Travel around the Great Plains
Replies: 33 - Last Post: Oct 5, 2012 8:28 AM Last Post By: Untracked
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but have to say am completely gobsmacked by the snarky replies to his thread though. "remember we don't know you.."
Do you know them? If you do, why aren't they asking you for help? If not, then maybe you could put your mid-reading capabilities to good use.(Btw, that was snark. My previous post wasn't.)
So much negativity, smugness and condescension.
Which your post provides in spades, rather than providing any hint at a desire to actually help the OP.OP, if you answer my questions above in #4, it would help us determine why you're taking the route you are, and what you'd likely enjoy along it. Until then, anything we say is random guessing.
Again, we don't know you, or your motivations. You may have an important meeting along the route, or family, or you could be a naive traveler who doesn't understand geography. You could enjoy history, or long hikes, or the regional cuisine, or you may hate them. We simply don't know unless you tell us.
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Thanks for the tips, I wasn't proposing to only visit the cities, in fact I did ask if there were small towns/alternatives! From the UK its hard to gauge what is worth seeing as its not an area particularly well served by guide books etc.Thanks for the OKC/Kansas tips VinnyD, very helpful.
SoloHobo - thanks but that cuts out Texas which is another non-negotiable. The cost of a one-way rental isn't significant.
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bzookaj - I did answer all of those questions in a previous post. I'm not really looking for what you think I'd like, I can't expect you to know anything about what I'd like to see, I'm looking for what you think is interesting and then I can go look for myself to see if I think it'd be fun. Like I said, its not an area served very well by books (save for those recommended), so just some tips about what might be interesting to see, if you don't want to provide that, fair enough.18
You might consider some of the state universities for a saturday football game, in Sept. Kansas/Nebraska are huge campuses and football programs. Boise as well. These games are the big weekend happening in fall.Here is some interesting links to the Lewis & Clark trail, these explores were commissioned by the president to map & explore the new lands from Missouri territory in St Louis to the west coast with the new Louisiana territory expansion, mainly thru native indian lands along the Missouri River. This would be the earliest US History of the region.
http://www.lewisandclarktrail.com/section1/omahasiouxcity.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewis_and_Clark_Expedition
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Thanks SoloHobo - I was indeed intending to catch a college football game, ideally in Austin but it will depend largely on the schedule and when exactly I am able to travel in September, so its helpful to know other good options to see a good game!22
joshuagreen, take a look here to plan your route. I few suggestions I'll throw out heading north from Texas. In Oklahoma, the Wichita Mountains Preserve, which is north of Wichita Falls, TX near Lawton, OK. Then make you way north and check out the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve near Bartlesville, OK. The Woolaroc Preserve near there is also worth a visit. From there, north to El Dorado, KS and take the Flint HIlls Byway to Manhattan, KS. That's a college town, Kansas State U, so might be a good stop for the night. Then on to the Sandhills Byway in Nebraska up to Chadron, NE in the NW corner. Stay at the old historic western hotel and saloon in town. Then up to Black Hills region. A good road atlas of the US would serve you better than just relying on GPS/SatNav. Scenic routes are marked with small dots next to them, plus they will have other points of interest marked. Try to follow them, and stay off the interstates.Edited by: tomjinva
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Joshuagreen1984, don't tell any Texans that you are going to Kansas City or anywhere outside of Texas for their barbecue. Any self-respecting Texan will take that as an insult to The Great State of Texas. Texas barbecue is very good as well.24
Don't worry, I intend to eat a lot of BBQ in Texas as well, but I'll make sure to keep my mouth shut when I'm talking to Texans about where else I'm going!Thanks tomjinva - those are some great tips, I'll definitely look into those places!
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Here are some recommendations for natural areas since you mentioned nature as an interest on this trip:Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge (near Fort Sill, Oklahoma) - A nice reserve with lots of wildlife (bison, elk, free-roaming longhorn cattle, prairie dogs) and interesting topography. There is great hiking in this area as well as some historical sites. Well worth the visit.
Tallgrass Prairie Preserve (Pawhuska Oklahoma) - This place will give you a sense of what the area looked like before European settlement. The tallgrass prairie stretches out as far as the eye can see. I find it beautiful. There is also a very large bison herd on this reserve.
National Wildlife Refuge System - There are many national wildlife refuges on your route. Most are ignored by the general travelers (except birders). The flocks of waterfowl and other migrating birds can be incredible, some of the largest bird flocks on earth. You are a little early, but you should still see some great birds. There are many along the route, but one place I know is great is Quivira National Wildlife Refuge in Kansas, and the nearby state refuge called Cheyenne Bottoms.
In western South Dakota, there are several great state and national parks: Badlands National Park, Wind Cave National Park and Custer State Park. All have good wildlife and hiking opportunities. Have fun.
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I'm not really looking for what you think I'd like, I can't expect you to know anything about what I'd like to see, I'm looking for what you think is interesting and then I can go look for myself to see if I think it'd be fun.
I see no point in telling you the historical site to visit only to find out you'd rather be drinking, or the best overnight hike to find out you hate camping. It's a waste of time (more so than this exercise, in my experience).I did answer all of those questions in a previous post.
I admit I often do not look at who posts to correlate them with others. It helps to link to or resupply the info to avoid situations like this.Having found one, it says you are on your honeymoon and like Steampunk, dance, and scenic places to photograph.
I know next to nothing for the former two, but for additional suggestions for the latter (to various degrees of detour):
Ozarks
Platte River
Custer State Park.
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bzookaj - I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about, what on earth is steampunk? I think you've confused me with someone else, I've already had my honeymoon. I answered those questions in a response on this thread, as you will be able to see if you look through the responses.I don't really understand your point, I was just looking for people's tips, where they found interesting in a region I know nothing about. I'd rather be told more than less, if you tell me something I'm not interested in I'll ignore it, if you're so pushed for time it begs the question why you've posted 13,500 times....there's no need to be so snippy.
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If ya go through KC, see the Riverboat "Arabia" Mueum, downtown. She sank in 1861 with full cargo. She was dry goods and farm equipment store on the Ohio? River. They cleaned and preserved the cargo. Well presented.Eat more bbq!
A time warp.
