Saturday, July 10, 2010

I, I, I! Summer Fun on the I-35 Corridor!

Life it seems, is about chapters.  Some chapters, such as our high school days, are easily defined.  Others can be a bit more ambiguous.  While most of us share a common interest in Walt Disney World, and no doubt dream frequently of vacationing there, often times the stories of our lives take us in different directions.  Whether due to work schedules, family emergencies, financial constraints or obstinate spouses, knowing that there is not a Disney trip in your immediate future can be downright depressing.  If one spends a considerable quantity of time reading trip reports, as I am prone to do, those feelings can be multiplied.  While we are stuck in a world of traffic jams and the daily grind, the trip report boards are filled with scores of folks who are all heading to Disney.  Before long, one tends to wind up with a bit of Disney tunnel vision.


When Zzub first raised the idea of a non-Disney TR, I was intrigued, but wondered how in the world to pull such a thing off.  What would be the common thread?  The tie that binds if you will?  It’s easy to ramble on and on about arriving at MCO and taking the ME to the POR and hopping the bus to the MK to take the resort monorail the CR for an ADR at CM’s.  We’re all Disney nerds in one sense or another and I’m guessing virtually everyone on this Blog knows exactly what I just said.  But what about life outside of The World? It then occurred to me that even those who do an annual trip to see Mickey and friends still live the bulk of their lives in other places.


The initial concept for this segment of the blog was to remind folks that there is still fun to be had and life to be lived outside of Disney.   It was to serve as an encouragement to not become so focused on getting to Walt Disney World, that it becomes impossible to enjoy a trip to any other place.   To stop, look around and cherish the moments with friends and family and to realize that memories and magic are not exclusive to a Disney vacation.  Seeing all my fellow posters regale their trips to Disney, perhaps this series, more than
anything is being authored to remind myself of these things.



I am venturing into uncharted territory and am not really sure where this road will lead.   After all, as I sit and write this first installment in Mother In Law’s basement, our journey is still ongoing.  One thing this summer has already shown me is that no matter how we plan and organize for things, we can never fully predict how life is going to fill in the details.


Speaking of details, perhaps it would behoove me to provide a few.  Rather than one big trip to Disney this year, we are actually taking three trips and as the title implies, each destination is along I-35.  My family moved from Alabama to Texas when I was in the third grade. Over the years, we have driven I-35 countless times.  Heck, I take the thing to work every single day.  All told, I have managed to travel from one end of I-35 in Laredo, Texas to within a hundred miles of the other end in Duluth, Minnesota. During our college and early ministry years, my wife and I lived in four of the six states that I-35 intersects. And since we’ve had friends and relatives in the other two, we have spent vacation and holidays in the them as well. It’s a great road to travel and there are a ton of things to do along the way.   Each stop brings with it a mixture of tradition and new experiences.   Two of our destinations are to places that my wife and I each lived as children, while a third recreates some childhood activities.


Our travels this summer begin in San Antonio, continue in Minneapolis, and conclude in Dallas.  There will be good times, strange times, good meals, strange meals and a rather large cast of characters.  There will also be stories of penguin poo, Scooby Doo, flying laptops, family mayhem and thunderous flatulence.   In other words, it’s been a normal summer in the Biscuit household.  Since we are on the subject, let me introduce the clan.


I am Biscuit.


Hear me roar.



(I'm the one on the right BTW)
I’m a tech support guy for a telecom company and an associate pastor at our church.    I’ve had eight trips to Disney over my thirty six year lifetime, but last summer’s was my first time back in twelve years.  Our next trip to the House of Mouse is tentatively planned for 2012.  I love football, BBQ, fishing and flash drives.  But most of all, I love the Lord and spending time with my wife and two daughters.   First Lady Biscuit is a school teacher, my oldest whom I call “Princess” is going into the third grade, and my youngest who goes by “Bug” is going into first grade.   If you read my TR from last summer, you no doubt remember Nana and Papa Biscuit.   They will be along in this tale fairly soon, as well as host of other family members. 



And so it begins.  I hope you will come along on this ride as we seek to explore some of the other places in this Big Blue World.  (NoZzub’sFavoriteShow.)

