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When Colorado leaf-peeping season ends, head for Kansas

Published

3 months ago

October 6, 2024

When Colorado leaf-peeping season ends, head for Kansas

I grew up in the Midwest, and if there’s one thing I really miss, it’s the long, drawn-out falls of years past. Here in Colorado, autumn is a blip, a frantic shoulder season that usually includes one nightmarish day stuck in I-70 traffic with my kids, all of us racing to Kenosha Pass, hoping to arrive before the last aspen leaves drop.

Back home, the harvest period is expansive. Authoritative, even. Fall stretches itself out like a lazy cat that won’t budge, and there’s never any rush to peep the silver and sugar maples, native bur oaks, ash, giant sycamores, American elms and Eastern redbuds, with their bifurcated trunks and leaves as yellow as sunbeams.

Trees are everywhere in the Midwest, so it’s no wonder Nearmap, an aerial technology company, recently ranked one of Denver’s closest capital cities, Topeka, Kan., as one of the top “leafiest” capitals in the U.S.

Tree canopy shades more than 30% of The Golden City, making it a forest metropolitan, according to Bob Ross of the Greater Topeka Partnership. Early settlers gave Topeka its nickname upon observing its sunlit rolling hills and autumn elms. Mother Nature doesn’t feel rushed in Kansas: Glimmering leaves can glow into Thanksgiving, in a fierce rainbow of red, deep orange, gold, lingering green, purple and rich brown.

The skyline of Topeka in early October as the leaves begin to change for the season. (Courtesy of Evert Nelson)

Bright days and cool nights seem to bring out the best colors, and according to a 2024 fall foliage prediction map created by Smoky Mountains National Park, smokymountains.com, the northern half of Kansas will begin to see leaves change in early to mid-October. Full peak is expected between Oct. 30 and Nov. 6, with a partial peak happening the week before. Leaves should continue popping well into November. For families and budget travelers — or any Coloradans who just can’t resist a bonus round of leaf peeping — Topeka is only a road trip away.

Here’s the first thing I really want you to know: Topeka has one 4-star boutique hotel, the Cyrus Hotel, 920 S. Kansas Ave., a Marriott property in the heart of downtown with views of the Kansas Capitol Dome. Rooms start at about $189 a night, and I don’t think I have to tell any Denverites that this is a screeching good deal for luxury rooms and service.

“If that’s too much, there’s always — ” Ross begins. I try to stop him right there, but he’s insistent. Two even more affordable Topeka lodging options are the SpringHill Suites Topeka Southwest, 2745 SW Fairlawn Road, and the Hilton Garden Inn, 1351 SW Arvonia Place.

In addition to offering upscale accommodations, the Cyrus’ lobby, with its high ceilings and modern aesthetic, opens to a variety of restaurants and bars, all plotted along South Kansas Avenue, Topeka’s main street, running from the Kansas River to the turnpike. A few suggestions for meals within walking distance of this hotel include Iron Rail, 705 S. Kansas Ave.; The Celtic Fox, 118 SW Eighth Ave.; Brew Bank, 822 S. Kansas Ave.; The White Linen, 112 SW Sixth Ave., with its compact, chef-driven menu; and a new wine and champagne bar, Royal Society, 913 S. Kansas Ave.

Topeka is ready for its close-up. Over the last decade, the city has invested about $500 million in its historic downtown district, Ross tells me. Evergy (not a typo) Plaza, 630 S. Kansas Ave., opened in 2020, and this newish public venue, complete with interactive fountains and a firepit, offers 400 events a year, including a free concert series on Thursdays, Friday night movie screening (April through October), and regular cultural events, including Fiesta Topeka in July and India Mela in August. On Oct. 19, Evergy Plaza hosts its Outset event, with trick-or-treating, live music and vendors.

