe in the restaurant (which was closed; they’re open for dinner and drinks), with rich wooden tables and leather upholstery, thick, heavy velvet curtains, and a feeling that takes you back to the days of the Wild West or something. So cool. We got a quick personal tour and saw the menu before heading back out of the molasses tank and onto the main tour. And what is this gem called? The Garrison – it’s giving me Peaky Blinders vibes. Who wants to go for dinner and drinks sometime?

A Historical Tale

The tour itself was highly interactive and told the story of the history of the mill and the importance it played in the area. There was, a while back, a competing mill that eventually ended up closing, so the Ozark Mill was the only one around, and it really was the center of life back then. The tour was really well done, with lots of videos (the kind that are motion-activated, so they start playing when you talk to each new area) and places to interact with some of the parts and equipment that used to run the mill.

We learned about some of the characters (employees, but so much more than that) who became legends, some of the struggles, and overall Ozark ingenuity that saved the mill over the years. For example, when the current owners took over the property, the foundation was crumbling, as it’s too close to the river and the river floods, as rivers do. That needed to be fixed, so they moved the building. Yep. Put it on rollers and rolled it over, replaced the foundation, then rolled it right back. We were today’s years old when we learned that a building that big could be moved like that. Neat.

The tour ended back in the general store, at the front of the restaurant. It took about 45 minutes to walk the whole thing, but we weren’t in a hurry, so it’s possible we could have sped it up if we needed to. Around that time, our table was ready, and so off we went to stuff ourselves at the brunch buffet before rolling out and onto our next thing for the day.

Adventures: Think Local

And there you have it. A new adventure, right in our backyard (okay, maybe not right in our backyard, but pretty close!) and even at a place we’ve been multiple times. Just goes to show there’s lots to do all over, but don’t overlook the places closest to you; you might be surprised by what you discover.

Get out there and have some (local) adventures and let us know what you discover!

Until next time, happy adventuring, friends.

The post Discovering Missouri: Finding the Forgotten Secrets in Your Backyard first appeared on The DeBode Way.

In case you’ve missed it, we’ve dubbed this the year of quick overnight trips close to us. It started with a deck of “Missouri Adventure” cards from my in-laws for Christmas and continues, but on a bit of a side quest, because we have family living near us for the first time EVER! Ever. Wild.

Two weekends ago, we took a 3-hour jaunt to Tulsa, Oklahoma, to meet up with one of Jason’s cousins. His cousin is in Tulsa for work for the next few months and is taking full advantage of all the cultural differences from NYC (we keep asking if she’s bought a truck, boots, and a cowboy hat yet). Her sister flew in for the weekend, so we obviously had to join them. Cousin meetup! Let’s just say there’s a slight generational gap between us, and they tried their best to get us to relive our younger days.

Our boutique days had previously taken us to Tulsa. In the past, we’d participated in massive shopping shows at the fairgrounds, but hadn’t spent much time in the inner workings of the city – work and all. But this time, in true-ish go-get ‘em attitude, we found ourselves in some unexpected places.

We dropped our stuff at the hotel upon our arrival – Residence Inn Midtown by Marriott, definitely recommend for the space/location. After a quick change of costume, we picked the gals up for dinner at 3 Tequilas in Brookside to get the party started. Let me just say, we had absolutely no idea what we were in for. The margaritas at this place were literally as big as your head! I’m not joking. The food was also great. I’d say there was a risk it was the margaritas talking, but I managed to get a “tiny” one, so I wasn’t hunting down the facilities all night. Ha!

Once properly fortified, they BEGGED, literally begged us to go dancing with them. Let me just say, neither one of us dances without much “encouragement.” Since we were in charge of transportation services, we agreed to go observe what the kids call dancing these days. Enter Whiskey 918 Dance Hall & Saloon in the Blue Dome District. A bona fide country dancing night club. Line dancing, two-stepping, the whole deal. We had a phenomenal time watching all the people who knew what they were doing, those who didn’t, and the brave cousins trying their best to keep up. Well done. Did I know ANY of the music they were playing? One song. One. And I grew up on country music. What in the world?? It was truly the best time, and I would recommend it for legit dancing AND some great people watching. It was very tempting to give it a shot…maybe next time, after I do extensive YouTube research. Why does every song have its OWN dance!?

We collapsed into bed in the wee hours with plans to meet again at a museum later in the morning. Somehow, that turned into coffee and tea before the museum. These DeBodes (not this one, gentle reader) have an unworldly ability to function on no sleep. We were off again before I had my eyes open. Much more to pack in on this short adventure!

Next on the agenda was a visit to the Philbrook Museum of Art. This turned out to be such a fun bit of culture from around the world, right in the middle of Tulsa. The main part of the museum was an Italian Renaissance-style mansion built and owned by the Phillips family of Phillips 66. Yep, that Phillips 66. I believe they lived there for 9 years during the oil boom in Oklahoma before they gave it to the city and moved on in 1938. The art museum opened in 1939 and added an enormous wing in 1990, turning it into a massive complex. The beautiful gardens were renovated in 2004, and I hear they do movies on the lawn periodically. How fun!

We were able to enjoy a short tour with a docent that mostly covered information about the house itself and not so much about the art. But no worries, I was still able to hang back and enjoy some of my favorite art pieces. The museum is full of paintings, sculptures, photography, native art, and decorative arts. It’s such an interesting mix of art from all over the world, right in little ole Tulsa.

