Stay a While

This is the nicest, friendliest rest stop ever.. I-55 at the Arkansas/Missouri state line.

There's no place like bed. There's no place like bed.

The,pony. A strip joint right beside the prettiest bridge I've ever seen. Kind of ruins the effect eh?

Hey Porter, Hey Porter

Now that we're back south of the Mason-Dixon line, I'm eager to be back in Tennessee. We needed a pit stop though. These automatic hand washers were amazing. (They probably invented them in Kansas.)

We Are Not in Kansas Anymore

Seriously. There just isn't much happening in Kansas. I wasn't expecting that. However, I want to leave it on a positive note. Here are some interesting things about Kansas:

1) it's the geographic center of the 48 contiguous united states

2) each farm here produces approximately enough food to feed 148 people per year

3) even people from Kansas aren't impressed with Kansas, or southern charm (okay, maybe this is opinion, but it's been consistent during my time here)

4) I promise, as soon as we crossed the state line, it stopped smelling like livestock

5) it's gorgeous, for all it's nothing to do. I don't think I've ever seen anyplace that was so un-industrialized.

6) I'm grasping for things now, so I'll quit.

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

We're not in Kansas anymore.

Goodbye Kansas

Finally back in Missouri...so happy we're out of Kansas. It already smells better.

now we're on the first 8 miles of interstate in the country!

Marley loves Kansas people!

O, Beautiful for Spacious Skies

My pictures don't do them justice at all, but the Flint Hills were breathtaking.

I like Ike

Abilene, KS. I think the former President must be from here. Snazzy bowling alley.

Homeward bound!

Awake! Shake Dreams From Your Head

Who needs a noise maker when you have I-70? You can't tell from the pic, but that hill.. It's the interstate. Aka our backyard of our cabin. I'd write more, but I need to be planning my mile hike to the bath house.

I'm not complaining... I think that's just how Kansas is in general. :P

Whilst I Wait For French Toast

I thought I'd reflect a bit on Kansas. It's pretty. There's absolutely not much going on, at least where we've been. We're again the only people in the restaurant.

Thrift + Patience = Success

Or.. A giant ball of sisal twine. :)

All Tied Up

I cannot express how exciting this is to me...

Run, Dorothy, Run!

Stopped for a Pepsi. It's raining. I'm not too sure about this, since my weather knowledge of Kansas consists of two movies: The Wizard of Oz and Twister. :/

Also, a few more observations about Kansas. It smells funny here. Like the livestock booths at the fair. Oh, and the cows here are giant. I find a place to pull over, I'll try to snap a picture.

A pic of cows finally

Your Party Member Died from Dysentery

That's all I remember about the Oregon Trail.... but I'm on it now. :)

There is No Place Like Home

Home, KS

Losing... Signal... Can't hold on..... Much longer..... Out of chips.....

We've entered some unknown place beyond time and space, somewhere in the twilight zone I think, the locals refer to it as kan-sas

Golden Arches

Finally found a McDonalds. Two things that strike me as hilarious. 1) I keep wanting to slip off my flip flops and sit Indian style... then I remember I'm not in TN and I suppress the urge. There's no need to reinforce southern stereotypes. 2) Listening to people talk is hard, I am almost translating in my head. I understand their words, but I just take more processing time to comprehend them. It's very much like when I listen to people speak French.

Splish Splash I Was Taking a Bath

Finally found a car wash. Kansas so far is the most foreign place we've been. The highway has a speed limit of 65! My DNA doesn't allow me to drive that fast on a two lane. Lots of farms, fields, more dirt, and not much else. I panicked and stopped for gas and moral reassurance that there were place to eat and such.

In their desperation for food and a clean car, Matthew and Marley entertained themselves with the cam wow app (We lost 3G service along the way as well.)

Day 3: We got to our destination on time. Matthew can't stop talking about food. I think hysteria is setting in. Poor thing. Food's coming, Matthew. You can do this. Now for Cawker City and the ball of twine!

Found out all the kinds of mental disorders Marley has been stricken with. Also mom won't stop complaining about how hungry she is.

You Will Shoot Your Eye Out

Jesse James and Civil War Medicine Exhibits. Turns out lots of medical advances came out of Civil War needs. Jesse was a rascal 'round these parts. Most people who died in the war died as a result of disease. So sad.

Lest We Forget

Photos from the Black Archives.

Crazy Little Thing Called Love

We got an early start today. Cleaned up the cabin and were on the road by 8:30. Good thing I had all that CCW experience for cabin cleaning.

Still following in the footsteps of Lewis and Clark - I love those guys!

First stop was a car wash, because the mud is breaking my heart, but although it was only a quarter, it looked seedy so we moved on.

Finally, the Glore Psychiatric Museum!!

Cabin Fever

Sequence! TGFWalgreens. :)