Barfield Travel

The War Eagle area is located in North West Arkansas close to Beaver Lake between Rogers and Eureka Springs on Hwy 62. War Eagle is really divided into two locations to visit and they are about a mile apart. You have the War Eagle Mill and War Eagle Cavern.

The War Eagle Mill is a working grist mill with a restaurant located on the third floor. The mill has an interesting history that pre-dates the civil war. It has been built a total of four times because it washed away once and burned twice. In the mill, you can see the belt driven gears that are powered by the water flowing in the creek outside. You can purchase a wide variety of items that are produced inside the mill. It was a very interesting operation to view. Outside the mill is an old metal bridge with wooden flooring. The bridge spans the creek that runs next to the mill. The area is very scenic and quite picturesque.

The War Eagle Cavern location has attractions both above and below the surface. There is a cave on the premises with a guided tour that is roughly a mile long and you will see everything from bats to waterfalls. The cost for the tour is Adults($11.50), kids 4 to 11($6.75) and kids 3 and under are free. They do offer spelunking tours as well where the group leads the way and a guide simply accompanies them. Above ground there are nature trails, a “lost in the woods” maze, a gift shop and gem panning. Gems come from various parts of the world and it is possible to find rough rubies and sapphires while panning. In addition to gems, it is possible to find native crystal points and fossils. The price varies depending upon the size of bag you purchase to place in your sluice tray (the screened box you use to sift the gems from the dirt).

The War Eagle area is an interesting place to visit and enjoy the outdoors. There is a wide variety of things to do both with and without cost. History buffs and educators will enjoy the history, animal lovers the wild life, and outdoor enthusiasts…well will enjoy all of the outdoors areas that nature has to offer. The area are kid friendly but I would not recommend wheelchair traffic or anyone that may need crutches or a walker.

Pea Ridge is a National Military Park located in the state of Arkansas. It is under the direction of the National Park Service under the U.S. Department of the Interior. Pea Ridge is located just outside of Rogers, Arkansas.

The Battle of Pea Ridge is a lesser known battle that had significant meaning. This single battle decided whether the Union or the Confederates controlled the state of Missouri, which was a swing state at the time. The battle raged on from March 7th to March 8th, 1862. This battle was one of the largest to ever occur during the entire Civil War. There were over 10,000 Union and over 16,000 Confederates fighting each other during this battle.

The park has 11 different points at which you can stop and learn about the significance of that particular point. You can drive or hike the over 8 mile tour. The cost is just $5 per car load. There is a short movie played in the Visitor’s Center and I highly recommend that you take the time to watch it before embarking upon your self guided tour.

The park is located about 10 miles northeast of Rogers, Arkansas. It is open daily from 8am to 5pm. The tour road closes at 4:30pm. The park is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and New Years Day. For more information visit http://www.nps.gov/peri or call 479-451-8122.

I recently took my family on a field trip to Fantastic Caverns and it was both enjoyable and educational. Anyone visiting the Southwest Missouri area as a tourist who enjoys Ozark history, individuals and groups who enjoy visiting caves, and all home school groups should make it a point to visit this ride through cave.

The following is an excerpt from their website:

Fantastic Caverns- America’s Only Ride-Through Cave - is a family owned business. It was discovered in 1862 by a farmer - or more precisely, by his dog, who crawled through an entrance. It  wasn’t until five years later that the first exploration took place: 12 women from Springfield, answering a newspaper ad seeking explorers, ventured into the cave. Their names remain on a cave wall today.

Because the beauty of Fantastic Caverns is vulnerable, the Cave is toured in jeep-drawn trams. Since you ride all of the way through, you experience the magnitude, the stillness, and the splendor of Fantastic Caverns while preserving its natural features.

We rode along as the tour guide stopped on many occasions along our quarter mile (or so) drive back into an Ozark hill which took us hundreds of feet underground. Along this tour we were able to see the splendor that has taken thousands of years to create. Pristine stalactites, stalagmites, and columns were everywhere. We were able to view underground sink holes which led to a lower cave system, that was off limits to visitors.

We learned more than simple geology. Fantastic Caverns is filled with history that dates back to the Civil War. The cave has been host to secret meetings, a speak easy, country music dance hall, and much more. Before Branson, Missouri was developed, the country music musicians played underground at the Fantastic Caverns. Before air conditioning was a main stay in homes, patrons would come and enjoy the pleasantly cool temperature in the 60s down in the cave while listening and dancing to their favorite music of the time. The main hall was said to have held up to 400 people at one time.

