Kansas

KANSAS

Most folks will tell you that there is nothing like Kansas for knowing what a very large country we live in. Ok...it went on for a long time. Georgette asked if there was a lot of traffic.... I think I went about 10 min between cars..and that was in both directions. While there was not a lot of stuff in the distance... it was the vastness that was so remarkable. This was the Santa Fe trail...and it is beyond imagination of what it would be like in a wagon. Then after miles of prairie...there is a farm and silo, and horses, and lots of black cows. I have put over 2000 miles and I am not there yet. I stopped in the middle of the ride and went to a car wash... I am pretty smart...but I had to put 2x the 1.50 to get the soap off.

I also stopped at the Sante Fe trail museum...well not exactly the one for the whole trail...just the one that focuses upon the people and something else. It was only $4..but I just did not want to be inside reading about dead people..so I bought a few postcards and left the change. The woman, secretary was very interesting looking...long white hair and like an army wife..she has travelled with her National Parks Ranger husband...and ended up in a suburb of Great Bend KA....population 150... and she loves it.. I bet she does...and she probably is well read.
The tree in front of the office reminded me of her.... It was kind of out there by herself..
This is a plant that is growing all over the place ...so I asked the well read secretary..and she told me that it what they use to feed the animals or use for auto fuel....now that is something to think about.... Well I am in the motel 6...had to pay an extra $3 for the Internet...it is free...you just can't use it without the code.,... too tired to figure that out... As you can tell..I put the pictures in wrong... oh well might be the altitude.... 4000+...more in am...

short note

I have a battery going down and did not take any pics in my sleep. I want to say...the Wally Inn is working out very well...but....the wash up is not good. I will be in the parks soon and have showers with my "tent" space...I will give the bathing more thought. I heated water for my dishes yesterday and then had a little to wash up...but scrubbing up in the Wally world is not an easy deal with others trying to wash after toilet and get on their way. The J breakfast consists of 3 eggs, hash browns, Texas french toast, 3 sausage and 3 bacon...or rather hickory smoked bacon. I went thru the toll booth without the ticket...so had to get off.....pay my $.25 and get a ticket..now I am on back roads until I start toward Mitch....probably 10 days. Bad news this am...it is in the 30-40 range and snow in Utah...hope it stays north until I get to the pass... time to rumble.....

bookem Daniel

every once in awhile a phrase like that hits me and I think ...gosh..few folks will remember. Boarders had a big sign...WiFi here...so I went in and was going to order a decaf tea....the tea/coffee is shut down for the night. Then I couldn't get on...and they told me it is coming in October. So I went to Starbucks...well you have to buy a card etc...she suggested the library and that is where I am...11pm your time on a bench infront of the door that will not open until 10 tomorrow. My "home" for the night is around the corner on Boardwalk and Berry in Kansas City MO... it is a super so I can go to the bathroom in the night but there are no rigs....I will park by the tire place and back my trunk into a wall... tomorrow I will stay in a motel...29.99 since the show is 10 and I might as well get a big bed, breakfast, and free internet...no bench tomorrow. It is easier is Asia...in the middle of Sapa than Kansas City. I have been sharing my toilet needs and in case you are missing a Cracker Barrel, here are chairs for sail in Illinois. The next two pictures are back roads in Indiana...and backroads in Illinois... I am going to take more pics like that...will not my slide show upon my return be exciting. The day went well...I did not take the back roads too long... wanted to make tracks... I hope to cross Kansas tomorrow and stop just inside the

Co boarder. I got the cook stove out... what a woman... it was fun. I went to Wally's and got some salad... and drove to the 'rest stop'. I reorganized things and dragged out the stove, the can opener, the propane, the beans, the hot dogs, the salad dressing, the big spoon and started to cook...a Thai woman came along and asked about the stove and where I was going and how did I like Thailand etc... She opened a Wendy's bag... ate and left... and I waited for the beans to warm and the water to wash to warm.......but look how satisfied I am with the dinner. It was very good and healthy. I could not find the Wally's so I stopped and this very kind woman at Lowes said she would look it while I was in the bath room...my exhausted and voice strained GPS partner knew where it was and I only did two u turns.... so I am not pretty cold sitting on the bench at the library..and my warm bed waits.... more tomorrow....