By now, we were starving, so we headed downtown for lunch at Misfit Kitchen in the Arts District. Let me just say, they make a mean BLT (and now that’s all I can think about – yum). Great, fresh food, vegetarian friendly, another highly recommended restaurant on our short trip.

After lunch, we needed to head back home to get there in time for chores (no extra farm help on these short trips), but we had one more stop on the list of fascinating things to experience. We walked around the block to the Center of the Universe. Did you know the center of the Universe is in Tulsa, Oklahoma? Us either. Actually, it’s this unique architectural phenomenon that allows you to hear your own voice echoed back to you when standing exactly at the center of it. BUT, no one else can hear that echo. It’s crazy! Take one step away from the center, and the echo is gone. Wild. It’s not the ACTUAL center of the Universe – obviously – but it definitely was other worldly.

We had to leave the cousins after that and head back to our home duties, but somehow, I think there are plans for more DeBodes to gather at our house this summer for Chickolympics. We’re letting that one work itself out. City cousins are hilarious. Just tell me when I need to make beds for the basement slumber party. There was also mention of tent camping in the yard. You’ve been warned – maybe stand by for a hilarious tale in a few months, but also probably don’t hold your breath.

So there you have it, not quite 24 hours in Tulsa, Oklahoma. A whirlwind of experiences, all of which we recommend for a step outside of your daily routine and a quick little getaway from Springfield, MO.

Next month, I think we’ll be back to our Missouri Adventures, but who knows, life is funny.

See you out there!

The post An Unexpectedly Unique Weekend in Tulsa, Oklahoma first appeared on The DeBode Way.

In our last post, we mentioned a neat gift we got for Christmas from Jason’s parents: the Missouri card deck from the Adventure Bucket List. Not wanting to let 2026 get away from us (at least not yet), right after the New Year started, we put together a plan to visit one new place each month until we run out of cards. Great plan, right? The next thing we knew, we were staring at the last weekend in January and…you guessed it…hadn’t gone anywhere.

Picking Our First Adventure

So, to the couch we went (everyone makes their serious plans from the couch, right?) to figure out our first Missouri adventure. Fortunately, the cards themselves make this pretty easy. At the bottom of each card is a series of icons, letting you know when to go, the activity level, cost, and a few other things. So, our first order of business was to narrow the cards down to the ones applicable to the Winter: 3 cards. Great. One of the cards was for November/December, which we assumed would be more Christmas-themed, and since we were already past Christmas, we took this card out. That narrowed our options to two. Tasha closed her eyes and randomly picked a card, and the next thing we knew, we were planning a quick weekend getaway to Weston, Missouri. The idea was to leave after Jason left work on Friday, drive to Weston (about 3 hours away), stay the night, and come home after our activity the next day.

Home for the Night

First order of business: find a place to stay. We’re fans of the Hilton family of hotel brands (always remember: the more you stay with a single hotel brand, the faster you accrue points and gain status), so we headed to their website and found a grand total of zero properties in Weston. Bummer. Fortunately, there were plenty of options in Leavenworth, Kansas, about a 15-minute drive from Weston. Hotel booked!

We should also say that a quick search on your favorite hotel booking website will bring up a ton of really neat-looking B&Bs and smaller hotels, many of which are in or very close to Weston. Some of those weren’t open during the winter, and because our planning was last-minute, not available, so we opted for a more familiar hotel chain instead.

Weston: Day 1

Before drawing the card, we’d never heard of Weston, Missouri, much less what there is to do there (well, Jason hadn’t anyway, due to his illness in Scotland and not participating in activities where his cousin was talking it up, and then Tasha’s cousin mentioned it too, so she investigated). But gosh, the more we looked, the more interesting the town seemed! We decided to make the most of our adventure and so kept ourselves pretty busy, but we’ll highlight our favorite stops.

We arrived in Weston around 5 pm, so our first stop was at the Pirtle Winery. This small winery is currently housed in what was a Lutheran Evangelical Church built by German immigrants in 1867. When you arrive, there’s an imposing staircase taking you from street level up to the front door. Walking into the large, open space, we were greeted by the friendly barkeep who did our wine tasting. And we tasted so many wines! From reds and whites to meads and fruit wines and even bourbon, we tasted nearly everything on the menu. We even tasted Norton-based wines. If you haven’t had Norton wine before, let’s just say it’s an acquired taste, and one we typically don’t reach for. However, after much encouragement from our wine guide, we tried a few and had to admit they were pretty…ok. Better than we remembered, anyway.

Having thoroughly explored their menu and bought our favorites to take home, we headed back out and, yes, down the same steep staircase we’d come up (seriously, why are these stairs so steep?!). But before taking off, we asked our barkeep, a Weston native, for dinner recommendations, and we are so glad we did!

Dinner that night was at Avalon Cafe. From the outside, the cafe looks slightly out of place, as if it belongs in the Deep South near a plantation somewhere. Walking up to the large front porch from the street, you’re greeted with window views of the white tablecloth-clad tables inside and tons of candlelight vibes. Walking in, you’re immediately greeted by a friendly hostess who takes you to your table. The menu looked good, but it’s always good practice to ask for recommendations, and they did not disappoint. Tasha had a mahi-mahi, and Jason had the steak (with coffee butter sauce – what!?); both were specials of the day and came with mountains of vegetables – yum! Our only regret of the night? Not getting dessert. Sigh. We were both so full from dinner, dessert was the last thing on our minds, even though they all looked amazing. Oh well, it’s a reason to go back, right?

