Riding the Polar Votex

So Mother Nature continues to be the fem fatale of the first act of the Amazing Retirement Adventure.  Meteorologists have named this crazy cold weather as a “polar vortex”.  Whatever the name, it is causing snow is Alabama and very cold weather all the way to the Gulf of Mexico.   The weather has caused the schools in New Orleans to close.  So crazy.  We have decided to embrace amazing event and take a free ride on the Polar Vortex.

Kum & Go

Getting to Iowa was a great relief.   Just north of the boarder the highway was littered with abandoned cars and tractor trailers.  I am very glad we brought cold weather gear and our survival kit- and that I have the best driver on the planet at the wheel.   After a very tense pre-dawn start, the sight of the first Kum & Go station made me chuckle.

I love Iowa.  Beautiful farms as far as you can see.  Some very simple and some very elaborate.  And, my dad was born in Le Mars, Iowa.  Le Mars is the ice cream capital of the world.  Did you know that more ice cream is produced in Le Mars, IA than in any other city in the whole world?  He just loved Ice Cream, me too!

Oklahoma Joe's

Cold or no cold, Kansas City is home of BBQ and no one does it better than Oklahoma Joe's.   We arrived in Kansas City early enough to head over to the gas station where it all started.  Very cute place and it really is in a gas station, even today.  In spite of the casual order it up line, the BBQ is SOOOOOO good.  We ordered one Smokie Joe, one Carolina Pork, french fries and gumbo.  The gumbo, OMG, so good. Sandwiches, amazing.   Worth every penny of the $100 in gas it cost to get here.