Where in the World is Chefann Now?

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

When we last heard from her, she was at a rest area in Iowa that was equipped with WiFi, and (to the best of my knowledge) we haven't heard from her since.

Greetings from the Iowa welcome center! All the snow in SE WI put a crimp in our trip, but we tried again today, and have had smooth sailing.

So, Where's Chefann?

 

[dannyzmom]

Is this like Where's Waldo? or more like "Where in the world is Carmen Sandiego?"

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

Where's Waldo...if it were Cannon Sandiego, she'd have to be wearing a red hat and trenchcoat.Not to mention, I can't afford Rockapella.

 

[pamperedlinda]

I miss her.....

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

Keep practicing and your aim will get better.

 

[cmdtrgd]

I talked with her this morning on the road. She is on her way to Colorado Springs (or is already there).

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

If she's there now, the motorhome in the convoy is equipped with a jet engine.

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

Oh, Chef-aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa-yannnnnnnnnnn?We miss you.

 

[chefann]

OK- we're in Kearney (pronounced carney) Nebraska. We got to the hotel at 2 am. Yuck!! We ended up transferring the kids from the minivan to the bunks in the motor home so they could sleep a little for the last hour of the trip. (shh.... don't tell their daddy). Our stop at the welcome center was about 2 hours, so we could make lunch and the kids could burn off some steam on the playground. Then we had another big stop in Des Moines for dinner.All 7 of us are currently in the room (my mom and dad stayed in the motor home at Wal Mart), doing kids' baths and having some breakfast.

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

I spent a night in Kearney on the Cross Country tour in 2003. You are almost exactly at the halfway point of the Lincoln Highway, midway between New York and San Francisco.Smile when you see the exit for Ogallala, if for no other reason, than it's a funny name.

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

Are we there yet?Are we there yet?Are we there yet?Are we there yet?Are we there yet?Are we there yet?

 

[chefann]

Yes, we're there yet! Got here about 40 minutes ago. We got out of the hotel about 11 am local time, made another 2 hour stop for lunch and to burn off some energy. (Why my mom thinks it's necessary to make a hot lunch, when we'd all be satisfied with sandwiches and it would take half the time is beyond me.)

 

[momoftwins]

Ann - what is this trip exactly you are taking?? You probably drove pretty close past my house! Well okay drove through my city! I am in Omaha, NE.

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

Right past Kenefick Park.

 

[chefann]

Ann - what is this trip exactly you are taking?? You probably drove pretty close past my house! Well okay drove through my city! I am in Omaha, NE.

<giggle> We did go right through Omaha. I know we passed lots of Cheffers, but were trying to make good time. My nieces and nephew in the car aren't used to long car trips.

We're visiting my twin sister and her family in Colorado Springs. My parents and I left Detroit on Thursday and drove to the Milwaukee area, where my younger sister lives with her family. Left there on Friday, but had to turn back because of weather. So we actually left there on Saturday morning and drove through WI, IL, IA and NE to Kearney. Left there yesterday morning and drove through KS and CO to get to Colorado Springs. My parents like to take state roads from just west of Kearney through NW KS to get to I-70, because it cuts time and distance off the trip.

 

[lacychef]

Isn't that drive through western Ks to Denver just blah? Nothing to see! You didn't drive past my house, but you probably drove right by my grandma's. I live right off I-70, but in the middle of the state. Have a good trip! I love CO Springs~there's lots to do:thumbup:

 

[PurpleAngel]

<giggle> We did go right through Omaha. I know we passed lots of Cheffers, but were trying to make good time. My nieces and nephew in the car aren't used to long car trips.

We're visiting my twin sister and her family in Colorado Springs. My parents and I left Detroit on Thursday and drove to the Milwaukee area, where my younger sister lives with her family. Left there on Friday, but had to turn back because of weather. So we actually left there on Saturday morning and drove through WI, IL, IA and NE to Kearney. Left there yesterday morning and drove through KS and CO to get to Colorado Springs. My parents like to take state roads from just west of Kearney through NW KS to get to I-70, because it cuts time and distance off the trip.

How funny...I'm in Lincoln, NE...............you went right by mee too.............

 

[chefann]

Isn't that drive through western Ks to Denver just blah? Nothing to see! You didn't drive past my house, but you probably drove right by my grandma's. I live right off I-70, but in the middle of the state. Have a good trip! I love CO Springs~there's lots to do:thumbup:

Sure is! And being on state roads, there aren't even any billboards to read! We get off I-70 at US-24, because that goes straight into the Springs. If we had a week to spend, we could take that all the way from my house - it's a major north-south street in the Detroit area.

Funny story: we crossed the state line into CO, and announced it to the 5-year old in the back seat. She looked out her window and said, "This isn't Colorado. It looks like Kansas!"

 

[pamperedposey]

<giggle> We did go right through Omaha. I know we passed lots of Cheffers, but were trying to make good time. My nieces and nephew in the car aren't used to long car trips.

We're visiting my twin sister and her family in Colorado Springs. My parents and I left Detroit on Thursday and drove to the Milwaukee area, where my younger sister lives with her family. Left there on Friday, but had to turn back because of weather. So we actually left there on Saturday morning and drove through WI, IL, IA and NE to Kearney. Left there yesterday morning and drove through KS and CO to get to Colorado Springs. My parents like to take state roads from just west of Kearney through NW KS to get to I-70, because it cuts time and distance off the trip.