20 comments:

  1. Hope you waved as you passed Wichita!

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  2. My question is, are you traveling I-35 E or W?

    Yes, I did some time in the Metroplex.

    You had me at, "thunderous flatulence."

    FYI: were you 16 when you went to Sea World or are you one of those annoying people who doesn't seem to age?

    Z

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  3. GB! I am IN!!! You are so right. We may spend the majority of our time WISHING we were in Disney, but wishin' don't make it so.

    For example, today as I sat in the noonday sun and watched my son's baseball team play back to back games in a tournament (in case you chose not to do the math, back to back games starting at noon means sitting on a hot bleacher with no shade for almost three hours - brutal); and sweat poured out of every single pore in my body; and my Frogg Togg and ice cold water provided no relief from the hot Georgia sun; I thought about where I was this time LAST week. And how even though it was hot there, it for some reason didn't feel nearly as hot as the baseball field did today.

    I reasoned it was because there was no Space Mountain for me to cool off in today. Or no Pirates of the Caribbean blowing the coldest freakin' air you've ever felt.

    But here's the deal: as much as I LOVE LOVE LOVE my Disney World, the majority of the summer days that I spend outside sweating bullets are not there in WDW walking from ride to ride. They are spent watching a little 8 year old baseball player who, because he loves the sport, seems completely oblivious to the blazing sun and high temps. When he's on the ballfield, there's nowhere he'd rather be. Including Disney World.

    Which is kinda how we Disney nerds need to program our minds, right? When I'm not at Disney, I oughta be fully engaged and enjoying the place I am. Not wishing away my time wanting to be somewhere else.

    GB, that was a great first installment. And a good reminder to us all that Disney is awesome, but our real lives are even better.

    Bring it. I'm looking forward to reading every word.

    NM

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  4. Hey Steph! If forgot to mention that part of our journey was by air. (I.E. the Minnesota portion.) I did shoot some cloud photos which may or may not have been in the Wichita area. I did drive through there many times when I was going to school in Kansas.

    Zzub, as to which version of 35 we have partaken of, I have actually been on both this trip. Multiple times in fact. Yesterday, we rode the entire metro loop in our quest for entertainment destinations. I also knew the flatulence line would reel you in. As to the pic, it’s from our tenth anniversary so I was 33.

    Hey NM! Wishing definitely don’t make it so! I hear you on the thermal comparison. There is something about that place that seems to boost one’s heat tolerance. And there is something about watching your kids do something they love that makes any misery worth bearing.

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  5. Great post, and thanks for the reminder. I've been in a bit of a Disney funk lately, 'cause it's looking like I won't be back until 2012 either. I'm looking forward to hearing all about your trips!

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  6. Hi GB! I don't think we've officially met! I've seen you over at the Dis and love your biscuit avatar. Nice one! I really can do math, so don't listen to the landlord. I love Disney and I have gone since I was a little girl. My husband doesn't really love Disney, so I'm always in awe of you menfolk who 'get it' like I do.

    I can't wait to hear about your trip! We live in Georgia, so the places you mentioned are unfamiliar territory to the Frick family, so I am excited to read about your adventure!

    I'm with Z...you do look super young. Is it because you eat a lot of biscuits? If so, I'm off to the store to get some Crisco.

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  7. Frick wrote, "I'm with Z...you do look super young. Is it because you eat a lot of biscuits? If so, I'm off to the store to get some Crisco."

    DED!

    But pick me 2 tubs just in case.

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  8. Well, that was weird. Typed a bunch of stuff, looked away and poof!

    Tied in to a line in a fav song:

    "Well, Billy Joe never had a lick of sense, pass the biscuits, please"

    Frick when you're back from The Piggly Wiggly, can you pass some up? Thanks.

    Anyhoo.....great read Biscuit. I'm loving the concept of a non-Disney TR. I know very little of the "middle" of the US. In fact, never heard of I-35. Does it run along the Mississippi River? I'm all about exploring new places, and hearing about them. I even will sit down at your house and watch all your (the collective your) vacation slides. I'm that type.

    So where are we off to first?

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  9. Hey Denise! Glad to see you here! My only reservation about 2012 is where they will be in Fantasyland renovation. I may have to push it back a few months, we'll see.

