Our trip under the earth and into space

Hiya!  We may just break a record for most pictures in one entry today.  The three CNMs gave Mummy a break from us and jumped in the car for a trip to the Moon...I mean central KS.

First stop was dinner in Wichita!  A cool 50s diner with a 57 Chevy sticking out the front.

Checked into our hotel and got ready for the Cosmosphere and the KS Salt Mines. This was the lobby, NOT our room.

The Cosmosphere is a cool space museum in Hutchinson Kansas.  Above, Carson is doing a space shuttle simulator.  Below, Conner is doing an F16 fighter jet simulator.



 

We crammed into a Russian space capsule for this fun photo opp.  It took Daddy two hours to get back out...

The Salt Mine was so awesome!!  A huge city underground, made out of 100% salt.

The environment is perfectly suited for storing documents and materials.  The boys loved the superhero outfits.  Daddy did too, but he totally loved the MIB display.  If you click on the pic, you'll see the Noisy Cricket!!

We took two train rides through the mine, one of which was billed as the dark tour, but it was only pitch dark a couple times.  Lots of huge salt rocks, and huge mining equipment.  One that looked like a swordfish!

It was a blast.  We got off the train at one point and got to mine for our own small salt rocks.  We were amazed to learn about the salt miners and how they practicly live underground. Mike Rowe came here in season 3 of Dirty Jobs!

So we experienced life in space and life 650 ft underground.  Not bad for a days work!  The boys were pretty tired afterwards.  That, of course, was the whole idea.  :-)