After dinner, we did a quick drive around Weston, but as it was now dark, we couldn’t see much. So we headed off to our hotel, about 15 minutes away, to call it an early night to be fully prepared for our main adventure the next day.

Weston, Day 2

Before heading off to our main adventure, we stopped in for breakfast at The Depot in Leavenworth, a place we can’t recommend enough. Hearty breakfasts, super friendly staff, reasonable prices, and oh my gosh, the cinnamon rolls! They’re nearly as big as your head, and everything you want in a cinnamon roll: light, warm, oozing with cinnamon, and topped with cream cheese frosting that melts just the right amount. That alone is reason enough to visit the area (available Saturday and Sunday ONLY).

Fully satisfied with our breakfast, we rolled out of The Depot and back into the car, heading off for our adventure. But one more quick stop first. We poked our heads into Weston Coffee Roastery to grab a coffee to fortify Jason for this adventure. We love a local roaster!

So, what was the main event? The thing that brought us to Weston in the first place? Snow tubing! Truthfully, this isn’t something we’d have picked for ourselves, but looking back, we’re so glad we did, as it was some of the best fun we’ve had in a long, long time. The weather was about as perfect as you can ask for: cold (about 20 degrees, eventually) and sunny, albeit with a slight breeze, though that calmed down throughout the day.

Our tickets were good from 11 am – 1 pm, and we made the most of it! The slope had about 6 different tube runs, though two were closed for minor repairs. From 11 am – noon, the course was pretty packed, but around noon, most of the crowd disappeared, leaving only a few of us to enjoy the runs. And gosh, it was like being a kid again. Racing down the different runs, running over to the large conveyor belt that took us back to the top (whoever developed these is a genius), and speeding down again – so fast! Rinse and repeat…and repeat…and repeat. Our 40ish-year-old bodies might not have appreciated the abuse the next day, but it was totally worth it for the fun we had. We slept like absolute rocks that night.

Our time on the course ended at 1 pm on the nose, and after handing in our tubes, we headed for the car and home. We’re intentionally not sharing the name of the slope we visited, as this is one of the reasons to get the card deck! But, suffice it to say, we had a great time and are already looking forward to our next visit to Weston; we’re told they have lots of wineries and distilleries that are lots of fun to visit during the Spring and Summer. Noted.

Do you know what the funniest part of this whole adventure is? Snow tubing was one of the first dates we went on, way back sometime in 2006-2007 (we’re terrible about remembering actual dates)! I guess you just never know when those little glimmers are going to pop up in your life. You’ve heard it here first, folks: the couple that goes snow tubing together, stays together!

Adventure Local

And there you have it, friends: our first Missouri exploration is in the books, and we’re really looking forward to the next one. We’ve been saying for years that we need to do more exploring closer to home, and we finally have an easy way to do it. This just goes to show that, as much as we love spending time in Europe, there are plenty of adventures and (not so) hidden gems much closer to home, too.

Happy travels, friends!

The post Discovering Missouri: An Amazing Journey to Weston first appeared on The DeBode Way.

Why We Travel

As you know from following our blog, we’re big fans of traveling. For the most part, other than the handful of trips to Iowa we take, most of our traveling is international, and we love it. The thrill of exploring a new place, new people, new food, new transportation systems…all of it. We’ve said it before and will say it again: in an increasingly disconnected world, traveling is one of the major ways we meet new people, learn and experience new things, and generally get a chance to connect and grow. It’s fantastic, and we highly recommend it.

International Travel Headaches

Still, international travel isn’t without its hurdles. Trans-Atlantic (or…gasp…even Trans-Pacific?!) flights aren’t for the faint of heart. It’s true that long-haul planes (the Boeing 777, 787, or the Airbus A380, for example, though there are lots of others) have made considerable strides in fuel efficiency, noise levels, and the like. However, while they’ve also made strides in steerage class (alternatively known as economy) seats, it remains a stretch to call them comfortable. They’re also getting more expensive each time we fly, and free upgrades to premium cabins are increasingly rare (though you can read about one of our upgrade tricks here).

Of course, then there’s always the decision about whether to check your luggage or only travel with carry-on bags, as we do. Additionally, depending on the state of global economics and the US dollar’s performance against other currencies, food, souvenirs, car rentals, and tours may also become more expensive. These aren’t reasons that’ll keep us from traveling, but they do have the nasty habit of limiting how much we can travel, as do our jobs. Lame.

Travel Closer to Home!

So, what’s a person to do who wants to travel but has limited means to go abroad? This may seem obvious, but it’s something we frequently overlook: there are lots of neat things to do here. Trouble is, there are so many things to do that it can quickly get overwhelming trying to decide what to do. Fortunately, a recent Christmas present from Jason’s parents has helped make this easier.

Have you discovered the Adventure Bucket List yet? We had seen this occasionally on social media, but knew nothing about it otherwise. It turns out, the good folks at Research International Outfitters have done much of the heavy lifting for us. We’ve only just started exploring ours, but the company has a Bucket List for 48 of the 50 states (nothing for Alaska or Hawaii, at least as of now). Jason’s parents got us the Bucket List for Missouri, and our Bucket List has 50 different adventures.