After leaving the cave, you can venture above ground on The Canyon Trail. The Canyon Trail is a walkway that ventures through a section of a collapsed cave, along the Little Sac River to Indian Spring. The trail is approximately 1/2 a mile of walking.

Fantastic Caverns is located just north of Springfield, Missouri off of Missouri Highway 13. For directions to Fantastic Caverns, current hours of operation, admission prices and more information, visit their website or call 417-833-2010.

If you have gone through the airport with a laptop, you know how much of a pain it is. Not only do you have to take your shoes off, put all belongings in one tub, your laptop in another tub, and your laptop bag in yet another tub. After you get through the check point, you grab all of your stuff up and do the shuffle to the nearest bench to reorganize yourself. Hopefully you do not drop anything valuable along the way.

Well, the TSA has approved a few laptop bags that allow you to keep your laptop in its bag and send the entire thing through. That’s right. No need to remove the laptop from the bag and most have a quick strap that allows you to grab the bag and carry it off without zipping it back up while keeping all of your electronic gear in place.

Here are three offerings from Victorinox, Case Logic, and Scooba. Check them out, they may help alleviate some of your travel stress and expedite your trip through the TSA line.

Victorinox Security Fast Pass

Case Logic ZNCS Security Friendly Laptop Case

Scooba Design Checkthrough

At the end of November, my wife and I stayed for 3 days at the Hotel Sofitel Chicago Ohare. It is located near the Chicago airport at 5550 North River Road in Rosemont, Illinois.

The hotel is labeled as a luxury hotel and it lived up to the description for the most part. One pleasant surprise was the rate. It was about $125 per night. To those of you who Super 8 it or Motel 6 it, this may be expensive. But when you compare it to the other luxury hotels, it is a steal. We were able to obtain this rate through our online booking engine (of course).

The room we stayed in was clean and spacious. It came equipped with a King Bed, flat screen lcd tv with HD channels, love seat, desk, chair, and coffee table. The bathroom was stocked with the appropriate ammenities. The only thing the room really lacked was a micro or mini fridge.

The pool is located on the top floor. Although it is heated, November in Chicago (about 20 degrees Farenheit outside) made the room cool and subsequently the water was also. There are beautiful skylights in the roof, but it also allowed the room to cool enough for us not to swim. Adjacent to the pool was a gym and sauna.

The hotel has a restaurant and separate bar. The food was excellent at the restaurant and the drinks at the bar were refreshing. The bar is non-smoking so the air was clean. Around the bar and outside the restaurant was plenty of seating for socializing.

The hotel also has the requisite souvenir shop that had snacks, sodas, and toiletries in addition to souvenirs.

My wife had a deep tissue massage performed. The masseuse comes to your room to perform the massage. She was pleasant, professional, and my wife absolutely loved the service she received from Irena (check with the front desk for correct spelling). We recommend that anyone who stays at the Hotel Sofitel Chicago Ohare schedule a deep tissue massage.

We attended a business seminar/training, The Millionaire Mind Intensive, that took place in the Rosemont Convention Center across the street. Fortunately, there is a skywalk that is heated and enclosed. So your journey from the hotel to the convention center takes place in a climate controlled environment.

There were a few surprises. Parking and Wifi at the Sofitel are extra. There is absolutely no place to park your car on the grounds. You must park in the adjacent parking structure that also serves as the parking structure for Embassy Suites. The journey to the parking garage is also covered. The fee is $18 per day. The Sofitel is a T-Mobile hotspot. So, if you are a road warrior with a T-mobile account, you are covered. Otherwise, it is $5.99 per day. The wifi is fast and stable. It does not appear as though Sofitel owns the garage or the wifi. So this would explain the additional costs. But is a Super 8 or Motel 6 can provide free parking and free wifi, the Sofitel should be able to accommodate.

Last thing I want to talk about is the service. Each and every individual we encountered was friendly and courteous. Everyone from our room service delivery person to the front desk attendant was smiling and helpful. One night, the light was coming in through the curtains in such a manner that it was preventing sleep. I called the front desk to ask for an eye sleeping cover. They explained that they did not have one and apologized. Less than 1 minute later, the front desk called and informed me that they sent an employee to the local drug store/pharmacy to pick one up. They hand delivered it to the door at no additional charge.

