LINDSBORG KANSAS TO DALHART TEXAS….GOOD THING WE HAD OUR ‘HERBY GO-FAST TIRES ON TODAY

WE ARE NEAR A LAKE FOR THE NIGHT

Our old arch enemy, the notoriously nasty southwest winds not only welcomed us into Kansas yesterday but  rattled & rolled us right up & into the wee hours of the morning.  However, we were both too tired to let the winds have their way with us & we both had a sound night’s sleep.  Well, at least until Kelly sneaked out & commandeered the Verizon modem before I did this morning!!

WE SAW A LOT OF THESE TYPES OF BUILDINGS ACROSS KANSAS TODAY AND THIS ONE WAS IN HUTCHINSON

It was 6:10 this morning when we tippy toed out of the McPherson Old Mill County Park in Lindsborg Kansas, trying not to disturb a Class B van parked nearby.  We were the only two units in the Park & we never really saw the other folks.  By the way, all County Parks we have stayed at have been well lit at night.

We headed south on 135 for about 20 miles & hung a right onto highway 61 through Hutchinson to Pratt.  Had we continued south of 135 we would have plowed right into Oklahoma City & of course that was not acceptable!!  In Pratt we climbed aboard highway 54 for the long slide down to the southwest heading for New Mexico.  The landscape leveled out as we rolled along a nice two lane highway enjoying cotton fields, cattle farms, about a dozen & a half small towns & little whistle stops.  Downside of this route was the number of big 18 wheelers on the road.  Good thing we had on our ‘Herby Go-Fast’ tires today because those truckers don’t like being held up by RV tourist types doddling along in front of them.

We have another Campground book we use besides Days End & Kelly found us a spot for the night in the town of Dalhart, Texas.  The Park is at the south end of town & called the Rita Blanca Lake County Park & yep, there is even a lake here with lots of bird life.  Good Verizon signal at this park too, but only one TV channel which is of course is filled with nothing but night time garbage television shows anyway!!  Now that we are on the western side of the States we use ‘Don Wright’s Guide To Free Campgrounds.’ (Western Edition)  Works well.  And, the link for the Escapee’s Day’s End book is DAY'S END DIRECTORY.

I managed to remember a few readers questions today so before I forget again, here goes…. First, somebody asked about egg salad sandwiches….. haven’t seen any coming up from the Galley yet this trip but I did snag a couple home made chocolate chip cookies this morning.  Kinda the same thing, right?   Brandon Don, HWH said the brake recall guys may have arced a wire while doing the recall & that could have blown the fuses.  Hermit, the keys hanging beside the door are on good hooks & won’t fall down & out of the rig.  Phil, when I look at the rear view camera monitor I see the Jeep as I would see it if I turned my head….I think.  Hey Louisberg Larry, we missed your big wave in Kansas or was that you blowing by the windshield upside down in one of those big Kansas wind gusts.

RITA BLANCO LAKE COUNTY PARK….OUR OVERNIGHTER SPOT FOR WEDNESDAY NIGHT

Although we have two computers onboard we have only one internet connection at a time so that means having to share the Verizon UMB modem.  It boils down to whoever gets up first & snags the it.  This morning Kelly was first up grabbed it before I could even scramble out of my sleep.   I usually read & comment on blogs early in the morning but that hasn’t been the case since we left home.  I think we had better move our ‘Cradle Point Router’ plans up to the front burner…..toot sweet!! 

I THINK WE WERE AROUND 70F AGAIN TODAY

A big thanks to Ed in the comment section for pointing out my geography error in last night’s blog title.  I had Lindsborg incorrectly located in Iowa instead of KANSAS where it really is.  Just one of those ‘tired at the end of the day’ oversights.

GROANER’S CORNER:{  I overheard the receptionist admit to another customer, "I haven't taken my vitamins today.  I'm walking around unprotected."  The customer commiserated with her, but then added, "I haven't taken my Prozac today so everyone's walking around unprotected!!"

LAMONI IOWA TO LINDSBORG KANSAS WITH A PARK WARNING IN SALINA!!

It was a reasonably warm night so we didn’t have to fire up our blue flame heater.  Can’t even remember the last time we used the furnace in the rig to keep warm.  The Legacy blue flame heater does a fine job….& dancing flames look nice.

THIS 8 MILE STRETCH OF INTERSTATE WEST OF TOPEKA KANSAS WAS THE FIRST PIECE OF ROAD LAID IN THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY SYSTEM
We were hooked up by 6:50 a.m & rolled on out of Split Buff County Park with a beautiful Iowa sunrise casting it’s early morning rays across an old Amish farmland.  Buggies in the yards, clothes on clotheslines & we saw one small Amish girl leading a horse from the barn while a second smaller girl filled a water trough.  Chores before school. 
  