Each is a scratch-off card, which adds to the adventure/surprise feel of this. To help with your selection, the bottom of each card has hints: indoor/outdoor, Spring/Summer/Winter/Fall, price, time of day, duration, active/relaxed, and meals. The general area or town is also listed at the top of each card, so you’ll know where you’re heading, just not what you’ll be doing.

Oh, the Possibilities!

We’re excited to get started with this! Despite having lived in Missouri for almost a dozen years, we’ve done very little exploring here, which is why it’s at the top of our list of 2026 resolutions. We’re also close enough to Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas, and Iowa that we might add a few more Bucket Lists to our collection.

As of now, our goal is to do at least one adventure each month. So, a single Bucket List box – which has 50 adventures – could easily last us a few years. Each Bucket List sells for $64.99, which, if the List lasts us 4+ years, is about $16.25 per year. Not too bad, and WAY less expensive than planning our trips to Europe (which are still happening, just to clarify).

Is this something you’ve seen or, even better, used? If so, let us know your thoughts.

Whatever your 2026 resolutions, and however much progress you make at achieving them, we wish you luck. Our best wishes for a happy, healthy, prosperous, and adventurous 2026!

The post A New Year, a New Type of Adventuring first appeared on The DeBode Way.

For those who follow along on our crazy adventures, you’ll be familiar with our mantra that, while the cities of the world are neat to explore, we’re big fans of getting out of the city. At least for us, that’s where we find a truer sense of the local culture and people, which is what we’re usually after on our travels. It really is hard to replicate the experience of wandering into the rural local pub and just experiencing an evening out in whatever part of the world your journey has taken you to.

The other thing we like about getting out of town is that cities are just so friggin’ crowded and busy. There’s hardly even any of those puffy, leafy green things the rest of the world recognizes as trees. Know what we mean? Or…are there?

On a recent trip to New York City, you know…the city of all cities…we had that familiar feeling that borders on a mix of claustrophobia and suffocation. It’s not that the buildings and city life aren’t interesting or fun to explore, because they are both of those things. And yes, those tall towers give some of the most spectacular city views and vantage points. Truly something you should explore. But with limited real estate and growing populations, it seems the only way to add new space is either to build up or to cram new buildings into ever-smaller spaces. Seriously, have you seen some of those ‘apartments’ for rent in the Big Apple? Ridiculous.

So, you can imagine our surprise when, while out for a rather brisk walk through the City with his brother, Jason stumbled across…wait for it…a park. Compete with trees and everything. Sadly, there wasn’t enough time to explore the park because they were on a very important mission, but at least we can confirm such things exist. In hindsight, this is probably obvious as we’ve all heard of Central Park…a park…right? Still, the thought of green space isn’t what immediately comes to mind when thinking about the City that Never Sleeps.

This particular park is the City Hall Park and dates back to somewhere around the mid-17^th century. Neat! Here’s the small of it: Originally, the Park was a communal pasture for livestock (remember, New York City wasn’t always the city we know it as today), but by the middle of the 18^th century, it had two facilities to help the poor. Around that time (we’re at approximately 1757) there was a debtors’ prison and soldiers’ barracks built at one end of the Park (the North, if you can find the directions in NYC). In 1803 construction was started on City Hall – hence the name of the park – which was completed eight years later in 1812. Later that century (around 1867) part of the park was sold to the feds to build a post office (incidentally it was torn down in 1939 and never replaced), and in 1903 the City replaced the gas streetlights with electric updates. In 1993, after discovering an African burial ground in the park, the park was designated as a City landmark and National Historic site. By 1999 they completed a nearly $35 million project to restore the park to what we can see it as today. And throughout all of this, the park continued serving as a place for regular people to hang out, a concert venue, a site for official public meetings, and so on.

Surprisingly, there are over 100 parks in the City’s five boroughs (the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island), each with its own unique history and things to see. So, the next time you’re in The City, or even a city, it might be worth taking a few minutes to look up the parks in the area and go out for a stroll. If nothing else, it’ll be a nice change of scenery and what will probably be a much-needed breath of fresh air. Literally.

The post Stumbling Upon Green Park Spaces in New York City first appeared on The DeBode Way.

We had no plan when we got there, other than eating – we were starving. We found a restaurant near the hotel after we checked in and unloaded our bags. JJ’s Grill actually turned out to be a bar and they just so happened to have live music that night. Lucky us! We settled in, ordered tacos, a wrap, and a drink then sat back to listen. We weren’t there long, turns out we were really tired after a chaotic week. We went back to the hotel for dessert (mmm apple pie, Jason got my ice cream – we’re a good team) and called it an early night.

After breakfast at the hotel the next morning Jason had a zoom meeting, so I kept myself quiet and busy with my own work for a few hours. If he says a meeting is going to be 30 minutes, I always expect at least an hour and bring things to do. Nearly two hours later we were finally putting our boots on and heading for the hiking trail I found at Devil’s Den State Park only 30 minutes away.

