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A podcast focusing on the perspectives, lives, and stories of Kansans to provide greater insight into the state we all call home.
AAK_Ep41
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Family Christmas and My Kansas Flag
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[00:00:00]
Gus Applequist: So we had our family Christmas. Uh. About a week ago and 'cause a lot of my family was traveling Yeah. During the actual December period. so I, I opened a present from my sister and it was all Kansas stuff.
Sydney Collins: Oh, it's like she knows you.
Gus Applequist: Yeah. Yeah. And it was like, so there's a Kansas flag and then I like went off on this tirade about how I think the Kansas flag could be improved.
Sydney Collins: You've had that tirade for a while.
Gus Applequist: Yeah. Yeah, I have. Yeah. And then I felt bad, but, so now we have a Kansas flag. I figure out if we wanna add it to something on the set. Well,
Sydney Collins: we have it right there. We have a little postcard of the Kansas flag, but let's be
Gus Applequist: honest, nobody out there can actually see that.
See, it is, so this is like a full-sized flag.
Sydney Collins: Oh. Oh, I mean, I have a full-sized Kansas flag in my basement, like a big one. Oh wow. That hangs on our wall. Nice. Well, here's the reason why is because. Milton has a Texas flag on the other side of the wall.
Gus Applequist: Oh, and you just had to represent,
Sydney Collins: well, he brought it, he brought the Kansas flag home.
I go, [00:01:00] where did you even get this? He goes, well, they were trading 'em out 'cause it's all faded and stuff. And so I hung it up the wall on the other side.
Introduction to Kansas Day
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Gus Applequist: Welcome to Ask a Kansan
Sydney Collins: a podcast where we're amplifying connecting in uncovering Kansas.
Gus Applequist: And today we are talking about Kansas Day.
Sydney Collins: We are a very special day for the Kansas people.
Gus Applequist: And so we invited on, uh, Kolby from Kansas Tourism. Uh, she's gonna talk to us about, uh, kind of what they're doing at Kansas tourism and about her kind of exploration of Kansas for her show.
Sydney Collins: So, without any further ado, here is Kolby.
Interview with Kolby from Kansas Tourism
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Gus Applequist: Hello. Welcome. [00:02:00] How's it going?
Sydney Collins: Good. Good. I am loving your shoes. Yes.
Colby: Thanks. They're so comfy. They look comfy. So, so comfy. I've been on the road for two days and I'm like, I just want comfy shoes. Yeah, that's what I want. I,
Gus Applequist: I
Colby: get that. I can relate to that. Yeah.
Gus Applequist: Pull that mic up.
There you go. Hold up.
Colby: Yeah. So how are you? Good. I've been out filming for two days in northwest Kansas, so I brought the wind with me. You guys are welcome the whole way here. I appreciate that.
Sydney Collins: You're welcome. Well, for our listeners, can you introduce yourself?
Colby: Yeah. I am Colby Sharples Terry. I'm the public relations and communications manager for Kansas Tourism, and I host our television show on the road and to the stars.
Sydney Collins: And where can we find that television show?
Colby: So I'm super excited. Um, this year we have gone statewide. Oh, cool. So, uh, we're with Grey Media. So for the past two years it's been WIBW for Northeast North Central Kansas. And, uh, now we've taken it down to KWCH, so Oh, wow. So basically the rest of Kansas.
Awesome. So yeah. Wow.
Gus Applequist: Congrats. That's
Colby: awesome. Thanks. Yeah, I'm [00:03:00] excited. So that's why I've been gone for two days. I've been out filming for that. It's been amazing.
Sydney Collins: So you're here for a very specific reason, um, today, and it's because Kansas has a birthday. Yeah. One sixty five. That's a big number. That is
Colby: a
Sydney Collins: big number.
So what is, what are some events or something we can look for to help celebrate?
Colby: Yeah.
Kansas Tourism Campaigns and Celebrations
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Colby: So every year at Kansas Tourism, we, we run a Kansas Day campaign. We like to celebrate big for, you know, for her birthday. And so, we are releasing a new video this year, so make sure you follow us on social media.
Okay. if you like it and share it, you can be, entered into a drawing. We have 34, gift boxes with products from artisans all over Kansas. In them. so make sure you follow us on social media 'cause we share really cool stuff and give you some travel inspo. But yeah, we always like to celebrate the day and so we always do that video campaign.
Sydney Collins: what are some previous video campaigns that you've done? Because you, because we see them and I, I don't think people really understand the significance of them.
Colby: Yeah. So last [00:04:00] year was a cute one with some kiddos, um, talking about Kansas Day and what it means to them. the year before was our home on the range project.
Mm-hmm. and so we've, we've done different themes every single year. this new campaign though, that we're releasing for Kansas Day is kind of almost like our new brand Anthem, our new sizzle video. We've had the same brand Anthem for a little bit. Mm-hmm. Um, and it's very iconic to us and you know, it's part of our identity, but we're ready to release something new, show some people, some other sides.
So
Gus Applequist: so, I'm super curious.
Exploring Kansas: Hidden Gems and Local Experiences
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Gus Applequist: What were you filming in Northwest Kansas?
Colby: So I was in Goodland and, uh, St. Francis the past couple days. You were like north
Sydney Collins: Northwest? I was north
Colby: northwest as about as far as possible. I love the area, you know, I've been out there several times. I filmed out there.
Mm-hmm. And even this visit, you know, I learned so many. New things. Mm-hmm. And I met an incredible local who basically had me hop in her car after 10 minutes of meeting her to show me all around town. You know, like, that's amazing. You know, like, how many can that happen? Very thing it was, you know, she's like, have you been here?
