Romancing the Roads

by Gerry Hempel Davis

  The rooms at the Franklin were named after stars who had stayed there. I had plastic flowers in my suite, as well as a sink in the living room, leading me to surmise that these accommodations had obviously at one time been an apartment. I felt secure there, and everything was clean and comfortable. I did enjoy the real western style. The upgrades are ongoing, and a spa has gone in where the florist and barber shop used to be.

  Although the hotel dining room has closed, it claims to be the oldest dining room in South Dakota. I found everyone very friendly. Many famous people have stayed at this special hotel. Don’t hesitate to add your name to the roster.

  Midnight Star

  677 Main St.

  800-999-6482

  www.themidnightstar.com

  On historic Main Street is a building called the Midnight Star. Here you will find the award-winning Jakes (605-578-3656) restaurant, where dining is a fabulous experience. Of course, you will also find the gambling and imbibing at Diamond Lil’s (605-578-3550). All this is owned by South Dakota native Kevin Costner. The decorations and displayed memorabilia are items from his celebrated career. This is a fabulous restaurant, and reservations are a must.

  Driving Diva’s Favorite Deadwood Signs:

  No Dancing on the Table with Spurs On

  No Sniveling

  Don’t Worry, You’ll Never Get Out of This World Alive

  Driving Diva Discovery: Heading from Deadwood to Rapid City (population approximately 60,000), I discovered a Maurice’s (www.maurices.com). This savvy store has very savvy clothes for the savvy female. Sensibly priced, Maurice’s now has more than seven hundred stores in forty-four states. I so enjoy finding a Maurice’s as I travel.

  Mount Rushmore

  An hour or so outside Deadwood is Rapid City. About twenty miles farther along, you will find Mount Rushmore.

  Mount Rushmore National Memorial

  13000 Hwy. 244, Bldg. 81, Keystone

  605-574-2515

  www.mtrushmorenationalmemorial.com

  This carved-granite tribute to Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt, created by Lincoln Borglum, is definitely something to see and admire. Be sure to visit the Lincoln Borglum Museum. In the exhibition area, learn just how massive this rock carving is and how it was made without sophisticated tools. It is so huge that a man can stand inside Lincoln’s ear. Be prepared for a lot of walking that is not on flat ground.

  South Dakota may not be on the top of the commercial vacation planner’s roster, but put it on yours. I look forward to returning.

  Nebraska

  Omaha

  I-80 takes you across Nebraska, and Omaha is the first major Nebraska city heading west.

  A delightful surprise, Omaha is a pocketful of treasures. Each time I have only visited for a night or two, but I have driven around the city and found everything rather impressive. The streets are clean, the areas well marked, and the people most friendly. There is a lot to discover in Omaha. It seems that the town fathers consider carefully how to add to the city. Glitz is not obvious—thank goodness!

  Magnolia Omaha Hotel

  1615 Howard St.

  402-342-2222

  www.magnoliahotelomaha.com

  This attractive hotel in the historic downtown area is easy to find with directions. It is a place where women can feel secure and all guests can feel welcomed. The self-parking, a stone’s throw from the hotel, is convenient and safe. The property’s 146 well-designed guest rooms are a very comfortable size and have all the necessary amenities. The furnishings in the public areas, as well as in the rooms, are attractive, with emphasis on mahogany furniture, oriental rugs, and sparkling crystal chandeliers. The small, separate areas in the main areas are pleasant and inviting. The hotel is well run. Several upgrades have taken place since my visit. Everything is well placed, and the dining room is now named Hitz on Howard (402-231-6091). Remember this property if you are going to Omaha. Forbes named Omaha “The Best Bang for the Buck City.”

  The Magnolia Omaha is within walking distance of the Old Market District (www.oldmarket.com), a wonderful twelve-square-block area that I highly recommend. Cobblestone streets and nineteenth-century buildings are now filled with boutiques, bookstores, restaurants, and whatever is trendy. Allow lots of time, and be sure to enjoy one of the restaurants. Also near the hotel is the Orpheum Theater (www.omahaperformingarts.org/orpheum). Perhaps you’ll catch a Broadway show, an opera, or symphony during your visit. There is a lot going on in Omaha and near this hotel. Be sure to check for places and events.

