The Oregon Trail Journal

June 12 – I could not take a shower as there was no hot water in my hotel wing. I received a complimentary buffet breakfast in compensation. When the repairman was replacing the circulation pump to the hot water he blew the breaker and they did not know where the breaker was located. The elevator did not work so I walked down seven flights of stairs.

At 9:30 I rode the shuttle/buses to downtown K.C. I visited the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art. I photographed the “Crying Giant” by Tom Otterness (2002). I saw the special exhibits “Phantasmania” which featured works by 17 young, emerging artists, and “Picturing Artists: Photographs by Dan Budnik” plus the regular collection.

I walked a couple blocks to the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. I photographed Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen’s “Shuttlecock”. I wandered through several galleries. I do not like the new, contemporary Block Building Addition--not in keeping with the older building and not very functional (a lot of wasted space). I ate dinner at Tanners Bar & Grill.

Tonight I saw the revolving airport beacon (Benchmark: KE1428) from my room window. I did not take a photograph as it just would have been a white light in the distance.

The Oregon Trail Journal

June 11 -- I traveled First Class using my frequent flyer miles from Portland, OR to Phoenix, AZ and on to Kansas City, MO via U.S. Airways. The flight was delayed in Portland for a half hour due to mechanical problems. I was able to find a motorized cart to take me quickly to my connecting flight in the Phoenix airport. No food on either flight – just snacks and drinks.

I took a photograph of the Red & White oval shaped tank (Benchmark: KE1427) at the Kansas City International Airport. It looked quite small. I was really surprised when it was just across the freeway from my hotel room on the 7th floor at the Radisson Hotel Kansas City Airport. I saw the red obstruction light atop the tank tonight.

The chain on my favorite sand dollar necklace broke at the end when I boarded the hotel shuttle. I was able to put it back together by latching the last chain into the hook but it should have been a sign of events to come.

I had a BBQ Beef Sandwich with Cole Slaw for an early dinner at Tanners Bar & Grill at Four Points by Sheraton next door. I was exhausted. It had been a long day beginning at 2:30 am (PDT). The weather was muggy and stormy.

The Oregon Trail Journey

I headed west from Independence, Missouri on Thursday, June 14, 2007 with an Elderhostel group because I wanted to "see the elephant" - to see something new and exciting. In the days to come, I will write about my 2,000 mile journey to Oregon City and then home to Vancouver, Washington. I definitely "saw the elephant".