The World's Largest "Praying Ants!"

World's Largest Praying "Hands" - Tulsa, Oklahoma

We have a route and a basic itinerary that we are following. But after seeing the giant ketchup bottle and world’s largest rocker, we thought it would be fun to travel some more on Route 66. Today we saw the world’s largest totem pole, a blue whale, a building with a car sticking out of it, a huge round barn, and a soda pop bottle 66 feet high that changes colors at night. These were all sights on Route 66. Ted said that last night while I was sleeping he was looking online and found the world’s largest praying ants. Even though they weren’t on 66 they weren’t too far out of our way. This took a minute for me to process. “Praying ants?” I asked incredulously. “The ants are praying?” “Yes” he said. “O.k.”  and I went back to my knitting. (I finished Chris’s afghan and now I’m working on Katie’s) Daddy tells the kids ,” Keep your eyes open for the next largest thing. You’ll never guess what it is.” “Never,” I agree. We’re looking and looking and finally Ted says it should be right around here. “ I don’t see it,” I say. “ The only thing I see is back there. “ Looks like they’re giant h-an-dss. “ Laughing, “look at the praying ants, kids.”

Read more about the World's Largest Praying Hands: http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/11895

Be sure to check out many more photos in the photo gallery!

Getting our Kicks on Route 66!

Having found the Largest Ketchup bottle in an earlier blog (also on Route 66), of course we could not pass up the World's Largest Rocker!  Here are some photos from our trip through Missouri today on Route 66, (or as a toll booth attendant as we entered Oklahoma pronounced it, "Mizzura".  We camped just inside Oklahoma today.  Tomorrow will be more time spent on Route 66 in Oklahoma on our way to Oklahoma City.  Could we find something else that is the largest in the world?  - Posted by Ted

To learn more about the history of Route 66, click here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Route_66

 

Lots of Cows on Route 66

Ted takes a wrong turn

We're Here!  Finally!

Nice Campsite on "Grand Lake o' The Cherokees"
To Learn more about Grand Lake,
click here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Lake_o%27_the_Cherokees

Since we have no idea where the nearest store is, it's BBQ Chicken!
To learn more about BBQ Chicken,
click here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BBQ_chicken

Play Ball!

We decided to stay one more day in St. Louis so we could watch the St. Louis Cardinals play the Cincinnati Reds at Busch Stadium.  Although Ted is a NY Yankee fan, he was not recognized as one and was allowed to attend the game.  It probably helped that he was forbidden from wearing any of his Yankee regalia. 

This was Katie and Chelsea's first baseball game. Chris had attended games in the past with his Dad.  Here are some photos from today's event.  Tomorrow we leave St. Louis and head further west.  Cardinals - 3, Reds - 6

 

Gateway To The West

Today we chugged down the Mississippi on “The Tom Sawyer”. As you will see from the pictures, it is a busy port. Certainly not the same as a boat ride on our lake in Maine, but pretty in its own way. After the boat ride, we went to the Gateway Arch. When we were first planning our trip, I thought 15 minutes for the arch should do it. Look at it, take some pictures, and you’re done. I had seen pictures of the arch (we have a really cool game called “Snapshots Across America” where you “visit” different states and historical landmarks) but I didn’t know you could go inside and ride to the top. You get inside this little pod and travel 630 feet to the top. It’s quite an engineering marvel. The views, as you might expect, are amazing.














At the base underground, there’s also a museum about westward expansion and a great movie about Lewis and Clark with a little Sacajawea thrown in (not enough in my opinion). If you go to St. Louis, this is definitely a must-see. After our full day at the arch, we walked down the (very long) stairs and waiting at the bottom were several horse drawn carriages. One looked like Cinderella’s carriage. Although this was the carriage we chose, that wasn't the reason. We chose our carriage because the horse’s name was Moose. :o)

We were supposed to continue our westward trek tomorrow, but we have decided to stay in St. Louis another day.
Be sure to check out many more photos from today in the photo gallery!

Back in St. Louis With Yogi

We arrived back in St. Louis today.  Here are a few photos from Jellystone Park in Eureka, Missouri where we are camping.

Louisville Detour Turns Out Great

Our storm detour to out-run the storms turns into a Run for The Roses!

Please check out more photos in the photo gallery from today's trip to the Kentucky Derby Museum at Churchill Downs!  Also Check out the Disney Movie Secretariat to learn more about a Kentucky Horse Legend.

Storm Runners

Last night after a yummy dinner of barbeque and fried pie, (quite yummy), Ted sat down to check the weather. I had just gotten comfortable and found a good book. As I sat reading and listening to the ROAR of the freight trains (2 tracks right next to our campsite) I could hear Ted muttering. Trying to ignore him/concentrate on my book, I kept reading. Unable to read, with all of his mutterings, I finally asked. He put the weather channel on the iPad for me, severe thunderstorms, large hail, and possible tornadoes. When the meteorologist says "stay by a basement," we listen. So according to maps and radar and considering driving time, it’s off to Indiana. We will find some excitement there and hopefully no tornadoes. We have places we’d like to visit (and revisit-fried pies) so we will be heading back to St. Louis. We are going to ride a steamboat on the Mississippi River. Hannibal, Missouri where Tom Sawyer takes place is not far from there. It will also give us time to start reading Tom Sawyer before our steamboat ride.

To our Magic Tree House Book Club Friends: book 23 is Twister on Tuesday (Katie and Chelsea said they’re going to reread it today)

The Great Wall of China
Birthdays in our family are usually quite the celebration. The birthday person gets to choose the activities and is in charge for the day. However, because of the impending weather, Ted was in a hurry to get going this morning. Let me just take a moment here to explain that everyone has their own jobs in the camper. This makes everything run smoothly and efficiently. Just the way I like it. In Ted’s haste to depart, he did some of my jobs. Before I do any of my departure routines, I always put Sheba in her kitty carrier first. Sheba is very smart. So when she saw Ted getting the camper ready to travel, she of course- hid. After I found her (wedged in the corner between the bed and the wall), I had to get her out. (Why doesn’t she just leave her there, you think? Well that’s another story). How hard can it be you think? Remember this is not a typical bedroom or bed. So as I was laying one leg partially wedged between the wall and my left arm contorted wedged diagonally to feel around for the cat, I remembered an episode of Horrible Histories that the kids and I had just watched. In ancient China when Emperor Chin had The Great Wall of China constructed, everyone had their own job. When the characters Mo and Stitch went back in time to learn about The Great Wall, they did someone else’s job. They were sentenced to execution. (They escaped) The kids and I were appalled, sentenced to execution for doing someone else’s job, unbelievable. As I was wedged between the bed and the wall contorted trying to use a spatula to get the cat out, I thought maybe Emperor Chin had his reasons.

Postscript >>> We ended up in Louisville Kentucky where we are spending the night (4/15).  The storm(s) forecasts changed to include most of Indiana so we went futher south to Kentucky.  Hey, that means 23 states now instead of 22!!!