West To Kansas City

National Blues Museum

An OK sleep sees me downstairs for breakfast at 9 am. But I am not impressed with the menu for such a prestigious hotel. Scrambled egg, potatoes, sausage, bacon and pancakes. That’s it. I have bacon and eggs plus juice. It’s just about OK but I’ve never seen such a sparse spread on offer in a decent hotel. Even cheapo motels put on more food choices than this.

National Blues Museum postcard

I check out at 10.45 am and leave my bags at reception. A couple of blocks walk and I arrive at the National Blues Museum. This wasn’t here on my last visit to St Louis in 2013. It doesn’t open however until 11 am – and then shuts at 3 pm! And it’s closed on Monday and Tuesday… I’ve never come across such short opening hours.

When they open the doors I’m first through. The lady on reception asks me if I want a senior citizen entrance ticket. “Well, I am over 60”, I reply. “It’s supposed to be 65 but I’ll let you in as a senior” she says. Whilst I will be officially eligible next year, it’s a historic moment as I get my first Old Age Pensioner benefit.

The Museum is spacious and well laid out. The flow is chronological, from the blues’ roots in the holler call-and-response of cottonfield slaves, through that “music’s” development in the 1890s to 1920s – much of which I didn’t know in detail – all the way up to the modern day.

Some Problems Though

The Museum is not very large however. I did a full tour in 45 minutes and I lingered, reading all the info boards at all exhibits. There are however two huge issues. The first is that, in places, the lighting is so poor you cannot read some of the info boards. This is quite shocking considering the Museum opened in 2016 and hasn’t been fixed.

The second issue is what is missing. Now I know there have been 100s of blues musicians over the past century. But to me the period that accelerated the blues into modern music’s life and consciousness was post-WWII to its rediscovery in the 1960s by British bands such as The Rolling Stones.

So Muddy Waters has an info board and exhibit but there is no mention anywhere in the Museum of BB King (!!!), Howlin’ Wolf, John Lee Hooker or Willie Dixon to mention just a few “famous” bluesmen. I was dumb founded. There are some 80s and 90s musicians with exhibits that I’d never heard of. It is very strange curating.

I’m glad I visited but was left with a feeling that it missed some tricks and could be so, so much better than it is.

Breaking news however: the National Blues Museum is closing for good on March 27 2026. I’ve copied and saved the press release from their website, which is still operational after the closure, although there is no content other than the release. I guess it won’t be up for much longer.

A Final Car Tire Fix

Back at the hotel, I stopped off to get the car out of the garage and parked out front again. I retrieve my bags and set off. Despite my supposed tire “fix” at the Truck Tire Center, it wasn’t. Yesterday, 3 out of 4 tires were reading over 40 psi on the Interstate when they should be 33 when cold, probably 35/36 when warm on a long drive.

Last night I searched for a tire depot and found one about a mile down the street from the hotel. It was great luck that a specialist deport was so close to downtown. I figured I’d have to make a big detour.

Pulling away from the hotel, I turn the block to get onto Broadway. Dobbs Tire & Auto Centers comes into view and I drive in. I go into Reception and plead my case to the manager: “Sure, no problem, drive the car across the first bay and I’ll send someone out.”

I do so and a mechanic promptly appears. He fixes the problem in no time. He confirms all four tires were way too high. Despite the air temperature being 90º F / 32º C at noon, we agree on 35 psi as the setting given I’ve only driven a mile from the hotel. All done, I thank him and drive away after popping my head back through the Reception door and thanking the manager also.

I’m goin’ to Kansas City, Kansas City here I come *

I program Maps for the route to Kansas City and finally set off for the day at last at 12.15 pm. There is heavy traffic and a road crash that slow me down leaving St Louis at first on I-70 W. I stopped around halfway for a quick cheeseburger (no fries) and drink at a McDonalds. I originally planned to buy next day breakfasts in St Louis. After the car delay I decided to just get going and do so in Kansas City.

I’d found a Walmart on the outskirts of KC on Maps. The stop there however took a long time because I couldn’t find what I normally buy. I had to buy other stuff and work out what went with what. By the time I pulled up outside the Hotel Indigo Kansas City Downtown it was 5.20 pm. It was also 98º F / 37º C and had hit over 100º F mid-afternoon on the drive.