Have you done this? And I'm like, no, I didn't even know about that. And she [00:05:00] was like, connecting all of these things. And like 10 minutes later said, do you just wanna hop in with me? I'm like, sure. You know, now we're friends, we're texting. I, I, I went back and saw her yesterday on my way back through town.
Like, I'm like that. That's like what it's about.
Gus Applequist: Mm-hmm.
Colby: Mm-hmm. She inspired me. Her name's Patty. shout out to Patty. Yeah. I wanna be like a patty. You know, like she love, she's not even from here. I mean, she's lived in Goodland for 30 years. Mm-hmm. She was a Colorado girl, but just like how excited she was for me.
And like she was such a community warrior that she's willing to take a stranger all around. you know, like, yeah, I, so, like, personally, I'm like, I need to be more like Patty. Like I'm gonna, that's like my mantra, I guess for the year. I'm gonna be more like Patty, like for people, you know. I love that. I know.
Like I am, I'm still blown away by just like how she was. It was amazing. Hmm.
Sydney Collins: Can you give us some background of, kinda what you do for Kansas tourism?
Colby: Yeah, so I'm actually, I'll be celebrating 10 years this June congrat, so I'm excited about that.
Yeah. so in the public relations role, [00:06:00] what I started out doing a lot of was just working with travel media. Mm-hmm. Working with travel writers and bloggers and influencers and, um, I'll host them on road trips. We, uh, pick a region. Um, we've done some where we only do three regions a a year. Last year we did 10 media trips.
Mm-hmm. Um, across the state. And so we, I just built out these itineraries and we traveled around and they documented or pitch stories and then, um, I started doing like all the radio and TV and all of that. Type of just outward appearances. Um, and that's how uh, we were able to land the TV show on www was because, um, I was already doing just like an in studio interview every single week.
I didn't know careers like this existed. You know, like when you're younger, you don't think that you can, have a career where you get to travel around the state and document it and just like share your love of your home state with. Everybody. So yeah, that sounds like a dream
Gus Applequist: job.
Colby: That's awesome. It, it really is. Um, and so I, I do some writing too. I took on [00:07:00] the public relation, we didn't have like a specific PR program. Mm-hmm. Um, so when I took it on, it was cool. It's like, what do you wanna do? This is what we, this is what we're thinking, this is what we need and just kind of let me take off with it.
So.
Gus Applequist: It's, so did you, did you love Kansas before you had this job or did you have to like, discover that love once you got it?
Colby: I was definitely, when I was younger, like, I, I wanna get out, I wanna move away. You know? I feel like when we were, you know, at least like growing up, we were told there was nothing to do here.
Yeah. And we listened you know, like people think that it's only a vacation if there's mountains or oceans involved. So I definitely went through that when I was younger. Like, I don't want to. You know, live here forever. But once I started, you know, having a family, I'm like, I wanna raise my kids somewhere like this.
But when I took on this job, one, I didn't even know I was working for tourism. This is when we were still with Wildlife and Parks. And the way the job description was, I didn't know like it was gonna be with tourism. So that was a surprise. But no, [00:08:00] like, I mean, I loved, like where I lived, I loved that I was raising kids here.
But I wasn't what I am now. For sure.
Sydney Collins: In celebration of Kansas' 1 65, is there something super unique that maybe most Kansans don't know about our state that they can go out and see?
Colby: I think there's a lot. Mm. You know, I people all the time, like, I didn't know this or I didn't know that, or just chatting. Mm-hmm. if you've never been to our website, go to travel ks.com.
Um, and you'd be amazed like how many events we have on our calendar that like, that's one of our most visited pages. But I feel like it's. What you're into whenever I, you know, film at like the rock formations like Little J or my favorite Castle Rock or even, you know, I shared some stuff on social media yesterday.
I was at a Rory Breaks. You know, people are like, I can't believe [00:09:00] that's Kansas. You know, so I hear that a lot. But, I think people are surprised what we have going on.
Gus Applequist: Mm-hmm.
Colby: You know, no matter what you're into, you can probably find something going on within the next month or weekend or whatever it may be.
Um, that would, would interest you for sure.
Gus Applequist: So you've been at Kansas tourism like almost 10 years. Mm-hmm. I'm curious, how has Kansas State changed in that time?
Colby: Yeah, so, um, with the new administration that came in, they decided that, you know, one of the campaigns that we really wanted to own was Kansas State. So before we always celebrated, you know, we, you know, we asked.
People to share, you know, the call to action of like write what you love and all of that. Mm-hmm. But, um, it was about eight years ago that we're like, we want to do a big campaign. You know, Kansas Day is really, really important to us, which is funny growing up. 'cause you know, you guys remember in school we celebrated it, we did all these things that most states don't do that.
So when I found out that not every state celebrates their birthday like that, you're like, oh, this is actually really cool. And we get that all the time. [00:10:00] Um, 'cause we'll reach out to media and be like, Hey, Kansas Day's coming up. Will you share a story from our trip this year? And they're like, what's Kansas Day?
And I'm like, this is like, you celebrate that. I'm like, yeah, it's really cool. we started doing those video campaigns. um, when we did the home on the range. Project. Mm-hmm. And had artists from all over Kansas recording. Um, so some of them are just giant campaigns, but yeah, for sure it has come to like, we're, I don't wanna say Kansas Tourism owns Kansas Day, but like we have claimed it as like mm-hmm.
We want to be the promoters and share the excitement and remind everybody that it's coming up and to show some love.
