Friday, June 2, 2017

2017 CROSS COUNTRY ROAD TRIP - 5-8-17 - GOODLAND, KANSAS TO LAWRENCE, KANSAS

Monday, May 8th, 2017



Our odometer reading today is 54762.  The distance we have traveled so far is 6,586 miles. 



We are leaving our hotel in Goodland, Kansas at 8.11 a.m. and we have 260 miles to go before reaching Abilene in Kansas. (There is also an Abilene in Texas if the name sounds familiar.)



8.27 am. I just saw a fox walking next to the fence line. It is always so cool these flashes of nature.  He stopped and stared across the field and was out of view in seconds. There are wire fences going on for miles. 

Fields as far as the eyes can see, in all directions. 

9.20 a.m.  Just saw a sign for Nicodemus Historical Site


8.50 a.m. Gregg is stopping to fill up the tank.  We are in Colby, described as the Oasis of the Plains. McDonalds next for breakfast. I am also getting a bit tired of McDonalds but, they have a Starbucks close by. I am going there next.  

10.09 a. m.  I couldn't help but overhear a conversation going on between three men in McDonalds, which makes me glad we went there after all because it was very entertaining. 

While I saved our seats and Gregg was at the counter getting our food, a few tables away there were raised voices from three men two in their mid 50s and an older gentleman.  I heard one say,  "I don't hunt anything I don't eat" and a few minutes later, "Well what do you expect?  That's because they got all those idiot women out there".  
I think the man who spouted forth about us women realized he had said that too loud, as his conversation turned quieter, but the conversation went on.  Eventually the higher decibels returned, something about politics and guns. But what do I know?  I am one of those idiot women out there.  

One of them looked at me a little suspiciously as he saw me stifling my chuckles.  I was actually trying to get control of them, shaking my head with my hand over my mouth when Gregg came back with our food.  I still had a wide grin on my face.  

I like Colby. Who couldn't like Colby?  They have fun conversations in McDonalds to eavesdrop on, and a Starbucks across the street. 


And Gregg drove across that street and very kindly popped in to get my coffee.  He saw a sign on the door that he wanted to show me, so took a photo.  It is very windy around here.


He also noticed that there were five women sitting around a table, each with a newspaper in their hands, all discussing today's news. I think those men in McDonalds should walk across the street and see this.  They couldn't possibly be talking about them could they?  I wonder!

Isn't people watching fun?  And I don't mean to eavesdrop but you can't help it with those loud conversations.

We are on our way with a latte in hand. 

Just passed a sign for Ogallah, Kansas.

We are seeing a lot of oil pumps, some with storage tanks nearby, some with none. Must have a pipe system with those.  When you are on a long journey, you seem to notice everything. 


Went through Hays, Kansas at 11.45 a.m. Gregg was curious. A large community. 

111 miles to Abilene, Kansas.

Historical Cathedral of the Plains

Just passed two very smart cows lying down in the shade of a billboard. 



12.18 p.m. Czech Museum up ahead.   Festival sign last week in July. This is where they have the World's Largest Czech Egg



12.23 p.m. We have been passing more wind turbines.  All turning around. I open the window to take a photo and it practically blew my iPad right out of my hands.  I didn't want to see it go flying so I didn't take any more photos until until we reached the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum.


Gregg saw a brochure yesterday at the hotel and was happy to see it was on our route.  I am very happy he suggested it, as I enjoyed it as much as he did.  

They had a lovely visitor center with two of the nicest ladies running it.  There was a gift shop too. I bought some souvenirs, postcards and greeting cards.  


We bought tickets for his boyhood home tour but missed it as we were walking and didn't realize the time. 


It was a very pretty home on the outside.


The museum was impressive and we were in there for a long time.  



I always enjoy the old photos of historical figures, I enjoy old photos of everyone no matter who they are.



Below is one of my favorites from inside, and is a very large painting that was entitled "The Dedication of the American Roll of Honor - St. Paul's Cathedral, 4th July, 1951."  The artist was Frank O. Salisbury.  I will do a post on the museum at a later time.


The photo below shows those wonderful sculptures we have been used to seeing on this part of our trip.  They were located near the steps of the museum.


The photo below was looking towards the Presidential Library from the museum. 


We walked over but when we asked the guard sitting at the front desk, it was explained to us that it is dedicated to professional scholars and most of the library is not open to the general public. 


I liked the wrought iron design of the buffalo in the window above the door, and the design could also be seen on the large oblong door nobs.


Across the way you can see the museum we had just visited.



We did get to see the foyer and it looked very nice with their highly polished marble walls.


We could have walked down the hallway to see another movie.  As we had watched a very good one of President Eisenhower's life over at the visitor center, we didn't bother.  It was getting late in the day and we wanted to see other things before everything was closed up.  

 

We wanted to go to the Place of Meditation where the President, his wife Mamie and their four year old son were laid to rest. 




Abilene is a very interesting and very pretty town.





















3.33 p.m and we were on our way again.  

4.30 p.m. We stopped at a truck stop that had an A&W Rootbeer. Gregg was hankering for a Rootbeer Float.  We also ordered fish and chips for our late lunch/early dinner.  It will be nice to get home for so many reasons, but one of them is that I miss the plain, simple meals that we can cook at home.  


Some pretty scenes on our way to Lawrence, Kansas, where we booked our hotel room for the night earlier in the day.  









6.00 p.m. we are at the hotel.  It is always good to stop, even though our days have been very interesting driving through different terrain from state to state, and we especially enjoyed stopping at the Presidential Museum and Library. 

We will be home in two days. 