After a short trip down the interstate and some very winding roads with switchbacks, we found ourselves at the bottom of a mountain in Devil’s Den and got out to investigate. There were thirteen hiking trails for us to choose from anywhere from .25 miles to 15 miles. We picked the Devil’s Den Trail, which was only 1.5 miles, but a moderate climb. My hip was giving me grief, so we didn’t want to end up all the way out if it decided to quit working. Starting from the visitor’s center, this trail splits near the beginning. If you go right, you will avoid some pretty brutal uphill climbs, if you go left, well, get ready, your behind will be burning! Luckily, we happened to choose the trail to the right and only encountered a couple of climbs, but quite a few treacherous downhill clambers. The folks we met coming from the other direction were huffing and puffing but telling us our downhills looked scarier. So I suppose it’s in the eye of the beholder. It was chilly (low 40s by noon), a bit icy, and it had rained the day before. So while we were surrounded by gorgeous waterfalls and sparkling icicles, the footing was a bit slippery and the icicles falling from above made some parts interesting. Every bend in the trail opened up to a new unique rock formation, cave, or water feature. We made it back to the visitor’s center without mishap, feeling refreshed. I’d definitely do it again.

We had our drone with us, as we had planned to put it in the air to get some bird’s-eye views of the trails and woods. However, while at the visitor’s center before we started our hike, Jason was sure to ask the rangers if that was allowed. Turns out it wasn’t. In fact, we were told drones are prohibited in all state parks in Arkansas, so unless you want to call Little Rock and get special permission, it’s better to leave your drone at home or in your hotel room. Now you know. We might call Little Rock for next time.

We headed back to the hotel to change out of our muddy pants and boots and then went to wander downtown Fayetteville near the University of Arkansas. While I was waiting that morning, I read online that there were a bunch of cute little shops, restaurants, bars, and bookshops around the town square, so we set out to investigate. We did find a number of those things but not nearly as many as I expected. After ducking into a couple of mercantile-type shops and coming away with candles, teas, drink mixes, and a Southern trivia game (who wants to play?) we went on a hunt. I had it on good authority that there was a magnificent used bookshop nearby. We love books!

We found it! Dickson Street Used Bookshop is very unassuming from its front door, scattered with a few $1 books on shelves outside. We opened the door and went on into an enormous wonderland that kept stretching on and on! Books were stacked to the ceiling stretching far back into the long, skinny building and up the stairs into another. We immediately lost each other in search of our specialties. Unfortunately, we couldn’t stay long and somehow walked out with only four books. We had to get back to the square, I had a plan.

This same authority that mentioned we would love the bookshop also had recommended a restaurant on the square – Tula. The problem was I couldn’t get a reservation on short notice, but I wondered if we showed up when they opened if we would be able to squeak in somewhere. We were in luck! They agreed to open their patio for us and we sat outside. It was only in the 40s but they armed us with a propane heater and we were quite cozy in the fresh air. I watched them turn away a lot of people after us, so we got very lucky. The food was amazing! Jason had a mound of queso fundido and pork tacos.  I ate my weight in guacamole and seafood paella. So, so, so good! So, so, so full! We rolled out of there and back to the hotel long after dark.

If you’ve been with us for any amount of time (if not, catch up!), you know we’re not really nightlife people. We need that time to wind down and quiet our minds to sleep well. However, as we were walking back to the truck we noticed posters for Moulin Rouge that was playing at the university’s theatre. I wish we would have made just a little bit of a plan so we could have seen it. Moulin Rouge was the first movie we bonded over in our early dating years. Actually, a fun fact, we included one of the songs from the movie at our wedding. I’ll let you guess which one.

Instead of recalling our dating years at the theatre, we called it an early night again. After this sleep, we headed home in the morning to conquer the weekend tasks, which were far less daunting after our little breather of a trip. No backroads this time. We took the interstate and got home in the same amount of time. I’ll let you decide which route you might take.

Fayetteville is a cute little university city that seems to be quickly growing. It has a weird mix of Midwest and Southern architecture and culture, as do most things in this part of the country. Having grown up in northern Iowa and spent an extended amount of time living in Alabama for Jason’s Ph.D., we can easily recognize both styles and have dubbed this area, the pseudo-south. There is quite a bit of university traffic on a Friday afternoon on the little one-way streets downtown. The square seems pretty sleepy this time of year, but I can see how it might become a busy place on a home football game weekend – woo pig and all (War Eagle!). It was a great little getaway, but I would need a little more of a plan to keep us busy for an extended period. Of course, there’s always more hiking to do in Arkansas, which is just fine.

The post Fayetteville, Arkansas – A quick escape first appeared on The DeBode Way.

We blew in from the South in the dusty 30+ mile-per-hour wind and drove into Sioux City in a blizzard. Ah yes, this is how I remember Iowa in the Winter. Luckily the snow didn’t amount to much and mostly blew away thanks to the wind, it just left us with really cold temperatures for the next day. After a run around downtown on one-way streets, the bane of my existence in cities, we found the parking lot for The Warrior Hotel and hurriedly bundled ourselves inside. We arrived at an expectedly chaotic lobby scene. It turns out we arrived on the heels of a traveling sports team and their entourage. But despite this chaos, we managed to get a big room upgrade, for free (thanks, Warrior Hotel!), and headed up to get settled.

We dropped our bags in the room and set out to explore the hotel, but not before noticing what was probably the most impressive part of the room: the toilet. I know, I know, it sounds crazy to us, too, but in fairness, the commode hardly ever gets its time in the spotlight, right? The toilet itself wasn’t anything to write home (or a blog post) about, but the toilet seat was another matter. First, it had a built-in bidet. We’re not convinced that’s the best option in a public setting, but points for novelty. What was even better was that it was heated (the seat, not the bidet. Or well, maybe the bidet was, too, we didn’t try it). No more shockingly cold seat experiences for body parts that ought not be too cold. Seriously, if you’ve never experienced a heated toilet seat, go look for one. It’s the neatest thing we never knew we needed, and obviously, we’re obsessed.

