Day Seven

Today, as I write this is actually June 12. (It is not being posted until August 2) However I am writing as if we are still on our trip. Sunday April 20 is just a week into the trip. We have been visiting my brother and the Silver Dog House has spent the week parked in front of his house with the curb side wheel on the curb to get the refrigerator as level as possible. There is no where to camp closer than a two hour drive from Springfield Missouri so DH and I are sleeping in the guest bedroom at the back of their very cute house.

What follows is the running entry I typed in the Pink Flamingo - my laptop purchased for this purpose - as DH drove west.

Sunday, April 20, 2008

Before we left this morning I spent some time in the yard taking pictures. After several days of rain today is sunny. There is a large Redbud hanging over the fence into his yard and a beautiful pink dogwood in the back yard. I also got some pictures of my Brother but Sister-In-Law was still abed that early.

On the road again. Left brother's at about 9:00. I hope we will see each other sooner next time.

Traveling I-44 west toward Kansas. MODOT has planted large patches Red Buds along the right of way fence. What a spectacular show!! They are in full bloom. There are also large plantings of flowering fruit trees, maybe plum or crab apple covered in white blooms. They have also planted White Pine in occasional groves. They are not native but have been here quite a while as they are good sized trees.

Outcrops of bedrock that show themselves along the right of way cuts are wide dark layers with narrow bands of more fractured white rock between.

Just passed an Airstream that looked really odd. Very square but it said Airstream in large letters across the front “window”. Also passed an old aluminum trailer parked in a field. It had a square front and tail that flared out.

We are driving through flat pasture land with large herds of white cattle, I am guessing they are Charloit or Charloit crosses. And here is a large herd of Black Angus.

Flocks of turkeys with the males displaying are visible in fields between the woodlands.

10:41 AM enter Kansas

We have left I-44 just before entering Oklahoma and the toll road and turned toward Kansas instead. We are on a nice wide two lane.

There are still signs of the ice storms that occurred the last two winters. Brother lost a huge Elm in his front yard from last year's ice storm. It would be interesting to see a map of just how extensive the ice storms were. Weather does not seem to be as local here as it is at home.

Stopped for lunch at a rest stop on US-400 & US-169. The ice storm damage has disappeared.

Finally heard a Meadowlark and saw one as we were pulling out.

Back on the road at 12:45, 110 mile to Wichita should make it by about 3:00 PM

The landscape is beginning to roll more, there are some road cuts. The Flint Hills are north of us but unfortunately way out of our way on this trip.

This is certainly cattle country. Pastures full of cattle.

Scattered oil wells showing in some fields

Extensive areas of black pastures where they have been burned, to reduce weeds, and brush. The Red Bud seem to be fire resistant as they are in bloom in some of the burned area. The Red Cedar do not survive if they are small but what looks like gnarly oaks do just fine.

Truck thermometer says it is 79*. Warmest we have been so far, but a pretty stiff wind is blowing.

Sent an email from a rest stop with free wireless. As we pulled back out on the highway there was a large wind farm in front of us.

Warm season grass pastures spread on our right to the horizon. Pasture burned to the horizon on the left. Almost no trees.

Found Nephew's house with only a slight alteration from the directions. He has a 4 car garage with lots of space to just pull in and hook up.

Had a wonderful barbecue. All three brothers with their significant others and some children. Fabulous steaks with salads and lots of beer.

Nephew, S. and his wife W. have a 4 year old German Shepherd. She and Duncan have really hit it off, racing around the yard until they were ready to drop.