There are plenty of ways to experience fall colors in Kansas, but for active Coloradans, hiking stands out as a familiar and enjoyable option. Start your adventure by climbing 296 steps at the Kansas Capitol Dome, 300 SW 10th Ave., where tourists gain a bird’s-eye view of the town’s forests. Free tours take guests to the peak of the dome. Walk outside onto the cupola to see up to 20 miles in any direction. Fun fact: The Kansas Statehouse is the only U.S. capitol building where guests can go up to the top of the dome and walk along the outside balcony.

From here, it’s a 1.5-mile drive to Ward-Meade Historic Site, 124 NW Fillmore St., one of the best places in town to see fall colors. Park in the lot off NW Clay Street, and start your day by strolling through history at Old Prairie Town. The 1800s village is part of a 6-acre historic site that includes the Ward-Meade mansion, a national historic landmark and a 2.5-acre botanic garden shaded by a variety of trees. Paved trails take walkers through several distinct zones, including a national conifer reference garden.

The Kansas Children's Discovery Center features a 4.5-acre outdoor adventure area with a pirate ship, tree house, music garden and more. (Provided by Kansas Children's Discovery Center) — The Kansas Children’s Discovery Center features a 4.5-acre outdoor adventure area with a pirate ship, tree house, music garden and more. (Provided by Kansas Children’s Discovery Center)

A few minutes past Ward Meade Historic Park, there’s Gage Park, 635 SW Gage Blvd., a great place for families to enjoy the colors while riding on a historic mini-train or taking a spin on the Herschell-Spillman carousel (circa 1908). You’ll find the inexpensive Topeka Zoo on the northeast corner of Gage Park — a destination for kid-approved leaf peeping. If you’re vying for caregiver of the year, check out the Kansas Children’s Discovery Center, 4400 SW 10th Ave., which maintains an incredible outdoor space for curious young guests.

Continue west to MacLennan Park, SW Fairlawn and Cedar Crest Drive, in northwest Topeka. There are multiple places to park, including along Sixth Street, just west of Fairlawn Road. I’d recommend starting up north, though, near the Governor’s Mansion, aka Cedar Crest, a castle-like estate built on a 244-acre wildlife refuge overlooking the Kansas River.

You’ll see some spectacular color from the moment you step out of your vehicle. From here, hikers gain access to the Cedar Crest, Governor’s Mansion and MacLennan trails, offering miles of looping dirt and limestone singletrack that drop you into the colorful timber. The terrain is mild by Colorado hiking standards, but still enjoyable and drop-dead gorgeous this time of the year. Since the Kansas River is currently experiencing low water levels, it’s possible to walk onto the riverbed and explore the sandbars.

While you’re on this side of town, continue down SW Sixth Avenue to reach the Kansas Museum of History, 6425 SW Sixth Ave. The museum is currently closed to the public through January as it undergoes a major redevelopment. But the building sits on an 80-acre lot featuring a modest, absolutely lovely trail system bypassing the historic one-room Stach School from 1877.

Colorful trees and foliage change color at the Ted Ensley Gardens at Lake Shawnee on Sept. 30, 2024. (Courtesy of Evert Nelson)

You’ll have to drive across town to reach the Ted Ensley Gardens, 3650 SE West Edge Road, a 37-plus-acre free botanical garden featuring panoramic views of Lake Shawnee. With more than 450 trees in its arboretum, including 87 varieties rare to Kansas, it’s hard to image a better place to stroll through fall foliage. Golfers can do their leaf peeping from the links since the Lake Shawnee Golf Course, 4141 SE East Edge Road, is surrounded by trees. Cyclists, meanwhile, might want to enjoy the colors from the Shunga Trail, an 8.5-mile concrete path beginning at SW 29th and SW McClure, continuing to the Deer Creek Trail, which offers another 3.7 miles of riding in East Topeka.

