Kansas and Nebraska, between them, have about 15 million acres planted in corn. I think we've seen a heck of a lot of it. From a rise, it's like looking at the world's largest, most immaculate lawn. Corn, horizon to horizon. Just saying, for sheer impressiveness, people would be better off seeing this corn growing than visiting Mt. Rushmore.
Well, it's all an adventure as long as one remains whole and healthy.
In Wichita now, doing laundry and watching the morning start, listening to the flights of geese as they swoop past. Whiĺe driving yesterday, we felt in the West for the first time on this trip. The plains country between Tulsa and Wichita is beautiful and has a feeling of space and air that just isn't found in the East. Our elevation isn't high, about 1200 feet or so, but it feels as if we're on top of the world.
We'll be back on the road in a few hours, on our way to Nebraska. We'll spend tonight somewhere near Kearney, then drive on to Chadron State Park, just couple of hours south of Custer State Park in South Dakota.
Well, not in Tulsa yet. Huge downpour started as we left camp, stopped to get gas, and when we left their hose somehow caught on our trailer bumper and pulled off the pump. Weird because we weren't close to the pump and pulled away from it as we left, instead of looping back through the station. We didn't even realize it until, 20 miles down I-40, the rain eased up enough for someone to see the dangling hose and let us know. Reported claim while we returned to service station where owner said "no problem, happens at least twice a month - hoses are made to break off as a safety measure." Unfortunately, this one didn't break off until after it had bent our bumper and torn loose a back corner. Bill did a temporary repair to get us to Tulsa, where we'll be able to find an RV repair shop. Or determine whether we absolutely have to have it done now or whether it can wait until after Custer State Park next week. We'll be in Tulsa in an hour and will let you know what happens.
Bathhouse Row - both directions from the visitors' center/museum. Walked the Grand Promenade, a beautiful paved walk on the mountain side above Bath House Row. See pic 1. Then I went through the Park's museum bathhouse, which was great and fascinating. Gym for men's exercising where Babe Ruth and other famous baseball players and boxers worked out was cool. Exercise machines, precursors of today's models, the history of their development, the social & cultural aspects of "bathing" spas, as well as the beauty of the building were really interesting. Rest of pics are of the Assembly Room, which had a Men's Parlor on one end and a Ladies' Parlor on the other. Interesting that nude sunbathing was provided for men, but not for women.
Our home at Brushy Lake Park in Sallisaw, OK -- gorgeous, $15 and free WiFi (for your daddy). We sat on our bench, looking over this little slice of Eden -- and a small SNAKE swam across the cove right in front of us. Oh well, we're moving on tomorrow morning.
Magic show tonight was great, except for some microphone problems. Photos - 1 Dad outside the theatre; 2 Maxwell Blade with cards that changed suites every time he turned them; 3 Burning most of a $100 bill, which he pulled from a sealed can of cheese dip at the end of the show -- and it matched the torn part held by the man who volunteered the bill -- including the serial number.
Photos - 1 At home in Hot Springs National Park. 2 Swimming hole in Gulpha Creek, next to campground. 3 Last of chicken salad? Next Costco appears to be in Calgary.
Walked through 'Bathhouse Row' very early this morning. Really interesting history -- I knew that lots of hot springs used to be health resorts, but seeing all those national park buildings was pretty amazing. Planning on going later tomorrow, when the 1 operating bath, and the one that's now a museum, are open.
Went for a swim at Lake Ouachita State Park this afternoon. Refreshing and no waves ... or sharks. I'd like to try the creek tomorrow, but Bill is nervous about slippery rocks. He pointed out that he wanted to keep the current $10,000 of dental work intact.