long days jouney

I was Eugene O'Neill expert in college and I always thought that Long Days was one hour after an hour of drinking... Yesterday was a long day. Started off my my not hearing the street that held Devon. I got to some super nice places on Englewood Pl and near the medical center only to find that I should be at rt 87/5 on Tanglewood Rd...same same but different... the other difference was we were 1hr later....but off we went. Well it didn't snow. but...wind, rain, sun, warm, cold and the back again... very dark and bleak to exceptional color... the reds are red. I set the GPS to shortest..so we went by way of Binghamton, Allegheny, Meteor, Columbus and then some back road to Cini and arrived in the darker side of town at dark ...about 9:10... Devon offered to drive, but he had told me about several suspended license times and I opt to drive...drinking coffee, diet Pepsi and eating toots pops. The road demanded you be on the toes...switch backs and SSSSS curves. We stopped along the way and while I was happy to help Devon on his quest, I missed some shots by not having the camera sitting next to me on the seat. I thought of spending some of my mad money and staying at the Arlington, but I looked at my little bed and thought....it is a good thing and so after I dropped Deven off in Cinci at the house with the star....I started toward Indianapolis and saw a walmart on the left side...doubled back and there were an RV and trainer with a race car. I used the bathroom, backed up into the hill, put up GP's window screen and my pillow cases on the windows...opened the front windows an inch and the roof...made the bed and put stuff off to the side. I opened the door and dropped my pants and put on the snuggy PJ bottoms..then crawled in and did the top - set the alarm...and laid back...I had pushed the car down the highway for 14 hrs...eating at a Wendy's for dinner and I was tired...I counted cars with clickers that start a toot and finally turned my life over to a universe that would tend to me and slowly drifted off to a deep sleep. I will tell you Wally (this one not open past midnight) washes the parking lot with something that sounds like a helicopters...I couldn't have jumped up any faster if the car was being shaken.... you crawl out of the abbis...where am I ...what has happen...and I shot or dead or did a very bad thing just happen to pooh... soon I was oriented...breathing..and back to zzzz....4:59....eyes open....and ready to try to figure how to get the bra on without moving... I got dress....optimistically in shorts although it is 49...and headed off down the direct route...rt 52....and wiggled my way to New Palestine and the Colt 52 breakfast spot.... and then remembered by I was doing this. This is the best coach the town had ever seen and the two pictures on the back wall are him coaching then at the big reunion. He took care of his sister and his mother...and now at 84, he has to let his daughter take care of him. He is resigned, but sad...by the time my $6 eggs were eaten... I had good tips on how get to the Canyon... and everyone knew what I was up to and several came out to see this rolling home...and I smiled... and thought maybe it should be and another beautiful day in paradise.

I am now at the Flying J... and have a month pass on their Internet,,,have checked out the showers...and it is time to hit the road. the blog was easier in Asia... I am calling Georgette before I sleep and then by 9am... so I am fine... and ready to roll....until we meet again...bye for now.

FINALLY UNDERWAY

These are the times when I miss my Mom. She would say, what are you doing and my Dad would say, how can we stop her? It was not a pleasant trip to Albany. How many people go east to go west. Right there the beginning of this venture. I walked in the door and remembered I did not bring my Asian cold med...and coughed thru dinner... What happened to the love color of fall.... all I saw today was the windshield wiper and the rain that was coming faster than the wiper. But as I drove and listened to country music and heard a series of songs, ending with "I'm alright"... about a honky tonk singer who has never made it big but has learned to love what and where she is....and I started to see the adventure again. I have felt a pull to go to the monastery and live in silence and simplify my life. I will write a few e-mails after long reflection but mostly, this is my time with me. I have my 64 inches of sponge, cooking stuff, food, books, and camera...we gather too much stuff. It is not that I am happy away from home, it is more that I am happy on the quest ...my own holy grail...who am I. I will try to get back to my spiritual self. I have swapped my gold elephant for my Angel Elephant...I have my red string and Buddha around my neck...and I am really to try to put aside the beating of the neighborhood stick of critical and not loving eyes. How you treat your neighbor, so will you be judged. I had a steak for dinner... My good and long time friend got out the bar-be and made dinner..found a beer and will end soon so I can be up and out by 5 to pick up Devon near the medical center. Lady will not be happy. She appears very worried.. but i must be on my way
...I am going to work on my practice and try to remember how to just give. I am every so grateful to Bonz's good friend, the scooter buddy, GP, and the picnic bunch who have given me the resources to travel... and so....let the adventure begin. b