As I drive along the western edge of the Steamtown National Historic Site parking lot, I have no doubt about the focus. On my left looms a row of massive railroad locomotives, mighty machines that relied on steam to create motion. They are an impressive reminder of a bygone age in railroad history, when steam engines ruled the rails in the United States and elsewhere. By James D. Porterfield
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So many announcements, such little time — what with the 1K Country Adventure earlier this month, I’ve barely had time to post about the other exciting goings-on in our Country! But today I’m coming at you with the trifecta of new hotels. I am very pleased to announce the opening of: OKLAHOMA CITY NORTH, OKLAHOMA, CONCORD, NORTH CAROLINA, and COLUMBIA AT HARBISON, SOUTH CAROLINA!
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Just a quick reminder that it isn’t too late to enter the Working Mother “I love this Country” photo contest!
You can view the official rules and regs here, but basically if your picture is taken in front of Country Inns & Suites By Carlson property, you’ll be eligible to win a 2-night stay!
Wherever your travels take you, there’s a whole lot to love about this Country.
~Emily
Well, we did it:
7 states, 7 days, 3 families, 1000 miles (well, closer to 2000 miles, really!), dozens of Suite Stops, and countless memories. The snapshots I’ve been posting over the last few days are just glimpses into the adventures our families experienced – but what will stand out in my memory are the glimpses into the HEART — specifically, how quickly and easily we all bonded and forged friendships that I know will last.
Oh wait — you want to know the destination?
COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS.
WHY, you ask?
To celebrate the grand opening of our BEAUTIFUL 500th hotel – obviously I’ve seen a lot of hotels in my life and career, but I have to say that I was overwhelmed by the beauty of this hotel.
GLEAMING hard wood floors. Furniture I’d put into my own home. Large towels. Amazing beds with plush bedding. A huge flat-screen TV. An outdoor pool and spa with beautiful landscaping… in my many travels, I’ve stayed in a lot of expensive hotels, and this was nicer than just about anywhere I’ve ever stayed – at a fraction of the price. Never has our tagline (“A cozy stay at a comfortable price”) rang truer!
So you see, the crew started in Minnesota (where the Country story began), and experienced some of our best and brightest hotels as they journeyed southward towards our newest shining star, deep in the heart of Texas. They arrived at the mystery destination mid-afternoon, and I think the kids were in that beautiful outdoor pool in nanoseconds. Watching the kids get to be friends has been one of the most enjoyable parts of following this journey – I’m confident that they’ll keep in touch (I suppose kids don’t have “pen pals’ anymore, but perhaps they’ll be “tweet pals”?). As they splashed about, I headed out to pick up dinner – a true southern BBQ, which we enjoyed in the beautiful breakfast area of the hotel. We laughed and talked until late into the night, getting to know each other even better. I can’t wait to see where these friendships go.
Below you’ll find my usual recap of Suite Stops, but I want to start with the END – and if you never watch anything else that I post (but you should, because all the Suite Stops are awesome!), watch this one – it truly captures the essence of this trip, this project, and what the Country (both the nation and the hotel!) is all about.
The day started off by visiting some stallions… after enjoying the beautiful area, the “took the time” to stop by this local landmark. Their final Suite Stop of the day was to visit the famed Cowboy’s stadium, before getting their last piece of direction to head to College Station, TX .
One of the things that I love about Country Inns & Suites is that each property has their own story – their own piece of local flavor and culture that makes it unique. The one thing I believe remains consistent across the chain is the quality of not only our product, but our PEOPLE – I can’t tell you how exicted the participating hotels were to jump in and go the extra mile to make our guests feel special! Many of them put together gifts (beer & cheese in Wisconsin), posted welcome signs, and sent the kids on their way with bags of fresh baked cookies. And just like our hotels, the Suite Stops were chosen to showcase fun things about each city that are unique and filled with local flavor — places you PROBABLY wouldn’t think about as a vacation destination, but a special piece of history, current local culture, or Americana that help to make this country whole.
I would be remiss if I didn’t give a gigantic THANK YOU to our sponsors — Avis, Sprint, JVC, and Duracell. We quite literally could NOT have done any of this without you. And of course… our amazing road warriors and their families: Kara, Sharlene, and Ross.
