We Be Trippin': The Great DIS-nee Road Trip

[Mrs. Fleagle]

SuzD,

What a FUN trip! I had to catch up.....seems the bus left without me.

You are incredible.....with all you have going on to indulge us in a this great stop along our way....THANK YOU!

Eric would absolutely LOVE the Abe Martin Lodge...he loves the wildernessy design!

Thanks again for the trip.....

Hope all is going well with you and the FAMILY!

 

[DISgeeksfromDC]

Happy Fourth of July, everyone!!

(Maybe we can stop and watch some fireworks en route to our next destination!!)

 

[DISgeeksfromDC]

Here's a [hopefully!] fun little challenge for folks who frequent our Road Trip thread:

Feel free to post pictures of your family enjoying July 4th along with a brief description of the festivities in your part of the country.

'Don't want to post any pictures (or don't know how)? We'd still love to hear about the holiday happenings in your hometown!

 

[DISgeeksfromDC]

The DISgeeks family has decided to shy away from the crowds today in downtown D.C.

Still, our nation's capital is a fitting place to celebrate our nation's independence, so I thought I'd provide a few links to some of the activities we're missing. (Maybe next year... )

* Fourth of July in Washington, D.C. - Background and Past Photo Galleries
(Info pulled from DCpages.com)

*National Independence Day Parade

*Smithsonian Folklife Festival - Background

*Smithsonian Folklife Festival - 2008

*A Capitol Fourth Concert
(Performed in front of the U.S. Capitol and aired as a PBS special)

*"Fourth of July Fireworks in Washington DC"
(More details and tips from About.com)

Happy July 4th, everyone!!

 

[tothesea]

Happy Fourth of July, everyone!!

(Maybe we can stop and watch some fireworks en route to our next destination!!)

Here's a [hopefully!] fun little challenge for folks who frequent our little Road Trip thread:

Feel free to post pictures of your family enjoying July 4th along with a brief description of the festivities in your part of the country.

'Don't want to post any pictures (or don't know how)? We'd still love to hear about the holiday happenings in your hometown!

Great idea DISgeeks! And guess what? I was thinking of something similar...
but perhaps this will be more fun! But just so ya know, I had found that same Disneyland photo! Imagine that!

Now I gotta get caught up! Happy 4th everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[DISgeeksfromDC]

And guess what? I was thinking of something similar...
but perhaps this will be more fun! But just so ya know, I had found that same Disneyland photo! Imagine that!

Why am I not surprised!?! (This seems to be our trend, huh?) Great minds...

 

[Marshay]

Hey SuzD -- I like the way you were able to still tie in Disney in your hometown with the former creative director at Disney now doing the "Higher Hair".

Oh, and the Gnaw Bone just hit the spot!

 

[Suz D]

Hey SuzD -- I like the way you were able to still tie in Disney in your hometown with the former creative director at Disney now doing the "Higher Hair".

That was just dumb luck on that one! I couldn't believe it when I read that so I had to put it in. We actually really did go hear the bell lady on the 4th of July. She played John Philip Sousa's "Stars and Stripes Forever" on the bells. She was really moving along on that one. You really must watch the video on that link that I posted.

[/QUOTE]Oh, and the Gnaw Bone just hit the spot![/QUOTE]

I think that Gnaw Bone Indiana is just the funniest name for a town. I honestly can't believe that they would use that name for a town. CRAZY!

Thanks for stopping by everyone. This is crunch week. Movers come on Wednesday so I'll be AWOL for quite awhile. We won't be completely settled in one place for awhile.

Suz

 

[tothesea]

Hey guys! I know you're probably wondering about the travel delay. I won't be around much today, it's my Mom's birthday! So I thought one more day in beautiful Indiana would be okay with everyone--more time to enjoy the amazing hotels and spas and all the fun places Suz took us!

Then tomorrow, the bus rolls out and we'll be on the road again! I'm so excited you're finally coming here! So rest up and have some fun before we head out!
Missy

 

[Circusgirl]

Suz - Thanks for showing us a super fun time in the midst
of all your hard work. It was a blast!!!! The handbell gal is
phenomenal!
Missy - I'm going to be away camping for the next week (and
therefore without my computer), but I am already looking forward to catching up when I get home!

 

[tothesea]

Ok, so it's not technically the middle, but it's as close as we'll get on this trip, so we'll go with it!

I'm so excited everyone has finally come!

This is Oklahoma!
http://www.travelok.com/fun_center/video.asp

Yep, where the winds come sweeping down the plains. And up the plains. And well, just about every which way you would imagine wind could blow!
(Shh! We won't mention the funnel shaped winds! )

Anyway, things tend to move a little slower here! There's not a whole lot to see while driving through. But if you look past what you don't see, you just might be surprised at what you find! This part of the trip is really more about the people you're with, the people you meet along the way, and the little things that are just about everywhere!

So kick your shoes off, crank up the radio and enjoy the open road!

Oh, and a word about the radio. At any given time, you'll most likely hear something like this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSVBADpK9fs

It's not that we don't have a variety of radio stations. We do. Classic Country. Hot New Country. Country Hits of Yesterday and Today. Just to name a few.

