LONG BEACH TO ANNAPOLIS AND BACK! Day 4 - 311 miles, 5 hrs

For the last three days we've been rocketing across the country, stopping briefly for photo opportunities and meals. Pretty much the sole exception to this was our hourlong (and very expensive) stop in Vail, Colorado.

Yesterday we decided to slow it down a bit. We were more than 1500 miles to our goal, and are ahead of schedule, so the next few days will be less intense and time-consuming.

Starting our morning in Topeka, Kansas - a charming little city which is the capital of Kansas - we

ate a pleasant breakfast featuring a waiter who needs to call Central Casting immediately. The man is perfect as the town sheriff, and likely descended from one (though we didn't ask). Lanky of build, a strong energy, and slight western drawl. Pleasant as all get out, but there was an aspect to the man that suggested he was in charge. A genuine and really good person to have met. (The hotel, a Ramada, was quite nice, but the highlight was the Sheriff. He made our morning.)

We took off, stopping for gasoline and a short side-trip to the nearby Walgreen's, we hit I-70 headed east toward St Louis.

The countryside was much greener than the previous landscapes, due partially to the intense storms which had blown through. Fortunately the weather seemed to have gone on ahead without us, and I was thankful to be driving in bright sunshine.

Before too long the skyline of Kansas City emerged fom the hilltops, and as we approached the downtown the traffic got a little more jammed. Rush hour, though - as an Angeleno - it wasn't much of a problem. The downtown slot was a bit confusing, but we managed. I am surprised at the size of the downtown district. I've been through KC before, but never to the downtown area. Much larger and dramatic than expected.

Directly east of downtown we crossed into Missouri. Not much changed in the landscaping, and the
effect was pretty much the reverse of our approach to KC. Gradually the surroundings became rural again, and green.

The drive was ineventful from that point, but the shortness of the day allowed us a wonderful little side-trip to one of the regional wineries, Le Bourgeois. What initially attracted our attention was the bistro, for lunch. Upon entering the tasting room, however, we were informed the bistro was closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, but something called the "A-Frame" was open for sandwiches. And, more importantly, it sported a serene view of the Missouri River. So we trundled up a mile or so to the vineyards, turned left and followed a steep road into the woods to find the "A-Frame".

It is, to be short, beautiful. The A-frame structure at the bottom of the road is itself the highest point for a series of wooden decks overlooking the forest and the Missouri River. Far off in the distance is the highway, but the sound of it is mild compared to the sounds of the forest. When we arrived we were among maybe six visitors, each having essentially their own deck for solitude. (Later arrivals swelled this considerably, and we eventually left when a group of six arrived on our deck and kept their conversation going...)

Reluctantly we returned to the road, but not without stopping briefly in the tasting room for some samples. No insult intended, but the wines produced are reasonable table wines and a little overpriced for their quality - but I'm delighted to see a vibrant member of the wine industry plying their trade in Missouri.

Given my tasting, my wife took over driving duties and saw us safely into St Louis. The drive in was much more heavily trafficked than any city since Las Vegas (despite Denver's best efforts), but we arrived safely at the hotel, a comparatively luxurious Hyatt directly adjacent the famous Gateway Arch and Mississippi River.

Following a short rest in the hotel we traipsed across -- having to divert around a major construction project -- to ride up into the Arch for a brief stay, followed by the park store and a decent movie about the construction. Warning: the movie is best viewed after visiting the top. Some of the dizzying views of the construction will make even the most solid height-tolerant person an aspiring acrophobe.

Today we head out on our first major diversion from the intended path. Tonight's original target was Lexington, Kentucky, but we're diverting up to Cincinnati instead. We'll still cross into Kentucky via Louisville and stop for lunch and maybe something interesting...but after tonight's restful night the bigger city beckons.

Watch the Twitter and Instagram feeds for multiple updates during the day.

LONG BEACH TO ANNAPOLIS AND BACK! Day 3: 540 miles, 9 hrs

Denver to Topeka.

Monday morning we awoke...well, that's not quite right. We'd been up practically all night as a result of facing a commuter rail line that apparently runs overnight. Every half hour or so our sleep was disturbed by the passing of the one the trains, which, as a result of it crossing a major intersection, blew its horn repeatedly.

Exhausted, we packed our gear and headed down to the lobby with the expectation of hitting the road and getting some breakfast once we were out of town. The desk agent at the Doubletree was upset to hear of our night, explaining that the hotel had repeatedly complained to the transit agency, but apparently to no avail.

She offered extra Hilton points and a free breakfast at the restaurant as a gesture of concern. Not being completely asleep we gratefully accepted both. It doesn't make up for the lost sleep, but Hilton responsiveness once again proved why they're one of my favorite chains.

We hit the road around 8:30 - later than planned, but without the need for a stop to eat - and immediately encountered Denver Monday morning traffic. Our hope had been to be far enough east of the city proper to escape it, but best laid plans and all that...

Within  a few miles the traffic thinned and we were off across a soggy and flat landscape. Nothing ahead of us but miles as they say. Eastern Colorado and western Kansas are, indeed, as flat as their reputations suggest. And, unlike Utah, which still gets extra brownie points from me for having an 80 mile per hour speed limit - you're restricted to 75 mph. Cheating you can get that up to 79 or so without getting the attention of the local highway patrol.

The miles rolled by and other than a handful of stops at various rest areas not a lot happened. The rain became intense for ten minutes or so, recalling a few other drives through Tornado Alley. I kept my eyes on the road AND the horizon, figuring the other drivers would probably alert me to any problems through their own actions. (Having California plates on our car I figured NOBODY would look to me for help spotting a tornado...)

The miles curled by and gradually the rain lessened until stopping altogether. Passing into Kansas

was uneventful. The road meandered over the landscape slightly, though the majority of the time it was straight. We attracted the attention of a highway patrolman who - likely seeing the Cal plates - paced us for a mile or so in my blind spot. Apparently unhappy we were obeying the laws he gunned his engine and roared ahead to ostensibly handle something down the road. Sorry to have disappointed you, officer.

(As much as I hate to say it, in certain states having California plates is a liability. They can get you unwanted attention if you do something to bring attention to yourself. I have stories but will save those for another time.)

We stopped in Hayes, Kansas for lunch at a terrific place called Thirsty's Brew Pub and Grill. It's massive inside, divided up into a variety of areas - sports bar, restaurant, exhibition room, event rooms and main stage. Despite its size, it being Monday we at one point were the sole customers in the place. Disconcerting but the very, very nice waitress (Mackenzie) told us the evenings and weekends it was wall-to-wall bodies. We were attracted to the formal stage in the middle room - yes, there were several large rooms in this place - with a piano and sign that read "The Jazz Cafe". But overall we were truly enjoying the ambience, Mackenzie's friendliness, and the food.

She filled us in on the history of the place and some of the new owner's plans for the future. It's a very cool spot and great for live music. Plus, our sandwiches were good enough we both decided they were the best meal of the trip so far.

Leaving Hayes we poured it on. The lunch was a late one, and we still had some three hours to get to Topeka for the evening. In Salina we switched driving, with my wife taking the wheel. This enabled me to rest, and make a series of posts to Instagram and Facebook. The countryside became less flat and more lightly rolling hills, getting greener and more forested along the way.

Topeka eventually arrived, and we piled out of the car, exhausted. The hotel, a Ramada, is quite nice and the staff quite friendly. The room is comfortable, but we both noticed the sound of a train horn...this...may be a problem...

(More tomorrow.)