We like to frequent museums with airplanes (Go Air Force!), esp ones having to do with the world wars. Topeka boasts the
Combat Air Museum, which, though not as extensive or as large as some of the others, was just as cool for the fact that we had the place practically to ourselves. I don't often get a chance to stop and read, or appreciate the history, and this was not an exception, but Drew tells me he was mightily impressed with the model airplanes (e.g.
here and
here) in some of the exhibits.
The girls liked being inside the planes: the
Sikorsky Sea Stallion...
and playing on the little planes.
Who can't but love all those buttons and switches?
And the treacherous spiral stairs?
This is the
Super Constellation (check out the second bullet under
Survivors), which has a radar thing in the belly, and is available for inside touring.
A Polish-built
MiG-17.
Afterward we drove over to Lake Perry to pick out our camping spot. Unbeknownst to me, Lake Perry isn't just a state park – the Army Corp of Engineers operates camping sites for nearly half the perimeter of the lake, including one within view of a dam (never saw it). On the recommendation of the state park ranger, we went no farther than Rock Creek Park, which is adjacent to the state park.
We set up tent just a few feet from the water's edge in a little cove, and had our cold cheese sandwiches (as opposed to grilled because we didn't have firewood) for dinner. It is at this time that we discovered that Z likes to sneak other people's food. Sitting up on the table like she was, with everyone's plates before her, she would pick and choose what she wanted, much to the displeasure of at least BB.
Rocks for stemming erosion – and for throwing.
Our campsite as viewed from the other side of the cove. Isn't it idyllic? And as it would turn out, we had the entirety of the cove to ourselves all night, except for some passing boats (with their stereo turned up to the loudest).
We like to frequent museums with airplanes (Go Air Force!), esp ones having to do with the world wars. Topeka boasts the Combat Air Museum, which, though not as extensive or as large as some of the others, was just as cool for the fact that we had the place practically to ourselves. I don't often get a chance to stop and read, or appreciate the history, and this was not an exception, but Drew tells me he was mightily impressed with the model airplanes (e.g. here and here) in some of the exhibits.
The girls liked being inside the planes: the Sikorsky Sea Stallion...
and playing on the little planes.
Who can't but love all those buttons and switches?
And the treacherous spiral stairs?
This is the Super Constellation (check out the second bullet under Survivors), which has a radar thing in the belly, and is available for inside touring.
A Polish-built MiG-17.
Afterward we drove over to Lake Perry to pick out our camping spot. Unbeknownst to me, Lake Perry isn't just a state park – the Army Corp of Engineers operates camping sites for nearly half the perimeter of the lake, including one within view of a dam (never saw it). On the recommendation of the state park ranger, we went no farther than Rock Creek Park, which is adjacent to the state park.
We set up tent just a few feet from the water's edge in a little cove, and had our cold cheese sandwiches (as opposed to grilled because we didn't have firewood) for dinner. It is at this time that we discovered that Z likes to sneak other people's food. Sitting up on the table like she was, with everyone's plates before her, she would pick and choose what she wanted, much to the displeasure of at least BB.
Rocks for stemming erosion – and for throwing.
Our campsite as viewed from the other side of the cove. Isn't it idyllic? And as it would turn out, we had the entirety of the cove to ourselves all night, except for some passing boats (with their stereo turned up to the loudest).