We ended up at the rooftop bar, which was mercifully partially enclosed, and chatted with the bartender for a while. We got the scoop on the hotel, how being employed in the Marriott system works (travel with a business professor sometime, it’s hilarious), and he recommended some pretty tasty drinks. After perusing the restaurant menu (which the bartender practically begged to fetch for us from the 2^nd floor – it was a slow night for him, haha) we wandered down to the 2^nd floor for dinner at Woodbury’s American Steakhouse where we enjoyed steak, duck and a wine flight. Yum!

We crashed hard in our huge comfy bed to prepare for the following day’s festivities. In the morning we had breakfast in the restaurant again, an omelet and potatoes for J and a Mexican breakfast burrito and fruit for me – so good. I did turn them on their heads a bit when I asked for tea, but they brought me the entire box of options to choose from. Haha!

Fueled up, we waited for the cherubs to arrive to go swimming. Jason ran to grab them some pizza for a pre-swim meal and I hunted down a place to eat where the pizza sauce wouldn’t destroy any fancy fabrics. I had a good laugh when the front desk pointed to a gorgeously upholstered lounge area where we could eat. No sir, we’ll be needing a hard surface that can be power washed afterward. I secured a table on the 1^st floor at the base of the grand staircase and waited for everyone to arrive, as awestruck as we were when we arrived the day before.

Bellies full, we went up to the room to change to go swimming. Jason and my sister took the kiddos for a swim while my sister-in-law and I watched and entertained our littlest (and sleeping) niece. Sweet thing. I had already done my hair for the wedding since I knew it would be zoo to get us all done up and to the wedding on time, so I didn’t swim. We somehow managed to pull everyone out of the pool, rinsed off, dressed, and to the wedding on time. It was very reminiscent of the one-bathroom and five-people chaos that I grew up with. Apparently, that practice is still hidden somewhere. Haha.

Gorgeous wedding! My cousin, the bride, was stunning. The groom was quite dapper. The color scheme was perfect, and the food was to die for – I’ll never understand how caterers can crank out 300 perfect meals at the same time. Well done. The open bar helped us manage the overly tired ornery children (oops) and my niece hauled me to the dance floor where we showed off her sweet moves and she learned the cha-cha slide. Core memories. But do you think we took any photos of us at the wedding, nope.

We sent everyone else home somewhere in the night and went back to The Warrior to collapse ourselves back into our giant bed. We hit the road again early in the morning to head home.

I personally think this is one of the coolest hotels we have ever stayed in, especially state-side. We learned quite a bit on our short stay and I’m very impressed with the work they are doing both as a historian and an environmentalist. When those two things can meet successfully, my little heart is just so happy. Let me give you some background on the hotel. I did a really terrible job of taking photos on this trip, so I leave you with the hooligans enjoying our room and the link for The Warrior complete with their fabulous photos.

The building was constructed in the “new era” of Art Deco following World War I, which makes it over 90 years old. It was slated for demolition after standing vacant for 40 years but was rescued for full renovation by owner/developers Amrit and Amy Gill of Restoration St. Louis (thank you!). It is managed by Inkeeper Hospitality Services LLC and is part of the Marriott Autograph Collection of Hotels (yay points!).

This renovation is mind-blowingly spectacular, from its restored grand marble staircase and ornate architectural elements to its new enclosed rooftop bar and elegant furnishings. But don’t worry, all this “old charm” is matched with 21^st-Century technology with fun things like restaurant menus on tablets, a spa, pool, sauna, and bowling alley as well as unglamorous things like clean energy features (high efficient HVAC, highly insulated windows and outer walls, low flow bidets, LED lights, compost stations, sustainable hotel gardens, solar panels, and geothermal systems). Plus, the food is locally sourced and delish! Clap, clap, clap. I can see why it has received the AAA Four Diamond Award and am happy to find it on the National Register of Historic Places.

In my lifetime, this is a type of glamour you just didn’t previously see in Sioux City, or maybe ever. I lived near there for 22 years of my life and I can say this is something special that I hope the area appreciates and takes full advantage of. I know we were very pleasantly surprised and just might be looking for excuses to stay in Sioux City again in the future.

The Warrior Hotel has sister hotels in Davenport, IA (Hotel Blackhawk and The Current) and St. Louis, MO (Hotel St. Louis and The Seven Gables Inn). We will definitely be checking those out as we often find ourselves in those areas as well for family functions.

We’re hoping to do some more local-to-us exploration in the next few months. It’s often easy to overlook the area where you live as is not a destination to you. Is there anything you want us to check out in the Ozarks? Let us know in the comments!

The post The Warrior Hotel – An Unexpected Gem in Siouxland first appeared on The DeBode Way.