Kansas really is a Blah state to drive through. This thread is funny because before I moved to TN I lived in Pueblo, CO (just south of CO Springs) and before that I lived in Detroit (Livonia, really) so it's like your taking a journey through my past.

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

Yup - highway 24 is one of those highways, like US 66, that doesn't follow the rules. Even numbered highways go east-west while odd number roads go north-south. 24 and 66 are highways that travel north and south while also traveling east and west. It originally went from Pontiac to Kansas City. Today it travels from an intersection with I-75 near Clarkston, to I-70 near Minturn, CO.You probably wouldn't want to travel 24 from Clarkston to Minturn, though, since it goes by way of Toledo, which isn't exactly on the direct route.

 

[lacychef]

Funny story: we crossed the state line into CO, and announced it to the 5-year old in the back seat. She looked out her window and said, "This isn't Colorado. It looks like Kansas!"

That's cute! It does look the same for awhile....
Ks isn't blah all the time.....I love our fields of sunflowers & wheat--we do have some fun places around here

 

[chefann]

KS in summer would be nice, but this time of year, it's just flat and beige.

 

[lacychef]

Yeah, summer & fall's pretty here. I prefer fall, or spring, because I hate the heat in the summer:yuck:

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

Auntie Em,Hate Kansas. Hate the farm.Taking the dog - I'm leaving on the next flight out.Dorothy

 

[lacychef]

Hey now, be nice to Ks! We have more than Dorothy!

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

No, you don't have Dorothy - she blew away!

 

[lacychef]

Great smilies!

Now close your eyes, tap your ruby red slippers together, & say....there's no place like home....

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

So, it's Thursday.Cheffers, do you know where your Chefann is?

 

[lacychef]

How long was she staying at CO Springs?

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

I just wanted to bump the thread.

 

[chefann]

We're leaving this morning (Friday), and will probably use 3 days (or parts thereof) to get back to Fox Point, so the kids aren't strapped into car seats for 12 hours a day. If we do that, I'll be back home Monday evening.

 

[lacychef]

Drive safely!

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

We're leaving this morning (Friday), and will probably use 3 days (or parts thereof) to get back to Fox Point, so the kids aren't strapped into car seats for 12 hours a day. If we do that, I'll be back home Monday evening.

Hurry home - it's pretty quiet around here without you!

Drive safely!

Nah, do what I do. Drive offensively and make the other guy look out for you.

 

[Kitchen Diva]

Miss you ChefAnn!!!

 

[baychef]

Yes, Chef Ann...KG is out of control!!! Safe travels!!!

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

Like I was ever IN control. Are we there yet?Are we there yet?Are we there yet?Are we there yet?Are we there yet?Are we there yet?Are we there yet?Are we there yet?

 

[chefann]

Luckily, there wasn't any of that on the trip.I'm home now. 3 days after leaving CO. Phew!

 

[janetupnorth]

Glad you are home safe and sound!

 

[legacypc46]

Welcome Back!!!!!

 

[pjpamchef]

When I was growing up in Western Kansas I use to waitress in the summers out on I-70. People would complain about getting speeding tickets. More than one said "It's so flat out here I was sure I could see the cop before he could see me" Duh!! It's really not all that flat, other wise we wouldn't have a town called Hill City, we would have Flat City!!!
Also, I took I-70 from Pennsilvania home once and I-70 looks the same the entire way!!!

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

Glad you are home safe and sound!

Safe, maybe.

Sound? That's open to debate.

 

[lacychef]

When I was growing up in Western Kansas I use to waitress in the summers out on I-70. People would complain about getting speeding tickets. More than one said "It's so flat out here I was sure I could see the cop before he could see me" Duh!! It's really not all that flat, other wise we wouldn't have a town called Hill City, we would have Flat City!!!
Also, I took I-70 from Pennsilvania home once and I-70 looks the same the entire way!!!

Are you still in KS? I notice your location does say 'sunflower state' so I'm guessing so!

Welcome back Ann!

 

[pjpamchef]

yes, but now I live in the big city of Wichita!

 

[chefann]

What an exhausting trip!We try to do things at my sister's house that aren't the same every time, since they end up doing all the same touristy things every time someone comes to visit them. One of the day trips we did this time was to a dinosaur museum that was a total blast! They had a great interactive area for the kids, and LOTS of specimens. Even better, the center is where they prepare specimens and casts for museums around the world, and they had a window so you could watch the techs in the lab working. All the kids had a great time.The trip home was much better paced than the trip out. (Note to self: don't believe grandma and grandpa when they say that 700 miles is doable in one day with 3 kids in the car.) We also discovered that it's better to get off to an early start, with a planned breakfast stop about 2 hours into the day, than to eat breakfast THEN get on the road. The whole trip, the kids kept wanting to go to Cracker Barrel for a meal, but there wasn't one in a convenient location for the timing. We ended up at the Machine Shed on Day 2 of the drive home (in Des Moines - love that place!) for breakfast. The kiddos got to eat from the breakfast buffet and had a blast.

 

[lacychef]

Glad you had a good trip!

 

[mommyhugz1978]

Glad you had a good trip Ann!!