Sydney Collins: what is your hope for Kansas? Maybe in the next five years, 10 years when your kids are adults, what's your hope?
Colby: Yeah. Well, there's a lot of momentum going on right now, you know, the chief's announcement and, you know, great economic development projects. My hope is more for Kansans to change their own perceptions about the state, you know? Mm-hmm. Um, switch that narrative of there's nothing to do here, you know, to find the good, [00:11:00] um, in their community or in this state.
so that, that would be my hope. It's hard when even I sometimes just will ask a gas station employee what's there to do here and mm-hmm. They're like, nothing. It sucks. I'm like, oh, knife right to the heart. So I hope people start realizing and finding the good in where they live.
Gus Applequist: For our, our, our listeners that aren't watching. Uh, you have like an awesome style about you. Yeah. Thanks.
Fashion and Thrift Shopping in Kansas
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Gus Applequist: Can you talk about your style, like, or what you're wearing, like Yeah, it's really cool.
Colby: So I've always been into fashion, I thought mm-hmm. At one point, I would take that career path. I don't know.
I've just never liked to like, dress like anybody. There's a new term to it, like y alternative or alternative Western, all Western. I've always kind of had that identity, you know, a little country, a little alternative. And when I shop, I actually look for pieces that. Like this would go good with another piece that I already have at home.
I don't think like, oh, I like this top. I think, what could I wear with it? And so, I don't know, I just like to look [00:12:00] a little bit different and dress great. How I wanna dress works a little mix of
Sydney Collins: whatever. we need to connect you with a brook terrapin. So she is in Alma, Kansas. She's a former Miss Kansas and Miss Kansas Rodeo.
or sorry, miss Kansas Rodeo. And then miss uh. USA rodeo. Sorry. but she is a designer and she does western wear and she also does kind of custom work that I think would really be up your alley. So I'll need to get you her info. She's a former guest. Yeah. Um, we were able to. Interview her last year, but, um, I would love
Colby: that.
Sydney Collins: 'cause
Colby: I will be filming an alma soon, so. Oh, cool. Okay.
Gus Applequist: Perfect. Make you some cheese. Yes, cheese and clothes. Clothes. What
Colby: any girl wants, you know, I'll say I, I do love to shop and. This job takes me all over. So I get a shop at so many cool like boutiques. Oh, I'm sure I tore up the thrift stores in northwest Kansas though.
Like I have a car full Oh yeah. Of stuff that I got, um, at the thrift stores. Mm-hmm. [00:13:00] Which, you know, people are traveling for thrift stores. Like it's, it's a thing now. It is. And even the younger generation, like, they love it. Like, and a lot of communities don't realize that. They're like, why does somebody wanna visit our.
Local church thrift store. It's like, 'cause you have amazing things. Mm-hmm. And good deals and people love the hunt. So.
Sydney Collins: Well, and we're getting, I'm gonna, we're totally getting off topic here, but I, I, I, I feel like we're in this place kind of economy-wise. We're like, everything is so expensive. Mm-hmm. We're also at that place where like every high schooler that you look at right now looks like they're from 1989.
Yes. With the jeans and the crop tops And we're like, you can probably find all that stuff at the thrift store.
Colby: Oh yeah. And I, I love it. I love that they're doing it, but yeah. One, saving money, but also just like the thought of like, our landfills and repurpose just over consumerism you know, it's just like, how can I.
You know, help out and make part and buy used clothes that are cool. Yeah. But I agree. I love that the nineties, eighties look is back in. I love it so [00:14:00] much. I'm here for it. Yeah.
Sydney Collins: All
Colby: of it. Yeah. I think it looks awesome. Mullets,
Sydney Collins: you know, my, uh, I love and we're, we're really getting off topic, but I love this so much.
Doesn't matter is when you see the family of mullets, the dad has the mullet, the kids have the mullets, and the mom is just there in she, she, you just see it, her face, bullet time. Yeah. And she goes, it's fine. I love it. And it's a vibe and yeah. Yeah. Little boys with
Colby: mullets are adorable.
Sydney Collins: When I see a rat tail, rat tail in the in the wild is interesting.
It's very wild. I've tried to get my boys, they will not
Colby: do it. I'm like, that would be sweet. Not many people have rat tails that that hasn't made a comeback. It hasn't.
[00:15:00]
Gus Applequist: Do you have any favorite, uh, vintage or well vintage or thrift stores in Kansas that you Oh yeah. One, like if you're going by, that's number one place you always gotta stop.
Colby: Oh yeah. So many, um, like locally, wild Man Vintage in Lawrence or a TCI, it's hard for me to be there and not just stop.
Mm-hmm. I do so much thrift shopping. I literally have a car full of stuff that I got at the very, just go grab it all and we'll show everyone. Um, I got some really cool pictures there too. Uh, that's so hard 'cause I, I love the sub. I'm trying to think. I scored really good at one recently. I'm trying to remember what community I was in.
Um, I don't know if it was Emporia. I just love to stop, like if I have time, I wanna go to the local thrift store, local coffee shops, breweries, and thrift stores. Like that's my mm-hmm. Personal jam.
Sydney Collins: What about [00:16:00] food? Like food?
Kansas Food Adventures
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Sydney Collins: Have you, what's kind of your go-to, you travel so much, how do you know where to stop when there's so many options, so.
Colby: One, our website, we have the, um, like partner communities. Mm-hmm. Um, tag if something's like a local favorite. Um, so that's my go-to. I actually, I gotta check something off my foodie bucket list the past couple days. Mm-hmm. When I was in St. Francis, uh, one of the nights I went to Big Ed's Steakhouse in Bird City.