We can easily recommend staying at the Hotel Sofitel Chicago Ohare. To find out more information about this particular hotel, you can call 847-678-4488 or visit them online at www.sofitel.com.

I recently had to take a trip that originated in St. Louis, Missouri. The trip laid over in Phoenix with a final destination of Las Vegas, Nevada. My flight was handled by US Airways. Let me tell you, this airline restored my faith in the ability of airlines to perform as they should. A belief that was shattered by American Airlines (read about it).

During my flight, there was only one slight inconvenience. On my trip back, we had to change gates in Phoenix. This was a hundred foot shuffle and things were fixed. Each leg of the trip was either on time or early. Check in was effortless and my luggage arrived at the same airport I did and in one piece. I am currently giving US Airways travel kudos from Barfield Travel.

If you have a different, recent experience, please contact me and elaborate on your particular event.

We will be posting short comedic stories on the travels of Randall and Beth starting today. Enjoy the levity.

While on a road trip, Randall and Beth stopped at a roadside restaurant for lunch. After finishing their meal, they left the restaurant, and resumed their trip. When leaving, Beth unknowingly left her glasses on the table, and she didn’t miss them until they had been driving about forty minutes. By then, to add to the aggravation, they had to travel quite a distance before they could find a place to turn around, in order to return to the restaurant to retrieve her glasses.

All the way back, Randall became the classic grouchy old man. He fussed and complained, and scolded Beth relentlessly during the entire return drive. The more he chided her, the more agitated he became. He just wouldn’t let up one minute. To her relief, they finally arrived at the restaurant. As Beth got out of the car, and hurried inside to retrieve her glasses, Randall yelled to her, ‘While you’re in there, you might as well get my wallet and credit card.’

Located out in the desert, just 20 miles north of Tucson is The University of Arizona’s Biosphere 2.

Biosphere 2 was opened to the public in 1990. It was created to better understand our environment and the various factors that affect the different climates on earth.

Biosphere 2 contains 5 of Earth’s biomes, a human habitat and a large ecological facility.

We toured this enormous facility and whether you are scientifically inclined or not, Biosphere 2 is still amazing. In one afternoon we visited a desert, rain forest, savanna, and the ocean (above and below). We toured for, what seemed to be miles, under the Biosphere 2 to see all of the electrical, plumbing, and cooling of the facility.

General Facts About Biosphere 2:

• The facility is 3.14 acres
• 91 feet at its widest point
• 6,500 windows and 7,200,000 cubic feet of sealed glass
• Sealed from the earth below by a 500-ton welded steel liner
• 34.5 acre campus
• 300,000 square feet of administrative offices, classrooms, labs, conference center and residential housing

All in all, our family had a great time. It is fun and educational at the same time. The Biosphere 2 is open from 9 am to 4pm every day except Thanksgiving and Christmas. You can call 520-838-6200 or visit their website http://www.b2science.org/ for more information.

Nestled at the base of the base of the Santa Catalina Mountains, just off of Highway 77, north of Oro Valley, is a little town named Catalina. Catalina is a town that if you blink you may miss it. So our advice, don’t blink because you will miss one of the best Bar B Que places we have ever had the pleasure of dining in. That is saying something, considering that we have traveled far and wide, eating many different type of Bar B Que. When it comes down to Texas Style Bar B Que, look no further than Bubb’s Grub in Catalina, Arizona.

We met the owner, Dan Kuglitsch, and he was a fantastically pleasant man. Dan is from Wisconsin. We actually joked a little that the best Texas Style Bar B Que we have ever had is in Arizona and the establishment is owned by a gentleman from Wisconsin. The staff at the restaurant was second to none. Our server, Linda Wilson, is a model by which other servers should strive to be like. The entire time we were there, with a party of 5, our drinks never ran dry and our napkin supply never ran empty (important in a Bar B Que place with 3 kids). The place was very busy, Dan’s wife was celebrating her birthday there. But even with all the commotion, Linda and the rest of the staff made us feel like we were the only customers in the place. Dan even took the time to stop by our table to check in and make sure everything tasted fine and that we were happy with our service level.

Their food is equally as impressive as their service. Their Supreme Swine Sandwich is a must have if you visit. It comes with pulled pork shoulder on a Kaiser Roll topped with jack & cheddar cheese, then covered with a scoop of cole slaw. This is a huge sandwich that comes with two sides all for $9.75 (as of this writing). The meat is some of the most tender Bar B Que I have ever eaten. They cook it in a smoker that is behind the main building and the size of a small house. When you drive up, you smell the Bar B Que cooking. Good food, great service, and a reasonable price = a definite stop if you are in the Tucson area.