If you’re up for a side trip, Echo Cliff Park, 24927 Echo Cliff Road, located near Dover, Kansas, is only about 30 minutes west of Topeka. You won’t regret the stunning country drive to the site’s 50-foot cliffs. For a taste of Kansas, picnickers can grab a sandwich or salad at Somerset Hall Café, 5701 SW Douglas Road, open daily until 2 p.m. Housed in a can’t-miss-it white building that opened as the Sage General Store in the late 1800s, the homestyle restaurant dishes up one of the best pies in America, I’m told. You can also order chicken fried steak, and you’re in the Midwest, so why not?

About 30 miles east of Topeka, the college town of Lawrence is another fun pit stop. Grab lunch at one of the many restaurants lining Massachusetts Street before renting a SUP or kayak for some leaf-peeping on the river. Great Blue Heron Outdoors, 823 Massachusetts St., is a reputable local outfitter.

Cedar Crest, the official governor's residence in Kansas, is situated on more than 200 acres of public park land. (Provided by Visit Topeka) — Cedar Crest, the official governor’s residence in Kansas, is situated on more than 200 acres of public park land. (Provided by Visit Topeka)

In Colorado, fall isn’t quite complete without a little agritourism, and Topeka has that base covered, too. Located off Highway 24, between Topeka and Lawrence, Gary’s Farm, 5991 17th St., Grantville, runs its annual Fall Festival through October. There are more than 30 attractions to explore on the farm, including a pumpkin patch, corn maze and petting zoo, to name just a few.

The Maple Leaf Festival, held on Oct. 19 and 20 in the nearby town of Baldwin City — which looks like something straight out of a Hallmark movie — is another seasonal offering with more than 300 craft exhibits, quilt shows and displays, performing arts, music and activities.

What are you waiting for? Grab the car keys, and don’t believe for one second that leaf season is nearly over.

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Kansas State Has Another Second-Half Collapse In Loss To Wichita State

Published

3 hours ago

December 22, 2024

Press Room

Kansas State Has Another Second-Half Collapse In Loss To Wichita State

The Kansas State Wildcats looked like a strong basketball team for one half.

And then the second half happened.

The Wildcats were outscored by 23 in the final 20 minutes in an 84-65 loss to Wichita State Saturday night on the road.

“They were better than us, especially in the second half,” K-State coach Jerome Tang said. “I thought their staff did a great job of putting a game plan together of how they wanted to attack us.”

It was the second time the Wildcats had a second-half collapse. The same thing happened in a blowout loss at St. John’s earlier this month.

“The other coaches did a better job of making adjustments than our staff did,” Tang said.

Xavier Bell led the Shockers with a season-high 24 points. Macaleab Rich led the Wildcats with 20 points.

WILDCATS SIGN RECEIVER

Kansas State is making moves within the transfer portal. Their most recent acquisition former Boston College wide receiver Jerand Bradley.

Bradley had just six receptions for 94 yards and two touchdowns last season with the Eagles. However, he compiled 92 receptions for 1,274 yards and 10 touchdowns with Texas Tech, illustrating his ability to produce. He will have many opportunities to replicate this in Manhattan, with the Wildcats reeling after losing their top two receivers.

KANSAS STATE WILDCATS HAVE NEW UNIFORMS FOR RATE BOWL AGAINST RUTGERS

As Kansas State gears up for the Rutgers Scarlet Knight, storylines have been flying around regarding the transfer portal, new recruits, and possible breakout performances.

But a more light-hearted note was the Wildcats getting to unveil their new uniforms in the Rate Bowl.

Wildcats veteran Taylor Poitier said it was “really cool” to be able to suit up in these newer designs.

“We rarely get to wear those types of uniform combos, so I’m really excited to wear them,” Poitier said. “They’ll look pretty cool out there.”

Shandel Richardson is the publisher of Kansas State Wildcats On SI. He can be reached at shandelrich@gmail.com

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Taylor Swift shares group hug with mom Andrea and Donna Kelce after Chiefs’ big win against Texans

Published

11 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Press Room

Taylor Swift shares group hug with mom Andrea and Donna Kelce after Chiefs’ big win against Texans

‘Tis the damn season for Taylor Swift to watch her boyfriend, Travis Kelce, play football!