Mm-hmm. And that was my first time there. You know, that's one of the most famous steakhouse in, in Kansas, so I didn't know that. Yes. And so I got, I gotta have my Big Eds moment. Which I was super excited about. I'm a cheeseburger girl. Okay. Like, I like greasy dive Yep. Cafe type stuff. so a lot of times when I go into communities, like I love the nice eateries, the urban stuff, like that's nice, but I am fine with going to like the local dive bar if they have like a good burger or steak or whatever it's known for.
Mm-hmm. so I'm foody in that sense. but I'm also, I'm a Kansas girl, so I [00:17:00] love steak. Mm-hmm. So if I hear that like this. Place has a good steak. I'm
Sydney Collins: gonna order it. Well, what makes, you said Ed's big. Ed's. Big Ed's. What makes his be like the best?
Colby: So I sourcing local for one. Oh, okay. The way they cook it, the way they season it, I mean it just cut like butter.
It had amazing flavor and just the vibe. It's one of those places you walk in and you're like, this is cool. Like you could see like a TV show being filmed there or something. It just cool vibes. when there's places like that, that have that history in the field of the building, like it somehow you feel it when you walk in.
Mm-hmm. You know, when I walked in it was like eight o'clock at night. Um, there were still tons of people in there. There's like big groups hanging out. There were people at the bar eating and drinking and you're talking, you know, bird City, Kansas on a Wednesday night and you know, like that place had that going on.
Mm-hmm. I'm like, this is just cool.
Kansas History and Fun Facts
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Gus Applequist: brother-in-law, uh, isn't originally from the US and he tells this story of, uh, he had to go out to western Kansas on business [00:18:00] one day and he was driving out there and he just kind of had like this little panic attack because the sky was so big.
Like where he's from, you know, there's trees and mountains and stuff. And so, uh, he's just like, all I could see was sky from left to right. Filling my view and I was just like, where am I? What am I doing? So, so my question for you is like, as you've traveled to the corners of the state mm-hmm. Uh, what, what have been, or what was one of your kind of big sky moments where you're just like, oh wow, I'm in Kansas right now.
Colby: Oh, there's so many. So I love the Flint Hills. There's just something about that area. You know, if I'm ever hiking in there or driving through there, you know, I'll be like. The sky looks perfect. It's giant. You know, you're coming up on some of those hills and you feel like you're like driving into the sky.
Um, I think the first place that I had that moment was Castle Rock.
Gus Applequist: Mm-hmm.
Colby: you know, everyone talks about Monument Rocks. Mm-hmm. You know, and it's awesome. I love Monument Rocks, but like, I hadn't heard a lot of people talk about Castle Rock, and I'm like, these formations look really cool. Like, how come you don't hear about 'em?
And so I [00:19:00] did the, you know, 20 minute drive off I 70 out there. Mm-hmm. And I think that was, it. Is that was that moment. And I've gone back. I, I'm like, I need to do a sunrise here. I need to do a sunset here. but I feel like that is that place that kind of just hit me like, this is really cool and not a lot of people know about it, which I should say I've been out there 10 times.
I think of those 10 times. There's only been two times where other people were even there. Like every time I go, I have the whole place to myself.
Gus Applequist: When I think about those rock formations like that, I always think of like the, the wagon trains like circled up near there. Oh yeah. Because I, I think some of those were on the trails at some point because they're way points and stuff on they walking trail.
Yeah,
Colby: yeah. Imagine like walking across prairie for days on end and then you just like see that.
Gus Applequist: Yeah.
Colby: Like they had to be like magical. Yeah. And like, oh my gosh, I see something. 'cause you know that we wouldn't have had trees back then, right? Yeah. So. I'm sure that was really like a cool moment for them.
Sydney Collins: And that's another thing a lot of Kansans probably don't know, [00:20:00] is like there were no trees here and like we had to bring trees to Kansas. Right. Like the majority of the state did not have trees. Shock country, like Yeah.
Gus Applequist: That's where they were so desperate for fences that they literally cut rocks out of the ground Yeah.
To make this. Yeah.
Colby: And a lot of settlers brought over. Those trees, they dropped them. Yeah. Like tumbleweeds aren't even native, I don't think to To North America.
You know, so there's, there are some stuff like that that, yeah, like, I don't, that's what I don't get. They're like, oh, settlers brought 'em up.
Like, how were they just dropping seeds? Were they like, you know what I mean? Like, was it just like tumbleweed for you, tumbleweed For you? How was it like fibers on their clothing and as they walked it just shed,
Sydney Collins: I, I imagine like. The wagon, the wheel just got bent up. They couldn't take the wagon any further. And so they're was like, well, we can't take the seeds with us.
So like, here we go. Like that's kind of the visual I have. Like, well, we can't waste 'em like the Yeah, I've never seed for you, seed
Colby: for you. I need to do the research. Like how did this truly happen? Like this doesn't say they [00:21:00] brought over seeds like I need to know.
Sydney Collins: I think I played the Oregon Trail one too many times in like first grade, and I feel like all of my.
Like Midwest history is like from the Oregon Trail, so I probably should actually do some legit stuff rather than everyone dying of hysteria or something like that, because that's relatable. I remember playing that game state fight
Colby: and you know, that was like, we really didn't have video games, so being able to play that at school on a computer was the coolest thing ever.
It was the coolest thing. Yeah,
Sydney Collins: I remember David, they remember stuff from that game. I remember, going to the computer lab. When we were still in elementary school and the biggest thing they wanted us to learn was how to type.