Another boring drive though, albeit sunny blue sky, trees lining I-70 to start with but further west these cleared and I could see fields of wheat. There is however no sign of civilisation apart from gas stations and food outlets at Interstate exits. That’s how I found the McDonalds. The drive was so boring in fact I didn’t take any photos on the way.

Where to Park?

I’d planned to park in a public garage as the hotel only had valet parking. But I found some very bad reviews of public garages in KC. Damage and vandalism are a huge problem in the city. Secondly, numerous reports detailed dodgy – and probably illegal – charging practices in most garages where the true cost of an overnight stay was missing or hidden in very small print at the bottom of the charges posters. Many users thought they would pay $30 or so for an overnight stay – quite reasonable – only to find $80 being demanded at the barriers when they tried to exit. Any supervisor present ignored requests for restitution.

Valet parking at the hotel was $40, a lot less than I’ve paid before on this trip (often without much choice, I hasten to add). The hotel receptionist told me a public garage could be up to $40, but that didn’t account for the price gouging I’d uncovered on reviews. I went to talk to the valet. He pointed out an open area just across the street. “That’s where I park the cars, and it’s got security camera and I’ve never had a problem,” he said. Given I’d have to walk from a public garage, the price is similar and he says he’s never had a problem, I decide to use the valet. I hand over my key and the deal is done.

County Road Ice House for Dinner

Back up in my room, I sort everything for tomorrow. At 7.30 pm I leave the hotel and walk for 10 minutes or so to County Road Ice House. Inside, it’s not very busy. The bar area is a large island and the side I sit at with 10-12 seats, is empty. I sample a couple of beers and choose one, Dunkel from Kansas City Bier Company. The place is renowned for Kansas BBQ but the menu options look – and I ask, they agree – are huge. So one of the barmen – never got their names but they were friendly all evening – suggested a way to order three single ribs and some coleslaw. I do that and they arrive soon after.

The meat is excellent. The meal includes Texas toast and pickles. All in all, it’s just the right quantity for what I wanted. There’s some college football on TV to keep me amused as I forgot to bring my diary.

The ‘other’ barman chats with me for a while as he spent quite a bit of time in the UK in the past. Our chat was not UK-specific but more general. A group of three guys sit down to my left but far enough away that we don’t engage.

I think later that, again, I’m not fully into road trip mode yet, not that I consciously know what that is, but I’m not feeling at ease or chilled at times. I know from previous trips that my mindset, anxiety and stress levels varies at the start of a trip and usually settles down as I drive on. When that happens depends on the trip but I know I just need to be true to myself, which is why I do the trips, and it – should – come good in the end. The key point is that I’ve never regretted doing a single trip, and whilst they have ups and downs, what doesn’t?

Power & Light District

The bar closes really early at 10 pm. They are located in the Power & Light District, which is party central for KC. I say to the barmen that I can’t believe they are closing so early. They both agree. One of them says they can’t understand the owners’ mentality when all the other bars in P&L stay open until midnight at least. Neither can I. Seems mad. The other one says that if they are really busy at 10 pm they might stay open a bit longer, but not much.

Tonight however, Friday night, and the bar is nearly empty at 10 pm. As I will soon discover, every other bar in P&L is rammed to the gills. So maybe County Road has got itself a reputation as place not to go to if you want to stay out a little bit later. Their problem, not mine, but it seems stupidity on a huge scale. (I now see on their website that they stay open until 11 pm on Friday and Saturday. A little change, but not much.)

I say goodbye to the guys and walk through the main P&L area where it is absolutely buzzing and full of people. There is loud music pumping of every bar, all “young” kids, and just trying to walk through to the other side, I’m dodging people every step. It’s such a contrast to County Road just next door. They might have good food but I can’t see them surviving if they continue to close so early when their competitors are still open and raking in the dollars until midnight and beyond.

I make it out into the night streets in the very warm – still – night air. Re-tracing my steps back to the hotel, I’m back in my room and switching the lights out at 11.30 pm for a – relatively – early start tomorrow.

* Kansas City by various artists including Little Richard and The Beatles