KELLY WORKS ON A DEER PARK RESERVATION, TAKES A WORK RELATED CALL, PROGRAMS GARMIN GERTIE FOR TOPEKA TRAFFIC & TYPES AN EMAIL RESPONSE TO RETIRED ROD IN KANSAS CITY.  ME?  I JUST DRIVE THE RIG & GRUMBLE A LOT!!
Four miles back to the town of Lamoni & we were southbound aboard I-35 on a direct collision course with Kansas City.   As readers know, I will go miles out of my way to avoid the traffic chaos & madness of large cities & I had already poured over my maps Tuesday night for an alternate route.  Plus, I much prefer the quieter pace & rural scenery of secondary roads any day.
        
HAVING A GAME OF ‘STICKS’ WITH MAX, CHECKERS & THE MOTORMOUSE AT A REST AREA……ME & THE LITTLE MOUSE
Just north of Kansas City we hung a right at Cameron & picked up highway 36 west to St. Joseph.  We underestimated St. Joseph & failed to employ the help of Garmin Gertie.  We missed our southbound turn for I-29 & blew through town on 36 west.  Weather has been good so we just stayed on 36 to Fairview & hung a left on 75 down to Topeka Kansas.  Picked up I-70 & pointed the nose west for Salina.


THIS IS THE PARK IN SALINA KANSAS WE DID NOT STAY AT!!
Saw a lot of billboards for the ‘Oz Museum’ so we knew we were probably in Dorothy & Toto’s neighborhood.  That old Wizard & I have some things in common you know:}  Easy to see how that big Kansas wind twisted itself up into a blustering Tornado years ago & blew Dorothy & her whole house off to the land of Oz.  The heavy wind gusts coming out of the south all day were trying to blow us somewhere as well, & it wasn’t straight ahead.
  
TONIGHT’S OVERNIGHTER SPOT IN LINDSBORG KANSAS
The Escapee Club ‘Days End’ book we use to find places for overnighter’s is 5 years old & that may have caught up with us today.  Kelly had found a County Park in the city of Salina so about 2:30 this afternoon, after a short Wal-Mart grocery stop, we headed for the Thomas County Park.  It’s near the interstate & what a great find it was with all it’s trees in a nice peaceful park setting.   Well, that is until we talked to a young local couple sitting on the tailgate of their pick up truck.  They warned us about the park being a night time magnate for homeless people & Gays.  They said the Park gets ‘Bad’ at night & didn’t recommend staying there!!  So, we heeded their warning & left the Park poste haste.  I think it’s about time we got an updated ‘Days End’ book & we may have to pick up our Escapee’s membership again to do that.  We dropped the membership about 5 years ago for no particular reason that I can remember.  I think they frown upon Cursmudgeons!!

Didn’t take Kelly long to find us another park via our outdated Day’s End book of course & before long we had moved a short 10 miles south down 135 to the small Swedish flavored town of Lindsborg.  A quick stop for directions soon led us to the McPherson Co. Old Mill Picnic/Campground about 4:30.  Small park with a gravel ring road, washroom, water nearby & electric.  We didn’t bother with the electric.  Verizon signal is great & we’ve pulled in 6 clear channels with the rig’s antennae.  Nice little Park but it wouldn’t be everybody’s cup of tea.   Good enough for us gol darned bunch of Bayfield Bums though.
Haven’t looked at my maps yet to see where we’ll end up tomorrow but for sure it will be somewhere southwest of where we are now.  It has been really nice using a different route this year seeing things we have never seen before.  Love the rolling hills across the Great Plains.  Not as flat as coming across Texas.
Finally made contact with my Doctor today regarding some tests before we left & his office said, have a good trip & call us in the Spring:]  Also, the winds of change are blowing in Arizona & our travel plans may be shifting gears shortly.  Stay tuned……………

SORRY ABOUT ALL THE PICS OF THE RIG & JEEP BUT IT’S ABOUT ALL I HAVE SOME DAYS RIGHT NOW
GROANER’S CORNER:{  From the following list of 25 items, count all the ones that you remember -- not the ones you were told about! How to score yourself is at the end.