So enjoy the tunes and enjoy the views!

 

[tothesea]

Suz - Thanks for showing us a super fun time in the midst
of all your hard work. It was a blast!!!! The handbell gal is
phenomenal!
Missy - I'm going to be away camping for the next week (and
therefore without my computer), but I am already looking forward to catching up when I get home!

You just have the best time ever on your camping trip Circusgirl! I'm really glad you get to go...although we'll miss you. Since this is virtual though, I think we'll just take you along with us anyway! It wouldn't be the same without you!

And Suz that goes for you too! I really wish we could be there to help you move! But it's all gonna go well! And I SO loved seeing the sights--thank you!!!

 

[catotigger]

Wow, tothesea - nice pics!

You know, there's something vaguely familiar about them...it looks very similar to...Texas! At least my part of it.

And I think the wide variety of music stations is quite good!

 

[tothesea]

As you can probably tell by now, the magnificent landscape views don't change too much. Until you come to a famous landmark. Cars are pulled off to the side of the road and strangers sharing the highway are now friends just because they stopped to see the sight at the same time. So what could cause such strange wonder in a land of prairies and plains???

BEHOLD!!!!

THE BIG BLUE WHALE OF CATOOSA!!!!!

Legend tells of this creature of the deep appearing in the early 1970's. Believe it or not, Catoosa, Oklahoma is a port town! It is known as the furthest inland, ice-free year-round seaport in the United States. Who knew? Being linked to the Gulf of Mexico via the Arkansas and Mississippi River, offers the only explanation for how Big Blue actually got here.


Ok, not really. It was actually built by a man named Hugh Davis as an anniversary gift for his wife, who collected whale figurines! It's become one of the most famous stops along historic Route 66 in Oklahoma. It used to be so popular there was a gift shop and several other "attractions."

The picnic area is still there and people really do stop and swim.
Here's proof--you don't have to watch the whole thing, I was just a little surprised...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hs4oYa9HukY

I know Cat's up to the challenge...anyone else???

You have to admit, he's very friendly looking!

More later!

 

[tothesea]

Wow, tothesea - nice pics!

You know, there's something vaguely familiar about them...it looks very similar to...Texas! At least my part of it.

And I think the wide variety of music stations is quite good!

Hey Cat! Great to see you!
And yes, you are right...both sides of the red river do look quite similar! Glad you like the music...I'd expect nothing less of a Texan. Will we be seeing the "historic" Luckenbach when we visit you next???

 

[swwake]

a WHALE in Oklahoma? Someone should write a country song.

 

[tothesea]

One more famous landmark along Route 66 looks more like something you'd expect to see driving through Oklahoma.

Remember how this part of the trip is partly about who you meet along the way? Well, this is one perfect example! Wander of the main road into a place like this and you'll meet new friends. Smile and appear to be in no hurry, and that's when you hear story after story! You just never know what you might get yourself into!

All you could ever want to know about the barn...and then some...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwAHsUy1CJg&feature=related

 

[tothesea]

Just down the road from the barn, still on Route 66, is a pretty fun place to stop for some food and drinks!

POPS 66

"This sculptural take on a soda bottle and straw soars 66 ft. into the sky. Like a rocketship from another realm, it’s THE must-see Route 66 landmark, standing next to the space station with which it arrived.

Each night as the sun sets on Arcadia, LED lights transform it into a dazzling light show of Times Square-quality luminosity. An infinite array of colors and patterns salute the world’s greatest variety of soda pop inside."

Nearly 500 different varieties of Pop bottles line the windows from floor to ceiling and they call it the "Soda Ranch."

The only one I'm not sure if they have is Beverly!

Although the Round Barn Root Beer is supposed to be really good!

And so is the food! And the milkshakes! So fill up everybody and have fun shopping in the gift shop! There's so much more to this place so feel free to explore awhile.
http://pops66.com/39.0.html

You might just find one of these

Or one of these

Then we'll pull out for tonight, leaving Route 66 behind us, heading for Norman with this lighting up the distance for a few miles

 

[tothesea]

Finally pulling into Norman, you guys can sleep good tonight! We've booked the entire Whispering Pines B & B!

Whispering Pines Bed & Breakfast is located on 20 acres of beautiful trees and rolling pasture. Quiet and serene, this peaceful country inn is only ten minutes from the University of Oklahoma campus and Lake Thunderbird State Park. The two-story Victorian was built new in 1994, but has the look and feel of a true 1900's mansion complete with a wrap around porch, gazebo and a grand staircase.

Here are a few of the rooms you can choose from...

There's also a full service restaurant that serves fine dining French continental:

http://www.bbonline.com/ok/whisperingpines/menu.html


Now, I have to say that DISgeeks gets first choice of rooms to make up for a previous incident that was talked about...but which I just can't remember happening for some reason! All I can say, is at least I still know my last name!

 

[tothesea]

a WHALE in Oklahoma? Someone should write a country song.

HA! You're absolutely right! I have a feeling it might have something to do with some ocean front property too!