Bubb’s Grub is located at 16010 N. Oracle Road in Catalina, Arizona. Their phone number is 520-825-6510. They currently do not have a website, but I was informed that they are considering creating one. If and when it is completed, you will be able to visit it at www.bubbsgrub.com (Dan already owns the domain name so this shouldn’t change).

When we flew to Tucson, Arizona at the end of July, we flew on American Airlines. They had been a decent airline to fly in the past. We always arrived close to on time and did not lose any luggage. We met our connecting flights. And when there was a problem, they were quick to assist and rectify the situation.

Well, as of this writing, I cannot recommend American Airlines to anyone. We began our journey on time and without incident. Our plane left Kansas City International Airport on our way to Dallas/Ft. Worth where we would switch planes and continue on to Tucson. We arrived at Dallas/Ft. Worth on time. However, we sat on the tarmac (slang for runway) for 45 minutes. We had allotted 60 minutes to change planes. Assuming the plane landed on time and arrived at the gate soon there after, this was not an unreasonable connecting flight attempt. We finally pulled up to the jet bridge and we (my family and I) jumped up and ran. We had 15 minutes to make it from one side of the airport to the other. Our connecting fight was on the complete opposite end of the airport. We ran to the skylink (a train on an elevated rail) and rode it to the other side. We arrived at our gate 3 minutes late. The jet bridge was still in place but they would not let us board. The attendant was extremely polite and as helpful as he could be. He issued us tickets for a flight that was 2 hours away and the gate, you guessed it, was back where we just came from.

So, we walked back to the skylink and stopped to thank a soldier on the way. You can read about that here. We reached our gate, ate, boarded the plane and arrived at our destination. Being late caused us to lose our requested type of rental car and he had to navigate an unknown city at night. Good thing we had our Garmin GPS. That thing is a life saver. Contact the people at NorthStar Global, Inc. to get you one.

Sounds like a challenging trip thus far, right? Well, it was no easier on the way back. We were scheduled to leave at 1:05pm and did not depart the jet bridge in Tucson until 1:45pm. We had an hour and a half planned to make our connecting flight, so leaving 40 minutes late did not give us high hopes. We were wrong though. We had time, plenty of it. American Airlines went the other way on us this time. We landed around 6pm (initial schedule of 5:25pm). We were supposed to take off at 6:50pm. They took our plane out of service and switched us to another gate while getting another plane. While waiting at that gate, the dreaded announcement that they were taking that plane out of service also came across the loudspeaker. We were shifted to another gate and boarded soon after. Third time is a charm I guess. We boarded at 7:50pm but did not leave the jet bridge to take off until 8:45pm.

The Dallas/Ft. Worth airport is American Airlines’s main airport. Their home airport, so to speak. If they should be getting it right anywhere in the world, it would be Dallas/Ft. Worth. If there was one incident, it is forgiveable as every company has difficulties at one point or another. However, multiple incidents on one leg of one trip and then a rinse and repeat on the way back. American Airlines has some major issues. I read an article in a financial magazine that stated that American Airlines was bleeding out millions per month. When you take that information and combine it with the incidents we experienced, you have a recipe for disaster. American Airlines has a long hard road to attempt a recovery and with their token efforts, they aren’t off to a good start.

I wrote American Airlines after I returned and gave myself some cooling down time so I could write from a point of perspective rather than frustration. Their response (paraphrasing) was that they were sorry we had a bad experience and they hope we will fly American Airlines again. They included a $250 voucher good towards future ticket purchases. Aggregated out, that is $50 per person (we had 5 people on our trip). It is a nice gesture. However, when the airline is bleeding as bad as they are and needing all the positive press they can get, $250 is not a good start. First Class complementary upgrade and $250 voucher would have been the minimum to gleen more support from their displaced and disgruntled passengers. American Airlines should have preemptively issued bonuses to all who were inconvenienced rather than only trying to pacify those who took the initiative to report their experience to American Airlines.

Currently I cannot recommend flying American Airlines at all. If you do, allow yourself plenty of time between connecting flights. And, if I choose to use the voucher to fly American Airlines again, I will report on that experience and whether they have improved, worsened, or no change.