The Grammy winner was spotted sharing a group hug with her mom, Andrea Swift, and Travis’s mom, Donna Kelce, after the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Houston Texans at Arrowhead Stadium on Saturday.

In a video shared on X, the “Cruel Summer” singer — who wore a red Charlotte Simone coat ($404) and black Chanel bucket hat — could be seen hugging Andrea as Donna stood and clapped alongside them. Then, as Donna turned toward them, the ladies pulled her in to join their warm embrace.

When they eventually pulled away from the group hug, Taylor, Andrea and Donna turned back toward the field and continued clapping.

This weekend’s victory was a special one for the Chiefs as it marked their first undefeated season at home since 2003.

The last time the Chiefs went 8-0 at Arrowhead was 2003. And now that they’re 14-1 overall, they have matched their most victories in the regular season — also accomplished in 2020 and 2022.

The pop star’s attendance at the game came a week after she and Kelce — who began dating in summer 2023 — celebrated her 35th birthday together on Dec. 13.

Although the Super Bowl champion, 35, had a “mandatory” team Christmas party to attend, he made sure to “leave early to go be with Taylor for her birthday.”

A source told Page Six that the pro athlete showered Swift with a “a ton of gifts” for her special day.

We also learned that they had an intimate gathering “just them two,” with a separate source telling us that Kelce wanted to make her birthday “extra special.”

Prior to her private birthday festivities, Swift gushed about Kelce during her visit to a children’s hospital in Kansas City.

The “Anti-Hero” singer chatted with a young patient who said, “I like Travis now,” to which Swift replied, “Yes, me too!”

“That’s an absolute yes on that one,” she added.

The billionaire musician had skipped Kelce’s previous away game against the Cleveland Browns, which the Chiefs won 21-7.

The pop songstress has only attended home games this season due to security reasons.

Swift also did not attend the team’s Dec. 8 match-up versus the Los Angeles Chargers as she was wrapping up her record-breaking Eras Tour in Vancouver.

However, the singer paid tribute to her beau during her final concert with a shout-out to the “guy on the Chiefs” while performing her hit song “Karma.”

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Houston Texans vs. Kansas City Chiefs prediction, odds, best bets for NFL on Saturday

Published

19 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Press Room

Houston Texans vs. Kansas City Chiefs prediction, odds, best bets for NFL on Saturday

The Houston Texans will square off with the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 16 of the NFL season at Arrowhead Stadium on Saturday at 1 p.m. EST. Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs have yet to score 30 points in a game this season, and with a predicted score of 23-20, our data model thinks that streak will remain intact. However, our experts believe the oddsmaker have gotten overly aggressive with the total: our best bet for today is Over 41.5 points (-115).

In anticipation of this late-season AFC clash, the data analysts at Dimers.com have simulated the game 10,000 times, and then compared these results to current NFL betting odds to inform the data-driven betting preview provided to you below.

This preview includes Dimers’ best bets and predicted scoreline for Houston Texans vs. Kansas City Chiefs. To unlock Dimers’ full suite of data-driven betting insights, which includes daily props, trends, and parlays, sign up for Dimers Pro with promo code SYRACUSE10, which will save you 10% off your first subscription payment.

Bet365 is now legal in Pennsylvania, making this the perfect chance for Steelers fans to claim huge betting bonuses with our brand new exclusive bet365 bonus code “SYRACUSE”, while sports fans in New York State can take full advantage of our NBA League Pass FanDuel promo code. Additionally, bettors are encouraged to check out this exclusive promo offer from DraftKings and BetMGM.

Texans vs. Chiefs betting preview

Utilize the interactive widget below to discover the current spread, over/under, and moneyline betting odds and probabilities for the Texans-Chiefs game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.