Colby: Yep.
Sydney Collins: They're like, you need to learn how to type.
Nostalgic School Memories
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Sydney Collins: And we're like the words per minute test.
Yes. Mm-hmm. And we were there like in fifth and sixth grade and we're like, okay. And then in middle school you still had computer lab? Mm-hmm. And, and I remember one day, yeah, I think he's still there. He is the tennis coach at South High. he's like, well, don't really have anything going on today, so we're gonna teach you [00:22:00] how to trade stocks and bonds.
'cause you passed all your, your typing tests. We're like, cool. So he, he showed us what stocks and bonds were one day and I was like, okay, cool. Is a great curriculum, which is like curriculum. It's crazy. I mean, that's amazing. Like that's really cool. No one's ever explained that to me. But anyway,
Kansas Day Traditions
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Gus Applequist: So do you have any, um, like traditions for Kansas Day? I imagine Kansas Day means a little bit more to you since you work.
Colby: Yeah, kinda in
Gus Applequist: the field.
Colby: I normally do a post, you know, something with a little bit of, a little emotional. Mm-hmm. Um, I always look forward to it. 'cause you know, in schools they still like.
Do the little coloring sheet. So my kids come home with, um, their cute little Kansas Day stuff, and then I always take it to the office and take down what they did last year. so I, I don't feel like I have like one set tradition, you know? I do like take a moment to be like, you know, Kansas is pretty cool.
Mm-hmm. I have this really cool job and there's all these great things. It kind of helps me more like internally just like reset and focus. Mm-hmm. Um, especially coming off the holidays and how busy stuff is, and. Sometimes, you know, I just get wrapped up. I travel so much for this job that I [00:23:00] need those moments where I'm like, okay, this is why I'm doing it, this is why.
So it's kind of more like what Kansas Day is for me, but I do celebrate. I'll do a social media post, share a video, but
Gus Applequist: So if I was a social media influencer from elsewhere mm-hmm.
Planning a Kansas Trip for Influencers
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Gus Applequist: And I was coming to Kansas and I had four days to spend, where, how would you break up that trip for that kind of person?
Colby: Yeah, so one, we always ask them just like audience, you know, insights. Like, what, what do they like to see?
What are you, you know, what do you like, show showing them all that. we, we try and promote like regionally if we can, like north, we Northwest north, central Northeast or like stuff like Highway 36 or I 70. so once we go through all those questions, we always try and do a mix of, you know, if like, they're just like general influencers, like all things travel.
Like, we always like, okay, they need these foodie spots, they need these breweries or distilleries, they need to go to these outdoor attractions. so we try to have a pretty good mix in there. And so many of them, they're, it's a lot of outdoor content, which I understand because people do, you know, travel for that.
[00:24:00] Or if you're passing through Kansas, you know, you wanna get out, stretch your legs, um, not necessarily go, um. You know, sit at a cafe or whatever it may be. but those are some of our initial questions, but we try and keep them in a region or two.
We don't say you cannot cross this county, you have to stay southwest.
But, you know, we, we try and keep 'em. Even when I host someone, when I bring media in, we'll be in a region for like four and a half days. It's not enough time. Mm-hmm. Like at all. We don't get to see even half of, you know, everything available.
Challenges of Traveling in Kansas
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Gus Applequist: I've found with like folks from Europe, they don't understand the scale of our state.
Sydney Collins: No. Or America sometimes. True. Yeah.
Colby: Yeah. They, they're like, okay, so I'm going to, be in the Flint Hills this day and then for lunch I'm gonna be, and it's like way west. Or they don't understand also just like the transportation.
Like you have to be able to drive and have a car, They're like, oh, I can take a train from this. part of the state And we're like, I, I So wish we could do that for you, you could, you'd have to leave at 2:00 AM But [00:25:00] yeah,
Sydney Collins: do you feel like that's a deterrent for a lot of people?
Colby: possibly.
something that I've had to like, think about 'cause it's not a concern for me. People that don't like driving by themselves, but also driving rural or even driving gravel roads. Mm-hmm. Um, we have a lot of attractions, so I've had to put myself in that mindset just because. When you grow up in a state of the size, you know, you just, you drive, that's what you do.
Mm-hmm. Um, so I, I don't ever like naturally think like, oh, this could inhibit somebody, or somebody wouldn't like driving at night by themselves in the middle of nowhere.
Gus Applequist: Mm-hmm.
Colby: That's understandable. But I, I think so for sure. Um, but Kansas is such a road trip state. I feel like people coming here or driving through here know that.
Mm-hmm. And you know, a lot of our visitors, if they are going to the metro areas, they have great services. Mm-hmm. You know, Wichita, Kansas City, Lawrence, you're able to Uber or whatever You may Yeah. May need to do, but I, I, I do think so. And I think [00:26:00] that's any Midwest state,
Sydney Collins: the transportation. That's true.
Yeah. Especially when you get up in like North Dakota and Montana and where it's really rural. Yeah.
Winter Adventures in Kansas
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Sydney Collins: Are there, what's your favorite winter
Colby: spots? Ooh, for Kansas State Parks? I love staying in state parks in the winter. Really? The cabins. Really? Yes. The cab. 'cause they, uh, I think all of them, like their cabins are open.
You're able to stay. There's heat in there. I like hiking more in the winter. Mm-hmm. one like no ticks. I'm not a spider girl. Girl. That's a good, yeah, that's a really good, I'm not a spider girl, but I love the woods. But also, um, I had a run in with a rattlesnake. About a year and a half ago. Mm-hmm.