32 comments:

  1. You have taken us through such pretty, such varied, such interesting places. Megathanks.
    I am a confirmed people watcher, and will admit to a bit of eavesdropping too. Some of the conversations people have on their mobile(cell) phones at full volume horrify me.

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    1. Hi EC, you are very welcome :) It is sometimes hard not to eavesdrop on a few conversations I must admit, and I agree about those cell phone conversations.

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  2. Hello Denise,
    We spent a few days away and I've got a little behind with my blog reading!
    I've just been looking and reading the posts I've missed - quite a few!

    I think it amazing how well you have documented your trip and your photographs are so lovely. The amount of miles you've travelled too ... amazing.

    I like to sit and people watch, I suspect many of us do!

    My good wishes to you.

    All the best Jan

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  3. I keep wanting to sing "On the road again". That painting that you shared is lovely. Enjoyed seeing all the scenery along the roads you traveled.

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    1. I think that song crossed our mind a few mornings Ellen :).

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  4. I dearly love the Lawrence Kansas photos! They are like beautiful art! I also love MacDonald's and Starbucks! In fact, we have eaten dinner at MacDonald's for the last two days! Starbucks is my favorite place for breakfast. The museum is awesome!! So beautiful! I am actually old enough to remember Dwight and Mamie Eisenhower. The boyhood home is beautiful! I love the bay window and side porch. I wonder if it has been added to?

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    1. I enjoy McDonalds too Ginnie but overdid it on that trip :) always was ready to go get my coffee however :) Glad you enjoyed my Kansas post. Sure was pretty out there. I don't think they added on to the childhood home but not 100 percent sure.

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  5. That is interesting Felicia. It looked it when I viewed it at a website that night.

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  6. The ever-changing scenery is delightful. So much to see wherever you go which is then passed on to us. I laughed at the 'conversation' piece you overheard.

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    1. Glad you enjoyed this post Valerie and the conversation. Certainly was a hoot.

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  7. Thanks so much once again for sharing this, Places I would never see and I am so enjoying the virtual trip with you. I think we have only ever eaten once at a MacDonalds and that was when we were in Australia, We lived in South Africa then and with the exchange rate money was very tight!! I think there food has improved a lot since those days. Have a good weekend Diane

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    1. Thank you Diane, I am always happy you enjoy these travels of ours. McDonalds seems to be everywhere and people do love them. When we were in less busy areas there would always be a MdDonalds and we were always grateful.

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  8. You sure are seeing a whole lot of your country and it differs so much from one place to another. A beautiful country. Pity about its leader.

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    1. Thanks Diane :) it certainly is a beautiful country and a real education while traveling.

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  9. Hello, Denise! You sure do see a lot on this road trip. I like the Presidential museum and Eisenhower's home. I also like to people watch. I agree about a home cooked meal, it is nice to be home too. Happy Saturday, enjoy your weekend!

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    1. Thanks Eileen, we are thinking along the same lines :) Happy weekend to you!

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  10. photos one and two speak to my heart, love those and all of these are beautiful. you have seen most of the country on your one tour.

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    1. I was always on the lookout for those old windmills, old barns, old farmhouses :)

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  11. It's always exciting to spot animals like the fox while traveling, I enjoy that part of a trip, I also enjoy seeing places like Eisenhower's home, it appears this part of your trip is a lot of fun.

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    1. Me too Jimmy, and I enjoyed the Eisenhower part of it very much.

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  12. What a fun time you had, and so much to see, learn and enjoy! Thank you so much for sharing! I hope you have a great weekend, Denise.

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    1. Thank you Linda, glad you have enjoyed :) Happy weekend to you too :)

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  13. Very flat land, it appears.

    Yes, it is fun to people-watch.

    Trouble with people-listening is... Me being me, if I heard something which "ticked me off," I'd REALLLLY want to go over and..... Set them straight. >,-)

    But then, this is "fly-over-country." The man, referring to "all those idiot women out there," was probably referring to those loud women, with their pink-pussy-hats, who scream and holler, en masse.

    I have the exact same reaction, to THEM.

    :-))))

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  14. wow another great day with interesting photos and places. Thanks love from Europe

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    1. Thank you Gosia and love from Northern Virginia.

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  15. I would love to see the Eisenhower library and home. Lawrence has a decidedly bloody history... another spot I'd like to see.

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    1. The library and museum was a fascinating stop and I'll look forward to doing a post about it sometime in the future. I haven't fully read the history of Lawrence yet. Your comment intrigued me. I will have to go check out that link more thoroughly :)

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  16. Oh, Denise...some of those last shots with that sky, they are wonderful. And I enjoyed the others. As for listening/eavesdropping...I do listen in...if they say it loud enough for me to hear, that is fair game out like that. Most people don't care anyway...LOL

    But I heard what was a stunning conversation at our McD's...someone was saying that Hitler was a great man...I cannot remember what all the guy said but it is kind of scary to think there are people that believe that. And I keep thinking I must have heard wrong or missed something, but I didn't. He was talking across a couple tables to another guy...the guy doing the talking was younger...maybe 40 or so...but the other guy was older.

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    1. Thank you Rose, I guess unless we stuff cotton in our ears they might have a private conversation, otherwise :) and I think you are right. Unbelievable what you heard, boggles the mind when you hear such over the top comments like that.

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  17. Western Kansas is a trip. The old gas field there is dying out and I am tasked with downsizing our assets. Not as much fun as building new stuff.
    I like Hays, a pretty little town with a nice university.

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    1. Interesting and no, I am sure that would not be fun. Thanks Yogi :)

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