This prediction and best bet for Saturday’s NFL matchup between the Texans and Chiefs is from Dimers.com, a trusted source for sports betting predictions.

Check out all the important details on today’s game, as well as the best odds sourced from the top sportsbooks in the country.

Game details

Key information on the Texans vs. Chiefs matchup, including where the game is and what time it kicks off.

Teams: Houston Texans vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Date: Saturday, December 21, 2024
Kickoff: 1 p.m. EST
Location: GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium
NFL standings: Current NFL division standings
NFL injuries: Check the latest updates to the official NFL injury report

Odds

The latest and best odds for the NFL battle between the Texans and Chiefs.

Spread: Texans +3.5 (-115), Chiefs -3.5 (-102)
Moneyline: Texans +160, Chiefs -180
Total: Over/Under 41.5 (-115/-105)

The odds and lines presented here are the best available from selected sports betting sites at the time of publication and are subject to change.

Expert prediction: Texans vs. Chiefs

Utilizing state-of-the-art data analysis and advanced algorithms, the experts at Dimers have performed 10,000 simulations of Saturday’s Texans vs. Chiefs game.

According to Dimers’ famous predictive analytics model, the Chiefs are more likely to beat the Texans at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. This prediction is based on the model giving the Chiefs a 63% chance of winning the game.

Elsewhere on the betting board, Dimers predicts that the bookies have gotten it right and the Texans and Chiefs each have a 50% chance of covering the spread, while the over/under total of 41.5 points has a 56% chance of going over.

As always, these predictions and probabilities are correct at the time of publication but are subject to change.

Texans vs. Chiefs best bet

Our top pick for the Texans vs. Chiefs Week 16 NFL game is to bet on Over 41.5 points (-115).

This betting advice is formulated through detailed simulations and valuable wagering intelligence, designed to deliver you the best possible plays.

Score prediction for Texans vs. Chiefs

Dimers’ projected final score for the Houston vs. Kansas City game on Saturday has the Chiefs winning 23-20.

This expert prediction is based on each team’s average score following 10,000 game simulations, offering a glimpse into the potential outcome.

NFL player props: Saturday

NFL player props are an exciting way to wager on Saturday’s game without necessarily betting on its outcome.

This article features the most likely first and anytime touchdown scorers for the Texans and Chiefs, along with projected player stats.

Houston Texans

First touchdown scorer predictions

Joe Mixon: 14.4% probability
Nico Collins: 10.6% probability
Tank Dell: 6.6% probability

Anytime touchdown predictions

Joe Mixon: 53.3% probability
Nico Collins: 41.6% probability
Tank Dell: 28.4% probability

Projected box score leaders

QB passing yards: C.J. Stroud, 270 yards
Receiving yards: Nico Collins, 86 yards
Rushing yards: Joe Mixon, 73 yards

Kansas City Chiefs

First touchdown scorer predictions

Isiah Pacheco: 8.2% probability
DeAndre Hopkins: 7.3% probability
Xavier Worthy: 6.7% probability

Anytime touchdown predictions

Isiah Pacheco: 34.1% probability
DeAndre Hopkins: 30.0% probability
Travis Kelce: 28.7% probability

Projected box score leaders

QB passing yards: Patrick Mahomes, 274 yards
Receiving yards: Travis Kelce, 64 yards
Rushing yards: Isiah Pacheco, 51 yards

NFL Week 16: Texans vs. Chiefs

Get ready for Saturday’s matchup between the Texans and Chiefs in Week 16 of the NFL season at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, which is scheduled to start at 1 p.m. EST. We emphasize that all of the NFL best bets and NFL predictions on this page are based on 10,000 data-driven simulations of the Texans vs. Chiefs matchup, and they are accurate at the time of publication. They aim to assist you make more informed choices when placing bets at online sportsbooks.

Please note that when engaging in online betting, it is important to exercise responsible gambling practices and consult reputable sources for the latest and most accurate information.

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