Crossing into Kansas from Colorado, by way of Lake Scott State Park
Rolling out of bed was difficult for a some. It proved easier for them to find a spot perceived to be out of sight, and move on with their napping for the day. The rest of the crew enjoyed a great breakfast, giving thanks for amenities, and appreciation of time spent in good company.
The route eastward out of Colorado rarely suggest any sort of new acquaintance. Excepting vast open spaces in every direction, the desolate plains and shrublands offer little else of interest. They eventually fade over to cropland, and interest level soars for few seconds, but quickly returns to previous states of stunned ambivalence.
Occasionally, folks putting in a hard day at work make an appearance. Harvest season seems to go on year round sometimes, and it is usually rather relaxing for the eyes, in spite of the great toil presented. Massive stores piled high near every elevator suggest there will be no shortage of food any time soon.
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| Eads Roadside Park Monuments |
Witnessing little or no humanity for what seems like hundreds of kilometres, a momentary distraction materializes relatively close to the border. A memorial to those that served the country, and the women that endured to help build a nation, enable all passengers a spot for reflection, while waiting on others to tend to the business at hand.
The first exploration of the day a bit arrived just in time, but later than had been planed. The mission to discover the location of the last purported, surviving, northern-most adobe in Kansas met with huge success. There is not much of the structure remaining, but the rest of the park offers a few other interesting landmarks and amenities worth of consideration.
The road departing the Lake Scott proved even less interesting than that leading to the locale. It stretched for countless kilometres, desolate, straight, and unforgiving, but a hallmark of most Kansas highways. A few isolated villages, tending herds of windmills, presented moments of distraction. The only thing to do out here is turn up the volume and keep moving.
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| 40th Anniversary Crusade to Strengthen the Arms of Liberty Monument |
Lady Liberty welcomed us to La Crosse in the early evening hours. Everything appeared closed, necessitating exploration southward into Rush Center to obtain sustenance. The first place encountered appeared closed too. If it were not for a message indicating the establishment was open, and an array of cars parked around, our party probably would not have bothered knocking. Greg's Sports Pub & Grub was doing a booming business though, and satisfied needs perfectly.
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| Rush County Historical Museums, featuring the Post Rock Museum, Timken Depot, and Nekoma State Bank |
The sights of La Crosse splashed across the windshield again soon after the satisfying meal of grease and hops. It was much too late to learn all the fascinating things related to barbed wire though. The associated, well-preserved buildings from around the county rendered a rare opportunity to glimpse the past of the area without having to fight off the crowds.
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| Florence, Colorado to La Crosse, Kansas - July 2020 |
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Further Reading
Rush County Historical Society
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