And that really made me kind of pause about, um, hiking during certain seasons. Mm-hmm. And so I'm more adventurous in the winter
Sydney Collins: and it's pretty That's a good point. Yeah. Yeah. You could probably steal that more without all the tree coverage and all the trees. Yeah. Shed too.
Colby: And nothing hits better than like, hiking in that, like, cold, The deep breaths, the feel of it like [00:27:00] that,
Gus Applequist: I've noticed that like the native grasses have a lot deeper colors in the winter too. Mm-hmm. Like, there's like a richness there that's, it's really nice.
Colby: Yeah.
And just the texture of winter, like if there is ice or snow, it's so pretty. Mm-hmm. Like I don't look at like, everything's dead. This sucks. Like, no, this is beautiful. I love it. I think it's so cool. But yeah,
Surprising Facts About Kansas
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Gus Applequist: What surprises people when they come to Kansas?
Rex Buchanan talked about how uh, he would lead and still does, I think, lead these geological tours mm-hmm. Of Kansas. Uh. A lot of times people came in with, with no preconceptions about Kansas was.
Yeah. And I think that's so interesting 'cause 'cause we are all kind of, we know what the preconceptions going on are. Yeah. So I'm interested in, in Yeah. What surprises people.
Colby: Mm-hmm. So I think one, just how progressive we are. Like when we start talking about like some history and some movements and how we've been pivotal and so many different movements.
But also I think that those outdoor. Experiences, the formations, the different topography from Southeast. I think all [00:28:00] that definitely does, but I think also people realize, that even though we are the bread basket, you know, farmers and ranchers, that it's all kinds of people, you know, that, and so they're getting a look into kind of like the ag, but it's changing what they think.
You know, it's not mm-hmm. What, you know, what I hear them say, like, we just thought ever would be like a bumpkin on a tractor. And it's like, like, well, there's tractors involved, but you know that there's
Gus Applequist: really smart people on tractors, really smart people out
Colby: there, and there's, you know, culture and all of that.
So I think that gives them a, a, good look into what Midwest is truly like, you know, not what they've seen or heard, but I think it's like the outdoor stuff, just the different topography. and people are surprised by our big cities too, you know, our urban opportunities. They're like, this feels like a big city, but cooler.
I'm like, yeah, Midwest, big cities are cool. There's just a vibe. so I think whenever people come here, they're surprised on so many different levels. It's not like this one big one. They're like, I wouldn't expect this. I wasn't [00:29:00] expecting this. And that's what's cool and that's why I love hosting media, to get that reaction and travel with them and.
And we do. We have people that we've hosted, you know, three, four times. They wanna come back and see different parts of the state and I love that.
Sydney Collins: kind of an off the wall question then I, 'cause I dunno if this actually happens.
Celebrity Encounters and Kansas Destinations
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Sydney Collins: Do you guys have any like celebrities or anything that'll reach out to you guys and be like, Hey, I wanna travel here. What should I do? No, are you allowed to say that? Are you allowed to tell me those names? No.
Colby: I remember like eight years ago a celebrity like, liked one of our posts and we nerded out. But I think that's like the furthest, I think it's like the furthest it's gone. at Leavenworth, the musician, the girl, um, oh, Melissa Etheridge. Melissa Eridge. I think she like, liked or commented mm-hmm. On something and we were like,
Gus Applequist: but that's it.
Colby: Yeah. I wish they would. How cool would that be?
Gus Applequist: We have goals, right? Yeah, we
Colby: do. We just need to slide into their dms, I guess.
Gus Applequist: Yeah.
Colby: Hey, Paul Rudd, Kansas. Yeah. Paul Rudd. Hey, Paul Rudd. Do you [00:30:00] want to go to the Garden of Eden? You know? No, that's,
Sydney Collins: that's
Colby: interesting. Mental life that would, I
Sydney Collins: would love to see Paul Rudd at the Garden of Eden. Like, do you wanna see Lucas, Kansas? Oh
Or even Rob, Rob Riggle would be a funny one to take to the Garden of Eden. Yes.
Gus Applequist: I agree. Come up with some great ideas here, guys. Somebody should be having, so our,
Colby: we have our line, we're gonna slide in. Yeah. They're all gonna be like, did you get a text that, or a message asking?
If you wanna go to the Garden of Eden in the middle of Kansas, we're just gonna stick with that one line and use it on everybody. Yeah. We just
Gus Applequist: have to promise there's like No, no cults involved. No, it's just a, yeah. Funky yard. A
Sydney Collins: concrete area with some mummies. Yeah, it would be fine. Yeah. Are they technically mummified isn't that natural? His why? Yeah. That's buried there or, and him.
Colby: Well, he's in that clear. He's in the tomb. Yeah. Yeah.
Sydney Collins: In the clear. I don't know if you can see him or not. You can mausoleum. Yeah. Mausoleum, that's the word. Mm-hmm. They cleaned the
Gus Applequist: glass. Huh? I remember there was a time when was [00:31:00] there.
Yeah. You couldn't see through. It was kind of, yeah. '
Sydney Collins: cause it was the gases.
Colby: You can see,
Sydney Collins: you can see. We'll have to look that up now.
Colby: What creeps me out the most is just the hair. Yeah. The, that, the hair's still there. The hair, I don't know why. Mm-hmm. every time I, I know that's my face. I'm like, but what a cool town.
Yeah.
Sydney Collins: Oh yeah. You know, the key into it, love. I rem I, my grandparents took us there when we were, I don't know, eight or nine maybe, and seeing that place as a kid, you're like, okay. Interesting thing to build, but then like as you get older, you're like, oh, that was actually pretty significant of like art and his views and, and you think of it from an adult lens, but as a kid you're like, this is weird.
