Saharan Dust Plume Safari

Monday, July 13, 2020

Saharan Dust Plume Safari

Across Kansas from Sand Hills State Park to Dodge City, on expedition to Colorado.

In a rare occurrence, the same path traveled the fall previous filled the windshield for this summer journey across Kansas to Colorado. It offered the navigator a chance to witness these sights first hand, having only seen them through photos. Not everything was the same though. A few other oddities made their usual appearance.

Sand Hills State Park covered new ground to all involved, and without any further research than the location on the map. That turned out incorrect on Google, leading to the wrong side of the park. Trails were still accessible, but the east access point involved a longer hike than time constraints permitted. A minor course correction, with the aid of paper maps, resolved the issue.

The west entrance offered a stroll through a few hundred meters of forested trail, opening on small rolling hills covered in native grasses, wildflowers, and wild raspberries, along with a decision. The trail splits, and in one direction, wanders aimlessly between mounds. An alternate path drives intently up a nearby knob 10-20 meters high.

The latter choice prevailed, possessing the virtue of enabling greater visibility of the surrounding situation and said dunes. About halfway up the knoll it became apparent that it hailed as one of the dunes, hidden discretely beneath grass, yucca, and assortment of other creatures. Viewing from the pinnacle confirmed a landscape littered with similar features and very little else. It was time to press on.

The Saharan dust plume passing through the region continued to intensify, bringing with it a herd of camels in Nickerson. Having recently parachuted in, they gathered around the table Hedrick's Inn enjoying a good breakfast, mostly segregated from their Zebra comrades who landed only a short distance away.

In the exact same location as the previous October, without having changed at all, Pawnee Rock State Historic Site stood firm. The air quality was an entirely different story. Harvesting added more dust to air already saturated with the dirt and filth from the Dark Continent. A more conditioned and filtered situation became the standard for the remainder of journey on this date.

Fort Larned National Historic Site was also found exactly the same as it had been, and at about the same time of day, again deterring anything beyond a passing glance tour. However, more appropriately maintained grass heights licensed a stroll to the cemetery grounds at the site on this occasion, while the navigator became enthralled with the blacksmith. At the cemetery, all residents had moved on. According to one sign, they had packed up and left, and are believed to have moved off to Fort Leavenworth, likely seeking a more moderate climate.

Without so much as intending to, an unexpected arrival at midpoint of the country necessitated a pause to validate location and reflect. The Edwards County Sod House and Museum was just then closing up, but a gregarious and generous caretaker lingered allowing a peek inside the resident 1884 church, further offering to open the whole place up for review.

Hidden intrigues of the Sod Museum would have to wait for another occasion. A more intense urge to review food and beverage requirements insisted on immediate forward progress across the final 65 km of expansive fields filled with bovines and windmills.

Dodge City continues to impress on every visit. The community is making great strides to improve the friendliness of odors in the air. This visit to the bustling metropolis found no stockyard smells lurking in the air, just as with last time, but not the time before. It might simply be a matter of timing.

After checking into accommodations that surpassed expectations, enough daylight remained to seek local refreshment from a day in the saddle. The brief journey back to downtown produced discovery of a relatively new establishment, which offered sublime pizza to accompany their beverages. A brief wandering of the mostly empty sidewalks downtown followed immediately thereafter, connecting finally with the Snow Station.

Sand Hills State Park to Dodge City - Google Maps - July 2020

. . .

Reflections on the second part of the journey to the Southern Rocky Mountains will follow soon, with a link posted in this space. Until then, enjoy a glimpse of this path, accompanied by music