And also… thank you to the local news crews that showed up and the local convention and visitors bureaus that added some extra touches to the adventure!
And last but certainly not least – our “host with the most,” Dave Sniadak. There are no words to express my gratitude and appreciation of your time and talent!
I LOVE this Country.
~Emily
PS: Did you notice the Texas-shaped waffle in the pictures above? That was my breakfast yesterday in College Station!
PPS: Make sure you keep checking back – rumor has it that there is a LOT of video coming, courtesy of the JVC Everio HD cams that our crew used on the road!
See that last picture in the lower left? That’s a sculpture called “The End of the Trail” at the Oklahoma City Cowboy Museum. Our road warriors headed there first thing Friday morning, and given that their adventure is winding down, I find the name of the piece rather fitting. I think one of the most amazing parts of this adventure is the fact that our families got to experience so many destinations that they never thought they’d see — and I’m not talking about exotic locales or expensive resorts, but the beauty of every day American life that goes overlooked by so many of us. If you watch this short news clip, you’ll see Ross and Kara being interviewed in the Bricktown area of Oklahoma City, a surprisingly cosmopolitan part of town. The sentiment? Hey, there’s a lot more to OKC than fields and cattle and trailers… from the looks of the pictures above, I’d have to say I agree. There’s no better way to experience the true essence of America than a cross-country roadtrip, where you’ll get to experience the local flavor, cultures, and quirks of so many different destinations.
As for me? Well, I’m writing this from my huge king sized bed at the Country Inns & Suites… I’m still not quite ready to tell you my location, but let’s just say it is hot! My day of travel included a flight + a LONG drive, and no matter how high I cranked the A/C, I was still sweating! If there is one thing this Minnesota girl isn’t used to, it is this kind of humidity, yet I’ve found the landscape to be beautiful, and the people to be charming, hospitable, polite… even if they do think I talk a mile a minute. 
But enough about me — let’s dig into what these brave souls experienced on Day 6 of the 1K Country Adventure!
Our Oklahoma City experience began with a Suite Stop at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, which was created in 1955 to help preserve the memory of what it meant to be a cowboy! From there, they headed to the cosmopolitan Bricktown area, where they hopped a water taxi (and apparently talked to the news reporters!). It wouldn’t be a true Country Adventure if we didn’t pay homage to Home On The Range, and that’s just what our families ventured off to do next, at the Chicksaw National Recreation Area (FYI, I am under STRICT instructions NOT to share the vocal stylings of our talented crew). Next up? The Courthouse and beautiful architecture of Denton, TX, before heading off to the night’s “home away from home,” Country Inns & Suites Lewisville, TX!
I’m sitting poolside at the secret destination – waiting for the gang to arrive. I just found out that they are on their way… just a few more hours!
I love this Country!
~Emily
Here’s what I love about technology — not only have these brave families been guided COMPLETELY be Smart Phone, GPS, and Twitter, but I’m writing this update from the PLANE, en route to go meet them at the finish. My destination remains top secret – but only for another day – and I can’t wait to give my new friends a great big hug. Although sometimes it seems that technology makes it too easy for humans to NOT interact with each other, I think the little virtual community we’ve crafted is a great example of how technology makes the world smaller, and brings us closer together in ways we otherwise wouldn’t experience.
Day 5’s adventures started by experiencing Kansas City’s beautiful fountains. Fun fact? Only ROME, ITALY has more fountains than Kansas City. Pretty cool, huh? Then they headed off to Lawrence, Kansas for a sweet treat (Unfortunately Sylas & Maddies ice cream wasn’t open early enough for two of our famlies, but at least the Williams kiddos got to enjoy a cone!). Next up? The Kansas Aviation Museum, which just looks incredibly cool… that’s where our day wrapped up, and the gang was off to rest their weary heads at the Country Inns & Suites By Carlson, OKlahoma City Airport!
Sharlene, Kara, and Ross all had great wrap-ups after yesterday’s adventures, and I cannot wait to see what today has in store for them!
It has been so amazing to watch these adventures – and to watch the families get to know each other. If there is one thing I’ve learned over my many years of blogging, it is that friendships can be strong and powerful, even if you’ve never met face to face. I know that our social media savvy participants had local visitors throughout this journey – people they’ve emailed, blogged, and tweeted with for years, who they finally got to meet face to face. Having experienced that phenomenon myself over the years, I know the emotional feeling of giving a big warm hug to somebody for the first time that you’ve KNOWN for years.