  Interesting: There must be something in the Nebraska water or air as a lot of very well-known people are from this state: Marlon Brando, Fred Astaire, Warren Buffett, Johnny Carson, Dick Cavett, Dorothy McGuire, Darryl F. Zanuck, and the list goes on.

  Kansas

  As corny as this may sound, I confess that, as I drove along I-70 into Kansas, I started singing, “I’m as corny as Kansas in August . . .”

  There is little question that Kansas is, well, very flat, but the countryside is beautiful. I even had a Norman Rockwell moment when I came upon a robust farmer in faded denim overalls atop a rusty red tractor, an umbrella protecting his skin from the summer sun.

  Topeka is a little like the Emerald City of Oz, with its impressive skyline surrounded by huge farmed fields. When I was driving by, I did not have time to discover the downtown (although I was invited), but the fields were a brilliant green. A sign read, “One Kansas Farmer Feeds 128 People Plus You.”

  Down the road in Alma you’ll find Grandma Hoerner’s.

  Grandma Hoerner’s Shop and Factory

  31862 Thompson Rd.

  785-765-2300

  www.grandmahoerners.com

  On a country road where horses have left their calling cards, Grandma Hoerner’s is in a bright red building. As you enter, the distinctive smell of apples fills the air. Here is a repository of apple products of all varieties. When I visited, a very attractive woman with the most unbelievable flaming red hair, movie star’s torso, appropriate summer dress, and high heels appeared on the scene. (I mention the high heels because I didn’t expect to see anyone wearing such attractive shoes at a “factory.” As a shoe aficionado, I had to make note.) It turns out she was the wife of Grandma Hoerner’s grandson, Duane McCoy, who now runs the business.

  Duane’s mother, Evangeline, daughter of Grandma Mable Hoerner, gave her mother’s recipe to her son Duane. It was general knowledge that everyone liked Grandma’s applesauce, made with the firmest apples and natural fresh seasonings cooked slowly in spring water. Duane remembered the delicious applesauce, and when his mother gave him the recipe, he checked to see if there was anything on the market similar to his grandmother’s chunky concoction. He found nothing comparable, and so, the production of Grandma Hoerner’s old-fashioned applesauce began in 1987 and led to the development of all sorts of high-quality organic sauces, jams, toppings, dry mixes, and condiments. Obviously a thriving business in the middle of what many would call nowhere, Grandma Hoerner’s products are available online if “nowhere” isn’t on your travel itinerary.

  Lawrence (Population Approximately 65,000)

  At first this seemed like a relatively small city until I started to drive around and learned how much is actually in Lawrence, home to the University of Kansas. One of the main thoroughfares is Massachusetts Avenue, where I came upon several interesting shops.

  Saffees Gallery of Fashions

  911 Massachusetts Ave.

  785-843-6375

  What a delightful shop, with attractive apparel and very friendly people. I learned that Saffees is a family-owned business, and there are four Saffees in Missouri, the “mother store” (as they call it) being in Jefferson City. Although I didn’t buy anything, they s
eemed happy that I stopped by.

  At Saffees I was told about another shop, which turned out to be another great discovery:

  Lasting Impressions Consignment Store

  711 W. Twenty-third St.

  785-749-5122

  This shop has lots of well-displayed and -priced merchandize.

  Back on I-70—the temperature was 97 degrees with strong winds—I came across a bad accident in which a large tractor trailer had flipped. Its back was off in a field, and the red cab was turned over. You can’t help but wonder how, on such a big, wide-open road, this could have happened. Perhaps the driver fell asleep, or maybe it was the wind. Not a pleasant sight!

  Salina

  This is a small, “real” American city, with clean streets and large houses, “considered the crossroads of America” since it’s where I-35 and I-70 meet. One of my competitors has stated that “there is nothing there” in Salina. Hogwash!