You may be wondering what in the world we were doing or thinking taking a trip during the summer of 2020. We had lots of doubts and almost didn’t go but after watching park opening announcements, gathering information from our favorite travel companies, and feeling the huge itch to get out of our area, we decided to go for it about a week before we left. Honestly, this was probably the safest time to travel that we’ve experienced, just because there were so many precautions in place at the time. We carefully mapped out ways to avoid other people, packed many of our meals or got them to go, stayed in places where we would be secluded, and planned to be outside as much as possible. We might have gotten lucky, but we pulled it off without incident. #winning

Armed with our park pass, we flew directly to Vegas from Springfield on June 22 on Allegiant Air – an experience I don’t care to repeat often. Allegiant is fine for an hour or two but at three and a half on a cardboard seat, it was painful. This was our first long, mandatory masking experience. Coming from rural Missouri, we had previously encountered very few mandates this early into the pandemic and had mostly just stayed home. I didn’t mind the mask at all. Typically, my sinuses get really dried out when flying and this helped prevent that. Weird perk and a large reason why I have continued to do so since the mandate dropped. We got into Vegas super late, so we got our rental car quickly and crashed for the night at the closest Double Tree (which was kind of gross despite heightened cleaning measures) and headed for the hills in the morning.

We took off first thing in the morning after a quick run through the grocery store and headed towards Zion Mountain Ranch. There is nothing between Vegas and Zion – some scrub and a lot of dust. I take that back, we found one small town with a gas station, so we stopped quickly to gas up. Looking at the map now, there are a few other towns along the way, I just don’t remember them. We made Springdale and the South entrance to Zion National Park in the early afternoon. We drove through the park, winding our way up the mountain and stopping for a few photos. We planned to be back later so didn’t stay long. We made it to the other side of the park and out the East entrance within about a half hour. Just a couple miles down the road we pulled into Zion Mountain Ranch, our home for the next three days.

I can’t rave enough about Zion Mountain Ranch. We loved it! We had a private cabin overlooking the bison sanctuary complete with a kitchenette, a giant shower, soaking tub, king-sized bed, and extra room for yoga or whatever your heart desires. Mine desired morning yoga while Jason walked to the restaurant for coffee every morning. We hauled fruit, water, and protein shakes in for breakfast and sandwich fixings for lunch while we hiked but we had dinner each night at their on-site restaurant. The restaurant is phenomenal! They grow much of their own offerings and everything we had was amazing. Some of their gardens, horse pen, guard dogs (and puppies!), and chickens were located right on the main property along with a gift shop and a winding drive that made for a great evening walk. It was very quiet, laid back, and relaxing.

The next morning, we backtracked a couple of miles to Zion National Park’s Visitor Center to learn what trails were open. The Zion Canyon Road where most of the trails are located was closed to car traffic and the shuttle buses were not running while we were there. Trails off Zion Park Blvd were open, but parking was nearly impossible. So, we decided to hike the Watchman’s Trail since it started at the visitor center and we were already parked. We thought it would be an easy trail and were not really fully prepared to hike that day, so we made some dumb moves. The entire trail was uphill in the sun and it was 110 degrees. We ran out of water coming back down after pausing at the top in the only shade for too long trying to cool down. We somehow ended up back at the visitor’s center where Tasha realized she had heatstroke. After an hour plus in the shade, the facilities, and being doused with water inside and out we finally got in the car to head back to the ranch. And now, we know our limits in the desert. You know what we didn’t get? Sunburn! Win! All that’s to say, if ever you head into these parts, make sure to take plenty of water with you. Think you’re good? Grab some more. A big hat helps too to create some shade.

The following day we took a drive to Bryce Canyon National Park. Again, it was 110 degrees and so we opted for driving the loop road instead of hiking. Lesson learned the previous day. We admired the hoodoos from all the lookout points. We really wanted to go for a hike but between the altitude, heat, and events of the previous day, we decided to just admire the view from above. This means a return trip is in order.

We left the following day and headed North. We had originally planned to make it to Arches National Park on this trip as well, but given the heat, we decided to head for cooler weather instead. We drove through Salt Lake City but decided against stopping since traffic was really backed up and we were getting pressed for time. As soon as we were through the worst of it, we just pushed on, admiring the mountains all around us, and eventually made it to Idaho Falls, our stop for the night. We finally got a chance to stretch our legs once we were checked into our hotel. We took a stroll down the River Walk until we found a place to eat. I recall a giant plate of nachos but not the name of the restaurant, only that it was a local brewpub and very good. We planned to visit Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve the following morning but had to scrap that plan because a snowstorm was moving into the mountains and we had to get through the mountains on our way to Bozeman, our next overnight stop. We waved goodbye to the backside of the Tetons and headed North again.

Heading for Bozeman the next morning, we managed to beat most of the snow, only seeing a few flurries in Big Sky, MT while watching the roaring Gallatin River alongside the road. It’s wild, a 110-degree furnace to a 30-degree blizzard in a day, almost like Missouri. Haha! Before we made our stop in Bozeman for the night, we made a trip out to the airport to get a different car. They sent us out from Vegas in a car with terrible tires! We knew they wouldn’t hold up in Yellowstone or beyond. On this trip to Bozeman, we stayed with some friends at their summer townhouse in Bozeman. It was so nice to catch up with them over some fantastic steaks and learn a few things to take us through the next part of our journey. They’ve been coming to this part of the country every summer for most of their lives and know the rules. While this is one of the most beautiful parts of our country, there are lots of things that can easily kill you. Rules are important. We also had a chance to catch up with some of Jason’s family – his aunt and uncle live in Bozeman as well. See – it’s a good spot for us. We got breakfast with them the next day on their patio and were off to Yellowstone National Park.