1. Blackjack chewing gum
2. Wax Coke-shaped bottles with colored sugar-water
3. Candy cigarettes
4. Soda-pop machines that dispensed bottles
5. Coffee shops with tableside jukeboxes
6. Home milk delivery in glass bottles with cardboard stoppers
7. Party lines
8. Newsreels before the movie
9. P. F. Flyers
10. Butch wax
11. Telephone numbers with a word prefix (e.g., Olive - 6933)
12. Peashooters
13. Howdy Doody
14. 45-RPM records ... and 78-RPM records
15. S&H Green Stamps
16. Hi-fi systems
17. Metal ice trays with lever
18. Mimeograph paper
19. Blue flashbulb
20. Packards
21. Rollerskate keys
22. Cork popguns
23. Drive-in theaters
24. Studebakers
25. Washtub wringers

If you remembered!
         0 - 5 = You're still young
         6 - 10 = You are getting older
       11 - 15 = Don't tell your age
       16 - 25 = You're older than you think!
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MOSCOW IOWA TO LAMONI IOWA & GOOD NEWS AT HWH:))

SLIP BLUFF COUNTY PARK NEAR LAMONI IOWA

OK, it’s 7:15 a.m. Monday morning & I’m in the ‘wifi friendly’ lobby of HWH.  The coach is in the big 9 bay garage & they said Kelly could stay in the rig to ride herd on the doggy gang.  They don’t want any of their prize mechanics torn apart!!

WE ARE IN BAY # 4

   

CHECKING THE HYDRAULIC FLUID FOR THE LEVELERS

We’re having a hard time adjusting to the confusing time changes.  First, clocks were customarily set back Saturday night & then Sunday we drove through our first time change.  My brain looks at the clock & computes the correct time but my body doesn’t have a clue what time it is anymore.  I’m not even sure if it even knows where it is!!

HWH’s (Hard Working Hydraulics) Moscow division consists of 4 buildings with 6 acres under roof.  It’s a large facility & most RV leveling systems are made right here.

  

THAT’S US ON THE RIGHT

WOW, it’s 8 a.m. & we’re good to go already here at HWH.  Two blown fuses were found & once replaced our rear view camera & power to the leveler box was restored.  They looked at the problem rear leveler that sometimes sticks down & it worked perfectly every time they tried it.  A bit slow but nonetheless, it worked.  They recommended not doing anything so we decided to go with their recommendation.  Total bill was $64 & we were out the door headed for the nearest big ice cream store for a couple double scoopers.

               

PET FRIENDLY REST AREA & A CASINO COWBOY

Thought Randy over at THE ROADRUNNER CHRONICLES had a thoughtful post yesterday on ‘thanking his blogging buddies’ & readers for stopping by his site.

         

IN SEARCH OF SLIP BLUFF COUNTY PARK ON A VERY DUSTY GRAVEL ROAD

Gassed up at the Kum & Go gas bar near HWH & by 8:45 we were westbound on I-80 with the hammer down heading for Des Moines Iowa.  Garmin Gertie once again did a mighty smooth job of taking us right through Des Moines & setting us up on I-35 south.  It was a good feeling to get the leveler & camera problem behind us, make the big turn in Des Moines & get the rigs nose headed straight for the great American Southwest.

    

Kelly found a county park in her ‘Day’s End’ book so I’m typing this from Slip Bluff County Park about 4 miles east of a little place called Lamoni.  I think we are just about on the State line between Iowa & Missouri & about a hundred miles north of Kansas City.  What a super great park this is for us…..we are the only ones here & we just love when that happens.  We certainly live a charmed life sometimes.  Electricity at the site & water near by.  Spotlessly clean washrooms with wonderful hot showers.  Great pull through site & we are surrounded by Oak trees.  They were doing a prescribed burn when we came in & we were close enough to the fire at times to feel the heat.  Lots of smoke in the air & it just smelled great & reminded me of so many memorable campfires over the years.  Sunny day with the temps in the low 70’s so all in, no grumbling or complaining from the old Cursmudgeon today.

  

THE GANG CHECKS OUT THE WASHROOMS & WE REPLENISH THE FRESH WATER TANK

We are kind of out in the boondocks here so can’t get any TV signals & the Verizon signal is low.  I might have to post the blog sometime tomorrow morning when we leave & get into a stronger Verizon coverage area.

THAT’S US IN THE BACKGROUND

 

Footnote to our dealings with HWH this morning.  The 3 staff members we dealt with were all friendly & helpful.  Service was prompt & professional.  They could have told us we needed this-that & the other thing but they didn’t.  We appreciated their honesty & felt the bill was reasonable for their service.

GROANER’S CORNER

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The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...AL.

MONDAY BLOG DELAYED

We are out in the boondocks somewhere around the Iowa/Kansas State line & our Verizon signal strength is not strong enough to publish Monday's blog with my pictures in it.  As soon as we roll out in the morning & hit a stronger signal I'll hit the 'Publish' button on  today's blog.  I'm guessing mid morning................... A.