    Hey Frick! I still have several several family members in Georgia. One could say it's a small world.

    After all.

    If biscuits do have anti-aging properties, I could cash in on that. I could be the Jared of Pilbury.

    Howdy Yak! I-35 does cross the Mighty Mississippi on the northern end, but then runs more to the west where it ends at the Rio Grande. Although technically the road continues into Mexico. I've gone as far as Monterrey on work and witness trip.

    I'm always up to show vacation videos. I'll even brew you up a pot of sun tea.

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  10. Oh wow, what part GB? We are in NW Georgia. Right by the Piggly Wiggly.

    BTW Yak, I'm ded that you know of the pig!!

    Zzub I got you sixty eight tubs. I have a feeling you need more work than I do.

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  11. Hey Frick! They are in Rossville, just across the border from Chattanooga.

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  12. I lived in Texas as a kid, and grew up with Piggly Wiggly. That was back in the day when 7-11 still had penny candy. I still giggle when I see a Piggly Wiggly truck on a random highway.

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  13. Piggly Wiggly rocks, man.

    And I'm DED over Frick bringing the sixty eight tubs. Although, I think he actually needed eighty six.

    GB, I'm loving the first installment of the TR. Can't wait to read all about your adventures on I-35.

    PS. I thought you had to be at least seventeen to work for Sea World.

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  14. GB, I'm posting just to say that I read, and I'm looking forward to enjoying your report. Being a GB TR reader....I know we're in for some great stories, regardless of locale. The reason I'm so late is that I, myself, was on vacation last week at a place other than Disney World. Cape Cod, to be specific. WDW would've been better, but when you get down to it, that one on one uninterrupted family time is what it's all about. And you can have that most anywhere!

    Can't wait to hear all about the Biscuit family adventures. And some Crisco-based beauty secrets would always be welcome too! ; )

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  15. GB, can't wait to here the adventures. The epic known as your TR from your trip last summer inspired me to write my own over at DIS. Keep up the great work.

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  16. Sea world has a Junior Adventurer's program.

    Hey AC! Glad to see you here! I hope you had fantastic time in the Cape of Cod. If you smear butter flavored Crisco on your ear lobes, they will look 9 weeks younger guranteed.

    Hey Sailbill! Thanks! I'll have to check out your TR. I'm miserably behind right now.

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  17. < Before long, one tends to wind up with a bit of Disney tunnel vision. >

    Sooo true. I just spent a week trying to plan a trip somewhere – anywhere! – else for Fall. Know where we’re winding up? WDW. Darn that Mouse and his iron grip on our vacations!

    < The initial concept for this segment of the blog was to remind folks that there is still fun to be had and life to be lived outside of Disney. >

    I can support that 100%! It may make me a hypocrite, but I’ll support it anyway. ;)

    < Our travels this summer begin in San Antonio, continue in Minneapolis, and conclude in Dallas. >

    All places I’d like to learn more about – this will be great!

    Also, I love me some Pig, too. The Mt. Pleasant, SC variety. Not so much the Crisco, though. Apparently you can put the girl in the South, but you can't put the grease in the girl? Or something. ;)

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  18. Hey V!

    Glad to have you aboard! It has been a most interesting summer thus far. Just stay down here long enough and we'll convert you. Nothing like homemade fried chicken taking a swim in butter flavored Crisco.

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  19. For me, the biscuits have an anti-wrinkle effect on my tummy...

    does that count in regards to anti-aging???


    NM was so right on about being where you ARE and not wasting it by wishing you were somewhere else.


    ZZUB: You have probably NEVER been to the Wisconsin Dells...but it is the WATERPARK CAPITAL of the world, and because of that, I would highly suggest it. I think you would enjoy Noah's Ark, for many reasons, namesake being one. Obviously. (google it)
    apparently, they have the FIRST EVER upside down waterslide. (insert crazy bug eyes here!!!)
    They also have the Black Anaconda, which reminds me of the CRUSHNGUSHER, exactly. In fact, I bet it is the same dang thing. That is how fun WISCONSIN can be. :) Map it people...its the state that looks like a mitten.



    or is it?

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  20. I love that Dolphin picture, GB. Love it!!! I seem to be drawn to pictures of humans with dolphins. Analyze away.

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