Gus Applequist: Yeah. You kinda think of adults as normal and then you realize that, that there are adults that are different. Mm-hmm. And he's one of 'em.
Colby: Mm-hmm. Yeah. A lot of layers. Yeah. A lot of layers. Yeah. But good on Lucas for just Oh, totally. Owning, [00:32:00] embracing that, you know, just building it and adding to it and, mm-hmm.
You know, it's one of my favorite towns to explore. I mean, there's like seven, eight. Different stops that mm-hmm. Like when I'm there filming or media that we go to mm-hmm. In that tiny little town,
Gus Applequist: where else is a toilet? A destination?
Colby: Yeah, exactly.
Sydney Collins: I love that place. That needs to be a tagline for them.
Where else is a toilet? A destination?
Gus Applequist: Well, thank you so much for taking time today. Yeah. To stop in and, and share with us.
Colby: Appreciate. Yeah. Appreciate it. Happy Kansas Day to you guys. Yay. Thank you. So like, that's a salutation we should do. So Happy Kansas Day. Happy Kansas.
[00:33:00]
Gus Applequist: We hope you enjoyed that interview with Colby. Uh, it was, it was really fun just getting to, uh, to know kby and, and her style. Colby
Sydney Collins: is just so cool.
Gus Applequist: Yep.
Sydney Collins: And. It was really hard for me not just to stare at her hair mm-hmm. And be like, you're just so pretty. And then I, and then I was like, do you think I could pull off kind of the braid, kinda her style?
And I'm like, I don't think I could. I think you have to be Colby in old in order. And to have that much essence of cool. And, and, but, but here's the thing, it's 'cause she's traveled so much. I feel like, I feel like people who travel a lot just have this essence of them, of like, mm-hmm. They understand different cultures and different areas and just, I don't know.
Mm-hmm.
Gus Applequist: There's like a certain like effortlessness that being cool requires and she's, she's got it. She's got it. She's got it. Yep. Well, are you ready for, uh, I am a segment. Okay.
Who's That Kansan? High Flying Edition
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Gus Applequist: My segment today is, who's that? Kansan.
Sydney Collins: Oh
man. [00:34:00]
Gus Applequist: High flying edition today, folks.
Sydney Collins: High Flying Edition.
High flying edition. Oh goodness.
Gus Applequist: So let's get our first Mr. Kansan up. Uh, so I'm gonna start a little easy. We'll see if you can get it.
Sydney Collins: Oh,
that's Amelia Earhart. You don't even have to that, that silhouette is Amelia Earhart. But you have to understand, I'm impressed. Like I'm impressed. My, my stepdad, grew up in Atchison, so I've been to Atchison, I've been to all the museums.
So, yeah, obviously that is Amelia.
Gus Applequist: Totally fair. I'm, I guess I'm going to read this still's not, yeah, go ahead and read. It's just in case people don't know who she is. And I'll just substitute this Kansan for Amelia Earhart was born and raised in Atchison, a small river town that probably never expected to shape the future of global aviation.
Growing up there at the turn of the 20th century, she became captivated by flight at a time when airplanes were steer, were still experimental and dangerous. Um. Yeah. Her disappearance during an around the world attempt turned her into a [00:35:00] legend. But her courage, curiosity, ambition, were forged squarely in Kansas.
Okay. We'll go on to our second then, since you're so good at the first one.
Sydney Collins: I will do a little shout out. Okay. Of the Amelia Earhart, um, the house that she grew up in
Gus Applequist: Uhhuh,
Sydney Collins: um, is a museum, but. It's really good at engaging kids, which you wouldn't think of 'cause there's a lot of things that you're not supposed to touch in there.
But what they did is they have like a little bingo card Oh wow. With pictures on it, and the kids are supposed to look at the picture and find that thing in the house. It's like, oh, find this vase from her mom, or something like that. Or here's a picture over a great-grandpa. Or find that, and so the kids have their little bingo cards and you go around it.
It's really cool. And if you do it in the summer, it's on the Sunflower Summer app. So. Nice. All the, uh, airhart museums are on there. Anyway, sorry. No. Shameless plug. No, that was, I love me some, Amelia. That's great.
Gus Applequist: Yeah. Okay. So our second mystery, Kansan grew up on a farm near Rego. I [00:36:00] believe, I, I've never been to rego, um, where mechanical curiosity and self-reliance were necessities, not hobbies, largely self-taught.
They believed airplanes should be practical machines, affordable, dependable, and useful for everyday people. Those ideas led them to build aircraft in Kansas that emphasize simplicity and performance. Laying the groundwork for an aviation empire. Their work helped establish Wichita. Is the air capital of the world a title that still defines Kansas aviation today?
Oh, it's, there's, there's several people. This could be in all honesty.
Sydney Collins: Yeah.
Gus Applequist: Um, so just pick a famous brand and go with it.
Sydney Collins: I was gonna say Lear.
Gus Applequist: Okay. Not a bad guess. this is actually Clyde Cessna of
Sydney Collins: Oh, obviously Cessna. Yeah. I should've went. Yeah. Should Cessna first I thought
Gus Applequist: about, about, Beech and there's, there's plenty of people.
It could be. Okay. Our third, Mr. Kansan grew up in Chapman, a small town far removed from rocket engines and supersonic flight. From those beginnings, they became one of America's most [00:37:00] accomplished test pilots flying some of the fastest and most experimental aircraft ever built. That experience layer led them to NASA, where they flew several space shuttle missions and commanded one of them.
