Category: Travel

Collin County History Museum

Post author By Chris M. Day
Post date December 5, 2024

Welcome back to #TravelThursday. I spent 9 days and 9 nights with my family in Wylie Texas – about 30 miles northeast of the center of Dallas Texas. I arrived during the early evening of Wednesday November 20TH 2024. My direct flight from Sarasota-Bradenton to Dallas-Fort Worth arrived a full 45 minutes early, and my brother was there to meet me at the baggage carousel. My big Samsonite suitcase was actually one of the first to emerge, so that was another pleasant surprise. We ate our first meal at Jollibee. (It’s a new tradition for us.) For those in the know – you’ll know that it’s the # 1 fast food restaurant in the Philippines. It’s growing rapidly worldwide – with 1,600+ locations in Asia, Europe, and North America.

Fast forward to Day 3 (Saturday November 23RD 2024), and me and my brother drove to historic downtown McKinney Texas. The day before – I successfully convinced him to take me there so that I could visit the Collin County History Museum. It was originally on my schedule for Thursday November 18TH 2021, but I didn’t visit due to reasons that I can’t remember 3 years later. (I drove to North Texas that Thanksgiving Week.)

We entered the museum nonchalantly, and less than a minute later we were asked to sign-in on an iPad. I loved their modern technology at the onset. A friendly and informative docent then proceeded to give us an engaging and extensive (nearly 90-minute) tour of their Museum. Part of the tour was inside a small theater where we watched an approximate 10-minute video on Dallas Texas native Carroll Hall Shelby (1923-2012). He designed and raced cars. At one point during the video – the word “SEBRING” prominently appeared, and I shouted aloud – “SEBRING !”. I discovered that he and his cars raced at the Sebring International Raceway many times throughout the 1950s and 1960s. Carroll Shelby Road actually forms the southern boundary of the Sebring Raceway. What a surprise to discover a Sebring Florida connection inside the Collin County History Museum.

Towards the end of our tour – my brother revealed to our docent that I too am a docent. So – we started talking docent-to-docent. I then added that I’m on the Board Of Directors for the Sebring Historical Society as well as the Social Media Director in charge of our Facebook page. That led to another half-hour of discussing “museum business” with one of their directors. Overall – it was a wonderful 2-hour experience at their Museum, and I plan to stay in touch via their Facebook page and official web site. I also hope to visit again the next time I drive to North Texas.

We did a little bit of walking around and shopping and eating in the historic downtown area. McKinney has done a wonderful job creating a fun mix of shopping, dining, and cultural experiences.

Next #TravelThursday – I’ll write about the second-half of my fun adventures with my family in Texas – as well as my return trip back home to Sebring. Let’s keep traveling together.

#CountUp & #TravelThursday is on Facebook. I usually post there on Mondays and Thursdays.

Tags Dallas, San Antonio, Texas, Wichita Falls, Wylie

Blogging Driving Travel

Wylie Texas

Post author By Chris M. Day
Post date November 21, 2024

Welcome back to #TravelThursday. I’m waking-up in Wylie Texas this morning – the home of my brother, sister-in-law, two nieces, and canine nephew. This guy adores me being around him:

Wylie is an old railroad town with origins that go back over 150 years. Today it’s an affluent and rapidly-growing northeastern suburb of Dallas Texas. Its population has quadrupled since 2000. My family moved there in 2019.

I’ve been candid about this over the years here on my blog. I’m not a fan of Texas. My favorite thing about Texas is my family that lives there – outside of both Dallas and Wichita Falls. After that – it’s a sharp drop to my 2ND favorite thing about Texas – the food – particularly steak.

My history with Texas goes back almost 40 years. It’s where my USAF career began – at Lackland AFB in San Antonio. I returned to Texas several times – San Antonio, Austin, and Fort Worth – during the first-half of my civilian career with the USAF. My brother and his girlfriend turned wife moved to the Dallas area for the first time in 2006. They moved back to Ohio in 2013, and then they moved back to the Dallas area in 2019. My Aunt, Uncle, and Cousins have lived in the Wichita Falls area for about 55 years.