Case in point – en route to my (TOP SECRET!) destination tonight, I’ll be stopping off to have dinner with a woman I’ve been emailing with for about 5 years… who I’ve never laid eyes upon. I “know” her, her husband, her children and her stories as well as if they lived next door, but this is the first time we’ll meet face to face. I’ve had this experience several times now, and each and every time it feels as natural as spending time with old friends. I’m confident that as time rolls on, The Earnshaws family, Williams famly, and Sveback family will remain close — both to each other, and to me!
Something we strive to do at every single one of our hotels is to treat our like family – the familiarity, comfort and warmth that allows you to relax, unwind and be pampered for a while. I can’t think of any better way to exemplify the feeling of family than by hanging out with these guys all weekend. After all, there’s nothing that makes this girl happier than walking into a room filled with strangers – and leaving with 5 new best friends. I said it the other day and I’ll say it again – from all of us at Country Inns & Suites By Carlson, thank you for sharing your family with ours.
I love this Country.
~Emily
PS: Rumor has it that Sharlene’s blog posts have gotten some pickup on the USA Today’s website! How cool is THAT!?
What better way to show your favorite Dad or your favorite Grad how much you love them than by sharing your love of the Country — visit http://www.countryinns.com/destinations to choose from dozens of destinations and packages to plan the perfect getaway. From golf weekends to spa and sporting trips, we’ve got everything you want to thrill your favorite guy.
I love this Country!
~Emily
ROAD WARRIOR, that is. Our road-trippin’ families are amazing, and I cannot believe how much ground they’ve covered since Sunday!
Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Missouri … All in THREE DAYS!
I’m impressed (they’re exhausted).
The shots below include a first Suite Stop at the famed St. Louis Arch – photo ops abound – where I’m told they were met by a camera crew from the local NBC affiliate, KSDK-TV. The crew showed up to report on the adventure and wrote this article. You can also view 1K Country KSDK Clip, showing the family enjoying the arch! After journeying up all 630 feet of the arch and snapping a few pics, the families headed back down to earth… where they got their next Suite Stop: a trip down the very first strip of Interstate highway in the US. Once the mini-roadtrip was over, they recieved something new: a Suite SIDE-TRIP, which allowed them to choose from two options: pedal, or putt. After the families enjoyed golf clubs & go-karts, they recieved their next Suite Stop, directing them to their home for the night: the Country Inns & Suites By Carlson, Kansas City Village West, located near shopping malls and Speedways. But we’re not quite done yet! One last Suite Stop ORDERS that our weary travelers get a good night’s sleep (easy to do in our awesome beds!), before continuing on Day 4 of the 1K Country Adventure!
Don’t forget to check the blogs:
Kara!
Sharlene!
Ross!
Half way there, gang… can’t wait to greet you at the finish…. wherever that may be!
I love this Country.
~Emily
I’m not even really sure where to start – so much to share and say, and today is only day 3 of the 1K Country Adventure. It’s been a whirlwind of fun so far, and I have a bit of a “techno-glazed” expression on my face from spending the lst 72 hours glued to the computer, watching twitter, facebook, and our participant blogs. The stories, pictures, and videos have been so heartwarming that I wish Iwas on the roadtrip adventure! Make sure you click on “MORE” to see all the various multi-media gems that have already cropped up, courtesy of our adventure families! A sampling? Pictures of a giant orange moose, Ross riding a giant deer, kids reflection in the Chicago Bean, a Kare 11 news clip, and a “meet the bloggers” video segment, in addition to the SWEET Suite Stops that are guiding the travelers along the unknown roadtrip path! I’m exhausted from just writing this post!
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What’s even better than taking a family road trip? Taking a road trip with the destination: UNKNOWN.
So that is exactly what we’ve enlisted some of our favorite families to do.
The journey begins at the Mall of America on Saturday, June 5th and concludes on the 13th.
Where? Nobody knows!
(Well, WE know, but we’re not tellin’!)
You can follow along on twitter by watching the list www.twitter.com/countryinns/CIS-1k-country!
