Day 7 - Salina, KS

We started the day looking for an adventure in an area where we didn't expect to find one. We were so wrong!

The route:
We started in Topeka and ended up in Salina.  It's a distance of 112 miles as the crow flies (all on I-70W). Our 233 mile journey, however, went east on I-70, south on I-470 to I-335, southwest on I-335 to Cassoday, north on KS-177 to I-70, then west on I-70 to Salina.

Observations:
The weather continues to be pleasant.  The temperature has been sneaking up over the past few days.  We hit 87°F by 5pm.  There was a steady wind from the south.  We got tossed around a bit when big rigs passed.

The plains emerged as we traveled down I-335/I-35 (Kansas Turnpike).

The trees are starting to disappear

There's lots of grazing land here

The Flint Hills appeared.  This is an area named for abundant residual flint (or chert) eroded from the bedrock that lays near or at the surface.

Yes, there are cowboys here

We found it interesting that cattle are brought here to graze from as far away as Texas.

We left the turnpike's divided highway at Cassoday and headed north to follow the National Geographic Flint Hills scenic drive.

KS-177 is a good, two lane road
There was very little traffic

Cottonwood trees are abundant near streams

We stopped at a scenic overlook.  The views seem to stretch forever.

There are lots of wildflowers on the plains

Tallgrass has many adversaries
Less than 4% of the original acreage remains

The Chase County Courthouse in Cottonwood Falls is the state's oldest courthouse still in use.

Main Street in Cottonwood Falls
(You don't speed here, the pavers are very uneven)

We stopped at the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve.  There was a NPS ranger on site, but all of the exhibits are self-guided.

The visitor center is modern and well maintained

The Preserve was established from the 10,891 acre ranch built by cattle baron S. F. Jones in 1881.  It was known as the Z-Bar/Spring Hill Ranch.

The ranch house was built for $25,000

Carol takes us on a tour

This had been the 2nd floor office

1st floor parlor #1

1st floor parlor #2

solid walnut staircase

curing house

inside the curing house

outhouse

Any questions here?

The limestone barn cost $15,000 in 1882.  It housed livestock, equipment and enough hay and grain to feed the animals in winter.  5,000 pounds of tin covered the roof.

barn

Lower Fox Creek School
1/2 mile north of the ranch house

Council Grove offered the final highlights of the trip.  It's a busy town with lots of history.  

The Santa Fe Trail went through the town

Farmers and Drovers Bank

We had a late lunch/early dinner at the Hays House Restaurant.  The entrees were very good.  We shared a piece of homemade peach pie.  It was out of this world!

The oldest, continuously-operating
restaurant west of the Mississippi River.
Seth Hayes (Daniel Boone's grandson)
opened the restaurant in 1857.

Post Office Oak
Travelers left messages in a cache at the foot
of the tree to inform others of trail conditions.
The tree died in 1990.

The Council Oak is the site of an important treaty with the Chiefs of the Great and Little Osage tribes.  The tree was destroyed in a 1958 windstorm.

The story

Campground:
We stopped at the KOA of Salina.  It's convenient from I-70 and very nice.

Site #44

Tomorrow:
We're planning to visit Stu Horowitz (Carol's brother-in-law) when we get to Denver.  We want to arrive there by mid-day on Wednesday.  Tomorrow will be a long day of driving.

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.

Day 5 - Columbia, MO

It's another day of wonderful weather.  We were up early, but made a pretty casual get away.

Our morning housekeeping and hook-up activities included a nice chat with a neighboring camper from Illinois.  He and his wife live just a short distance away.  They brought their trailer to the Festival of the Little Hills for the first time.  It was fun to share towing and camping experiences.  We finally pulled out at 10:30.

We decided to take some back roads as we headed west.  The National Geographic Missouri Valley Wine Country scenic drive was a perfect fit.  The drive follows MO-94 west from US-61 to Hermann ... and MO-94 passes right by our campground entrance.

The route ...
Most of the 150 mile trip was on the scenic drive.  We went as far as Hermann on MO-94W, then took MO-19 a short distance north to I-70 and I-70W to Columbia.

The scenic drive ...
MO-94 traced the broad bends of the Missouri River.  We climbed over sweeping green hills and passed prosperous farms and vineyards.  There were lots of sharp turns and steep hills. This was not a leisurely drive.

The highlights ...
The scenic drive started just beyond Weldon Spring (a modern, upscale community).  

We took a 5 mile excursion off MO-94 to see the Daniel Boone Home at the Daniel Boone Home and Heritage Center.  The house was actually built and owned by his son Nathan.  Daniel lived there for the last 20 years of his life and died there on September 26, 1820.  We took the house tour.  No inside pictures were allowed.

This is the back of the house

The front of the house overlooks the
Femme Osage Valley

The heritage center exhibits include a number of other period buildings.  None were on the site during Daniel's life there, so we didn't view them.   

The Carriage House, however, captured our attention with a vibrant floral display.  This butterfly garden was alive with butterflies,  the sun glinted off their wings.  Unfortunately, still pictures don't capture the experience.

We encountered a stretch of wineries a few miles west of Defiance.  The road was narrow, twisty and steep.  It was hard to make the turnoffs into the wineries.  We finally succeeded at the Balducci Winery.  Carol tasted.  The Missouri Valley Wine Country scenic drive was a success ... we bought one bottle of Missouri wine!

Balducci wine tasting and sales.
They don't sell in stores.

The drive along MO-94 followed the Lewis and Clark trail.  It provided beautiful views of Missouri's rural areas.  

We passed the St. Johns of Pinckney United Church of Christ a few miles after Teloar.

We crossed the Missouri River and stopped for a late lunch at Hermann.  

MO-19 follows a main street in Hermann

Campground
We're staying at the Cottonwoods RV Park, next to the Boone County Fair Grounds.  This is a very nice campground.

Tomorrow
We'll probably get to Topeka, KS.