Their career represents a straight line from Kansas farmland to the edge of space,
Sydney Collins: so obviously an astronaut. Yep.
Gus Applequist: Yeah.
Sydney Collins: Alive still.
Gus Applequist: Um, I bel actually, I'm not sure to be honest with you. Um, I, I don't blame you for not like these, these are a little bit harder
Sydney Collins: too. Yeah. But I should know this one. Like I'm, I have a feeling like if I would've paid more attention at the Cosmosphere, I probably would know this name
Gus Applequist: possibly.
Uh, okay. So this is Joe Engle.
Sydney Collins: Joe Engle, okay. Yeah, I have heard of that name. Yeah.
Gus Applequist: Yeah. I think, if I remember correctly, um.
Sydney Collins: That is it, that is some good looking hair, Joe.
Gus Applequist: Yeah, I mean, this, this was in that.
Sydney Collins: Yeah,
Gus Applequist: he's dead. Oh, okay. Joe has passed. Um, but Joe is one of those kind of early mavericks of the space [00:38:00] program and, uh, went to the edge of space with some of those supersonic planes where a lot of people passed amazing accidents.
Okay, moving on to number four. Uh, this Kansan was born in Topeka and spent nearly two decades representing Kansas in the United States Senate. While they never piloted an aircraft, they were instrumental in keeping Kansas at the center of America's aerospace economy. They consistently advocated for aviation, manufacturing, aerospace research, and defense related flight programs, work that protected jobs and strengthened Wichita's aircraft industry, and ensured that Kansas remained nationally relevant in aerospace policy.
Their influence helped shape the conditions that allowed other high flying Kansans to take off.
Sydney Collins: Okay. I'm just gonna to fill all, uh, the people in at home who aren't watching. I'm only seeing silhouettes of these people. True, true. So here's my first like, little thing as you were reading that. Mm-hmm. It's obviously a woman 'cause there's an earring there.
Mm-hmm. [00:39:00] I'm gonna guess it's like the eighties. 'cause those shoulder pads are something fierce.
Gus Applequist: You're doing really well
Sydney Collins: and it looks like she's looking through like binoculars or taking a picture.
Gus Applequist: Okay.
Sydney Collins: And she's got short hair.
Gus Applequist: Yep. It's all very astute, but I had
Sydney Collins: zero idea who it is.
Gus Applequist: You, you'll probably have heard of her.
Her name is, uh, Nancy Kassebaum and
Sydney Collins: Nancy. Oh, she's tucking it behind her ear. Dang. Yeah. Nancy
Gus Applequist: is, I think 93 today. Still alive, um, as far as I know. And, uh, Nancy was a, was a very prominent politician from Kansas, very well known. Um, and, and worked with Bob Dole here in, before his passing. Oh, okay. Uh, kind of.
She, she's been a little bit more on the left side of things and, and he was more on the right side of things and so they, they worked together to try to get people to talk to each other. Yeah. Which was cool. So that's Nancy and I think, yeah, I'd love to, to learn more about Nancy 'cause I think she's been a, a really positive influence in our state.
Alright. The last [00:40:00] Kansan.
Sydney Collins: Oh goodness.
Gus Applequist: This Kansan was born in Ottawa and would go on to become the literal, highest flying Kansan in history. As a NASA astronaut, they traveled into orbit multiple times and played a direct role in deploying and servicing the Hubble Space Telescope, floating hundreds of miles above the earth.
They helped unlock a clearer view of the universe itself measured purely by altitude. No Kansan has ever gone farther from home.
Sydney Collins: This is a name I should know.
Gus Applequist: Would you like a hint?
Sydney Collins: Sure.
Gus Applequist: This astronaut lived in Salina during the time. Yeah, that was my, that was,
Sydney Collins: I was, I probably passed this little.
Billboard every time I drive in.
Gus Applequist: I'll let you off the hook. This is astronaut. Steve Holly. Steve Holly.
Sydney Collins: God.
Gus Applequist: Yeah. So, so Steve was I, I'm going to just briefly give you a little more information on Steve. 'cause I'm a big Steve fan. Um, Steve is from Salina. Uh, he actually, one of our church friends live in the [00:41:00] house that he grew up in.
Oh wow. Uh, on Santa Fe. Um, it also happens to be the house where he married. Uh, his, his his wife. Uh, they got divorced eventually, but his wife, um, was Sally Ride, the first US astronaut, uh, first female US astronaut. Really? Yeah. Um, and he's a, he was a physics professor and um, and I think still is at ku, so, yeah.
And my, uh. My mom probably doesn't want me saying this, but my mom dated his roommate in college.
That's funny. So that is a, uh, another, uh, fun, hopefully round of who's at Kansan. I, I throw hard curve balls at you. So that was, yeah, that was tough. It was, it was a tough one. It was a tough one.
Sydney Collins: Obviously Amelia is the only person I know and I'm not very good at at reading billboards when I drive in.
That's fine.
Closing Remarks and Farewell
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Gus Applequist: Well, thanks for tuning into another episode of Ask Ksan.
Sydney Collins: Please make sure to liked and subscribe. [00:42:00] Um, do whatever you gotta do to keep the no notifications coming
Gus Applequist: and, uh, check out the Curious Ksan newsletter on our website. And if you liked podcast, we would love a positive review. Yes, that would be great.
Yes,
Sydney Collins: ask a ksan.com.
Gus Applequist: Well, thanks for tuning in. Have a great day and happy Kansas Day
Sydney Collins: and also with you.