  Endiron Estate B&B

  100 S. College Ave.

  785-452-9300

  www.endiron.com

  The creative name derives from the fact that this big, wonderful house is at the end of Iron Street. I was delighted to see the setting sun give the big, neocolonial-style structure with its quarry-face limestone (native to Kansas) a glow—a limestone glow. I would spend the night here, and I was more than curious. I was greeted by a young, petite woman, Debra Redman, who was obviously no stranger to exercise. We began chatting as if we had known each other for more than just a few minutes. She then showed me around her B&B, with the admonition “I still have a lot to do” on the place. What I saw, however, was fantastic: inlaid floors, including a center hall with a large, inlaid starburst design in the center; leaded windows; oak moldings; and Prairie Movement designs throughout the big old house, actually a former bible college. As I checked for updates, I discovered that Debra Redman has done a lot because the city of Salina and the Heritage Commission presented her with an award in recognition of her preservation and work on the Endiron Estate. I look forward to congratulating her in person and seeing all that she has done to Salina’s only B&B.

  Debra’s neighbor, David Petty, owned the store in town.

  Martha and David

  108 S. Santa Fe Ave.

  785-827-9990

  Debra insisted on calling David to have him reopen the store just for little old me (it was after hours). He happily obliged. I felt like a rock star, having such attention. His fantastic establishment is actually several stores in one, with fashions on one side and gourmet items on the other. I enjoyed purchasing several items. This savvy, creative businessman expanded the store, but I now learn that he recently retired. The new owners have changed and renamed the store.

  Across the street is an old-fashioned toy store.

  Toy Parade

  119 S. Santa Fe Ave.

  785-823-2231

  www.thetoyparade.net

  I just learned about a “must-do” in Salina and here it is. Note that I have yet to visit.

  The Cozy Inn

  108 N. Seventh St.

  785-825-2699

  www.cozyburger.com

  In eighty-eight years, neither the product (hamburgers) nor the grill they are cooked on has changed. This tiny “inn” has six seats along an old counter that is covered with Cozy Inn articles. The inside smells of cooking hamburger, and if this is not what you want, then, as they say, use the walk-up window. The hamburgers are served one way only: with onions. They cost less than $1, and you can buy them “by the sack.” The only other items sold are potato chips, soda, coffee, hot chocolate, and Cozy Inn souvenirs.

  Confession: I am craving a sack of Cozy Inn hamburgers now!

  Driving Diva Factoid: In March 2005, Salina made history when Steve Fossett set out to become the first person to fly solo around the world without stopping to refuel. After sixty-seven hours, he landed back in Salina on March 3, setting the world record. There to greet him with a champagne shower was Virgin Airline’s Sir Richard Branson. Sadly, Fossett disappeared while on a recreational flight over the Nevada desert in September 2007. No trace of the plane has ever been found.

  What was that comment about Salina? There is a lot in this town!

  Hays (Population 200)

  The drive along the interstate in Kansas is functional, and I enjoyed it. When I arrived in Hays, I thought, Hampton Inn, where are you? I have a reservation, so you must exist. Eventually I found it, no thanks to the poor signage.

  Hampton Inn

  4002 General Hays Rd.

  785-621-4444

  www.hamptoninn.com

  Hays is home to Fort Hays State University. The median household income is about $25,000 a year, and median rent is $175.

  Driving Diva Alert: When I checked in to the Hampton Inn the temperature was 97 degrees. The next morning it was 61 degrees! Be wary of sudden temperature changes on our Great Plains.

  Driving Diva Anecdote: I was approached by a friendly and gregarious young boy of about twelve as I got out of the car at the Hampton Inn. He was traveling with his family to a church conference. As he followed his father toward their room he said, “Call me if you need anything.” When he saw me at breakfast the following morning, he asked if he could sit with me. This provided wonderful entertainment for the whole dining area as he proceeded to tell me a joke. How about that? It’s not often you get a breakfast date at the Hampton Inn. Fun!

  Back on I-70, all still looked like a Grandma Moses picture—flat, bucolic farmed fields.