My favorite location in Texas is the San Antonio River Walk. I’ve been there a few times – starting with a day of liberty during USAF Basic Training in July 1985 and most recently in July 2011 with my family. We stayed at a hotel directly on the River Walk, and we just walked around the River for a few days taking in the sights, sounds, and tastes. It was one of our greatest family vacations ever.

Next #TravelThursday in 2 weeks – I’ll write about some of my fun adventures here with my family in Texas. Let’s keep traveling together.

#CountUp & #TravelThursday is on Facebook. I usually post there on Mondays and Thursdays.

Tags Dallas, San Antonio, Texas, Wichita Falls, Wylie

Blogging Driving History Nature Travel

Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki

Post author By Chris M. Day
Post date November 14, 2024

Welcome back to #TravelThursday. Earlier this month a small group of us took a bus trip down south by a little over 100 miles to southeastern Hendry County. We visited the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum and their annual American Indigenous Arts Celebration on their exterior grounds across the street from the Museum. They are located on the Big Cypress Reservation about 18 miles north of the Alligator Alley portion of I-75 (exit 49). They are owned and operated by the Seminole Tribe Of Florida. It was my first-ever visit to the Museum and local area.

This is one of those hidden gems in South Florida that I really didn’t know anything about until our Sebring Historical Society announced it as an upcoming bus trip that I promoted during the month of October on our Facebook page (which I’m the Administrator of).

There were a lot of singing and dancing performances – and food and merchandise vendors at the Celebration. The Museum (inside) was modern and fascinating. As I slowly walked through it – I was getting educated on the history of the local area and the Seminole Tribe Of Florida. I was also dreaming of how our own Museum (present and potential future location) could incorporate a lot of what I was seeing presented there. I also walked the mile-long elevated boardwalk behind the Museum. It loops around a 60-acre natural cypress dome.

We spent 4½ hours at Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki. With the 2-hour bus trip each way – it was a fun 8½-hour day with my museum friends and fellow history fans. Our next fun bus trip is a little over 2 weeks away – to historic downtown Bartow Florida in Polk County (our neighbor to the north).

Next #TravelThursday – I’m in Texas. Let’s keep traveling together.

#CountUp & #TravelThursday is on Facebook. I usually post there on Mondays and Thursdays.

Tags Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki, Cypress, Florida, Hendry, Indian, Museum, Seminole, Tribe

Blogging Driving Travel

Start Of An Era

Post author By Chris M. Day
Post date November 7, 2024

Welcome back to #TravelThursday. Last week I wrote about the demise of my 2020 Honda Civic and the end of an era – my nearly 10-year association with the Honda Civic family.

8 days after the collision that caused the totaling of my 4-year-old car – I bought a new car – a 2025 Kia K4 LX !

Fun Fact: Before I joined the Honda Civic family – I was a longtime part of the Saturn family. I leased a new 1997 SL1. And then I leased a new 2001 SC2. And then I bought a new 2003 Ion 3. I kept that last car longer than any previous car in my lifetime – 11½ years. So – I drove 3 different Saturn cars over the course of nearly 18 years.

And now I’m a member of the Kia family. When I still had that last Saturn, and I was shopping for my next new car (knowing that Saturn no longer existed) – the 2015 Kia Forte was actually on my short list of cars to test drive and buy. Also on that list – the 2015 Ford Focus, the 2015 Toyota Corolla, and the 2015 Honda Civic. (You now know how that turned out.)

So – I paid cash for my new 2025 Kia K4. (I actually wrote a check for the full amount. I’m probably the youngest person that I know that still writes checks.)

I love my new car. It’s got all of the modern technology that I’ve always wanted in a new car – most notably SiriusXM. I’ve been listening at home since 2005, but I’ve never had a car with it included. (Recently – I’d been listening via their app on my iPhone through my car’s Bluetooth.)

It’s also my first car with no key – just a fob. And it’s got a button to push to start and stop the engine. But what I really love about my new car (besides the new car smell) – is the compass, latitude and longitude (degrees, minutes, and seconds) and elevation of where I’m at. I’m looking forward to my first extended road-trip in it.

Next #TravelThursday – I’ll write about my fun day at the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki. Let’s keep traveling together.

#CountUp & #TravelThursday is on Facebook. I usually post there on Mondays and Thursdays.