We entered Yellowstone at the North entrance in Gardiner, MT. Due to recent flooding in the summer of 2022, this entrance to the park is currently cut off and closed until further notice as the road has washed out. Armed with a park map, we headed off into Yellowstone. We made our first stop at Fort Yellowstone and Mammoth Hot Springs. We got out and climbed to the top of the springs but didn’t spend much time there as it had started to rain. We got back into the car – our new Jeep – and headed down the Grand Loop Road towards the Paint Pots and Old Faithful. We bypassed Grand Prismatic and Firehole Spring because there was no parking available – a common problem. We told ourselves we would come back another day, but we didn’t after fighting traffic that first day. I don’t want to know what traffic looks like during a normal year! Yikes. Our last stop in Yellowstone for the day was Old Faithful, just in time to see the top blow. Spectacular! If you ever start to feel too big for your britches, just go stand on top of a supervolcano for a day, it will clear that right up.

Feeling rather humbled, we crossed the Continental Divide and headed for the South Entrance of Yellowstone. We crossed into Grand Teton National Park and drove the length in the dusk, leaving the highway and crossing the Snake River at Moose for a dirt road. We finally pulled into Teton Village after dark and unloaded into Snake River Lodge and Spa – this was the relaxing part of the trip, except the spa and restaurant were still closed so it turned into another adventure. No worries, we’re flexible!

We had three nights in Teton Village, so we took the morning to get acclimated to the area and then backtracked into Grand Teton National Park for some hiking, photo snapping, and history. First, we made the trek into Jackson to get some pants and long sleeve shirts. It was cloudy, rainy, and absolutely freezing. We were completely unprepared. Welcome to the mountains! We drove back out to Highway 191 and headed for Mormon Row for some pioneer history. You bet I got a photo of the most photographed lonely barn in America with the moody mountains in the background at the T.A. Moulton Homestead. We walked along the road admiring the buildings standing the test of time in that unforgiving climate for a while before heading back to the Jeep for another drive. I totally want to live in the pink house on the John Moulton Homestead! I could cut it as a pioneer rancher living in a pink house.

We stopped again at Elk Ranch Flats for a hike through the sagebrush. It seemed like we walked forever and got nowhere. It’s such an enormous, open space. I can’t even imagine what the first pioneers were thinking when they decided to give it a go there. Back in the Jeep, we rounded the curve at the top of the park and started heading back south along Teton Park Road. We stopped a few times to eat our lunch, hike a little, and admire the view. The Tetons are absolutely spectacular; definitely my favorite national park so far.

We came back into Moose and stopped to visit the outside of the Chapel of Transfiguration, wandered through Menors Ferry Historic District, and down to the extremely fast-moving Snake River. The river was terrifying and you could walk right to the edge to see where the ferry was once pulled across. Nope, nope, nope – I backed out of there in a hurry. Enjoy the terrifying video! We stopped at the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitors Center for a quick look around and in typical me fashion, I walked out with a book – Staking Her Claim: Women Homesteading the West by Marcia Meredith Hensley. It was quite eye-opening even for someone who knows quite a bit about homesteading and the pioneers of America. I would like to think I have the strength, stubbornness, and audacity these women did to survive on their own in the wilderness but I’m not so sure. I might have to brush up on some of my skills. Give this one a read, you’ll learn a thing or two.

After a good long sleep, we rented some bikes to go for a ride the following day. We’re not exactly bike people, but we biked 17 miles to the Snake River and back, then decided to go horseback riding. I LOVE horseback riding. Jason hates it. So, we do it every few trips. Marriage. I recall this ride ending with a rainbow and no one fell off their horse, so it was a good day, no matter how sore our knees (or other parts) were or how much it ended up raining in the end so the mud was deeper than our hiking shoes. They required a hose. We’ve since upgraded to boots for this very reason. I also recall a particularly good apple strudel from this day. You can bet if it has apples or rhubarb, I’m ordering it and I’ll remember it.

We took the next day pretty slow and just went for a hike at Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve. I was terrified of running into a bear the entire hike and was making a ridiculous amount of noise kicking rocks and talking Jason’s ear off. They warned us at the visitor’s center that the bears can’t hear us because of the roaring river, so be aware and don’t catch them off guard. Super comforting! After this, it was time to pack up and get ready for our flight out of Jackson Hole Airport the following morning. That airport has to have the most spectacular view in the country! We left July 2^nd and were home in time to watch the neighbor’s fireworks while the dogs hid in the barn.

This was a busy trip for us. We covered at least 1500 miles and experienced nearly every temperature summer can offer out West. We may not have spent a large amount of time at each park, but this sampler trip left us with ideas on where we would like to spend more time in the future. I’m thinking of working trips with hikes. We like those little change of scenery trips with hikes to break up the work day. Miraculously, no one got sick, our flights were uneventful, and our cars cooperated throughout the entire journey.

We would love to hear which National Parks you have been to and what you recommend doing at each of them. National Park trips are something we plan to continue to do in the future. We love how they’re educational but still get us outside exploring the wild places of the world, even if it’s just for some hiking in between work assignments. Nature is the ultimate medicine and a change of scenery can change your entire outlook on the world. Give it a try!

We’ll see you out there!

The post Change Your Perspective – Breathtaking Scenes from National Park Hopping first appeared on The DeBode Way.