Day trips

I'm still thinking up day trips we can take until our little girl is back.  I told Cliff today, "I am going to scour the Internet for places of interest in every little town in a 100-mile radius, and we will see them all!"

His response was less than enthusiastic.

One Sunday not long ago we went down to Sedalia and revisited Bothwell Lodge.  In the process of looking for other things to do in that area, I found out there is an ammunition factory at Sedalia that gives tours to anybody who drops in: Sierra Bullets Factory.  We couldn't wrap it into our visit that day because the place isn't open on weekends, but I tucked it into the recesses of my brain and saved it.  

This morning after spending a couple of hours at Grain Valley Muffler (we highly recommend that place) with our old truck, I suggested we go to Sedalia and see the factory.  Cliff didn't argue, and off we went.  Unfortunately, it was almost noon when we arrived and there aren't any tours from noon to one.  We went to the Katy Depot, ate a picnic lunch, left for a Baskin/Robbins ice cream cone and a McDonald's senior coffee, and returned to Katy Depot, wandering around looking at all the items of interest.  It's another place we had visited before, but you always see things you've missed.  

Then we headed to the bullet factory.

I told Siri to locate "Sierra Bullet Factory" and she took us right to the sign announcing their business.  I was a little confused when I noticed the sign on the building said "Starline", but we walked inside, I asked if they gave tours, and the lady at the desk answered that they did.  We had a little bit of a wait, but eventually a lady came in looking a little flustered and said she'd show us around.  

I find all factory tours interesting, even if they make a product I don't use, and this one was no different.  The lady who took us through obviously knew her product; she told us she had come with the company when it moved to Sedalia from California.  She visited with some of the employees as we passed by, and even gave some of them some instructions while she was nearby.  I asked her, at one point, if there was a best time of day to come for a tour, and she said ideally people would call and give them a heads-up before coming so they could plan for it.  I thought this strange, since the Sierra website said as long as your group is fewer than ten, you could just come in and get the tour.  

When we were finished the lady gave us free gifts:  A cap for Cliff and a T-shirt for me.  Then she said, "Did you tour Sierra, next door?"

Ah.  We were in the wrong place!  When we told her we hadn't, she said, "By all means go on over there and have them show you around."

Turns out this was only the second time the lady had led a tour.  We figure she must be a boss of some kind.

I was all ready to go to Sierra, but Cliff said he's rather save that for another time.  "I'd like to have somebody with me when I tour that," he told me.  

What am I, chopped liver?   I think perhaps he meant somebody who might appreciate bullets and guns and such... you know, a guy.  I have news for him.  He can take all the guys he wants, but I am going to be one of the guys!  I don't miss out on road trips!