Day 6 - Topeka, KS

We got up at 8am and were surprised by how many rigs had already left.  Some of those big diesels make a lot of noise ... we must have slept soundly.

Heading out:
Carol did the inside chores and took pictures of the campground while Dick got us hitched up.

These spaces were full last night

We're almost ready to leave

You may have noticed that Dick is wearing a new hat these days.  It's a Tilley hat.  We got it at Cabella's in St. Charles, MO.   It's a nice hat with all kind of cool warranties, but its real purpose for us is sun protection.  It's rated at UVP 50+.  Two skin cancer surgeries in the past year suggest the hat is long overdue.

The route: 

We left at 10:30am, got onto I-70W and drove 194 miles to Topeka, KS.

Observations:

We've crossed the Missouri River many time in the past days.  Today was no exception.

Crossing the Missouri River at Overton

Yesterday we joked that Lewis and Clark probably followed MO-94W, then went north on MO-19 to get onto I-70W as they headed west.  Sure enough, the Lewis and Clark Trail showed up on I-70!

We've struggled to find appealing attractions along the 420 mile journey across Kansas.  So, we've kind of invented our own by taking the time to observe our surroundings.

The corn and soy bean crops were lush and plentiful.  We saw our first crop duster 95 miles east of Kansas City.

The trailer gives us the flexibility to stop almost anywhere (highway berms, rest areas, parking lots, etc.).  Aside from being a very expensive porta-potty, it's our home for an extended period.  Today we had lunch "at home".

Lunch along I-70 near Odessa, MO
(This is a truck parking area)

One of the highlights of this trip is the terrain change.  It seems like the horizon is expanding as the Missouri hills change into gently rolling fields and cities begin to spread out.  The plains and deserts are just ahead.

We passed through Kansas City at a good time.  Traffic was light.  We were able to look around.  The city appeared clean and attractive.

Entering Kansas City, MO on I-70

Approaching Kansas City, KS

Campground:

We decided to call it a day at Topeka.  Carol picked a dandy campground.  Deer Creek Valley RV Park is rated 34th in the top 100 RV campgrounds in the country.  It's very nice and surprisingly affordable at $37.80 per night with a Good Sam discount.  The sites are about twice as large as last night.

They have a gated entrance

Site #41

Tomorrow:

We're planning an excursion to see the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve as we continue to move west.