  Goodland (Population Approximately 8,000)

  Sitting in the northwest corner of Kansas at the Colorado state line, Goodland is known as the Pheasant Capital of the World. It is also popular for hunting prairie dogs, coyote, wild turkey, antelope, and deer.

  The side of a big grain bin reads, “Happiness Is a Crock of Beans.”

  Enjoy Kansas.

  Oklahoma

  Before my first trip to Oklahoma, I pictured its horizons as peppered with oil rigs and lots of cowboys all around—a “vision” augmented by an Oklahoman college classmate. She and her mother’s Manhattan shopping sprees attired each in ultra designers’ garb. I pictured a lot of Oklahoma women (particularly wives and daughters of the big ranchers and oil barons) of the same milieu. This assumption was definitely wrong. I knew where the state is located and the words to the songs Oscar Hammerstein and Richard Rodgers wrote about the state. How wonderful it was to discover the real Oklahoma,

  Oklahoma City (Population Approximately 3 Million)

  Oklahoma City was my first introduction to the state. On that visit, I was an absolute novice at this travel-writing procedure. The chamber of commerce proved a tremendous help in ensuring that I saw a lot of the city in the short time I had scheduled to “discover.” I was escorted around the city, which was unpretentious but with definite upscale aspects. It was clean and seemed rather laid-back, though by no means lazy. Definitely impressed, I was totally enjoying my tour when we turned a corner, pulled up to the curb, and parked. We were at the once-innocent spot that became suddenly infamous on April 19, 1995. I faced a chain-link fence covered with notes, tiny stuffed animals, pictures, flowers, and many other items. I quietly lost it. I broke down. Deep breaths didn’t help. This was the spot where the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building once stood. I felt the tragedy and heartache undeniably as the faces, eyes, and expressions looked back at me from the photos. I will never forget that provincial yet impressive, impromptu memorial. Vivid and heart wrenching are my vivid mental images of the bombing disaster and the absolute class and style of the governor, firemen, policemen, and all who lost loved ones. It was impressive and exemplary. Visiting the state, I was to learn how much more there is to O-K-L-A-H-O-M-A.

  Now a new park, with its signature memorial chairs, is on the site, and a
museum has been built.

  Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum

  620 N. Harvey Ave.

  405-235-3313

  www.oklahomacitynationalmemorial.org

  From what I have read about the museum, the storyline is in ten parts from “chaos” to “hope.” I feel this must be indicative of the people of Oklahoma. I urge all to visit the site. While heart wrenching, the site and story will help all to put life into perspective. We must never forget this tragic event, but we must also realize that today, tomorrow, or sometime is unknown.

  We come here to remember

  Those who were killed, Those who survived and Those changed Forever.

  May all who leave here know the impact of violence

  May this memorial offer comfort, strength, peace, hope and serenity.

  –––––

  Oklahoma means “land of the red people” in the Choctaw language. Bordered by six states—Texas, Kansas, New Mexico, Colorado, Missouri, and Arkansas—it is equidistant from Los Angeles and New York. When studying the map and planning my route, I discovered that I-40, I-35, and I-44 all take you to Oklahoma City.

  National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum

  1700 NE Sixty-third St.

  405-478-2250

  www.nationalcowboymuseum.org

  This museum is most impressive. Plan on a long visit as its two hundred thousand square feet are inspiring. The museum, located on Persimmon Hill, opened in 1965. The galleries are fantastic. The fourteen-thousand-square-foot replica of Prosperity Junction, a 1900s western cattle town, is exact, and it shows both how far we have come and how spoiled we are in the 2000s.

  Oklahoma City Museum of Art

  415 Couch Dr.

  405-236-3100

  www.okcmoa.com

  I recently discovered that the largest permanent collection of Dale Chihuly glass art is here.

  In 2003, by absolute chance, I found myself spending the night in Oklahoma City, but not exactly downtown. How I ended up at the Oklahoma City Biltmore is an interesting sidebar that illustrates the admonition “Be prepared!”