Thank you, National Park Service!

How old am I?  As I left Amery Saturday afternoon, I took almost the same route to Luther College as I did in 1975, but veered a little off the trail to get to Waterloo's KOA.  There was that same excitement and yet some anxiousness, too. 

On Sunday, Herbert Hoover's National Historic Site was my first of six National Park Service sites.  Despite being blamed for the Great Depression, he had some great accomplishments like UNICEF and the Boys Clubs of America.  Onward to the 33rd president - Harry Truman's National Historic Site where I visited his and Bess's Independence, MO home.  In the pouring rain, Brown vs.  Board of Education Nat'l Historic Site@ Topeka's Monroe Elementary  brought to light the beginning struggle/success of the Civil Rights Movement.  Thanks to those who risked everything so that segregation would eventually end.  A rainbow graced the sky as I left the city.  The park rangers were very informative at every site!  Since I drove past Abilene, KS, I stopped for a photo of Eisenhower's home, even though the visitor center was closed.  I missed the 32nd president; who was it?

 

Sunshine greeted me today as I toured Fort Larned Nat'l Historic Site on the Santa Fe Trail.  The fort served as halfway point from Independence, MO to Santa Fe where travelers could restock and rest.  Unfortunately, white man was invading Indian land, causing a lot of conflicts and deaths.  Driving on dusty gravel roads, I found Sand Creek Massacre Nat'l Historic Site where the cavalry wiped out the tribes settled there, despite peace treaties and a 33-starred flag that our government gave to Black Kettle that he flew to signal peace. There were also letters from a US Army leader stationed there that refused to attack the natives, accounting the slaughter-horrific!  The US admitted guilt, but no one was brought to trial.  Lastly, I drove on a muddy rutted cow path along a water-filled canal to Bents Old Fort Nat'l Historic Site, an adobe fur-trading post that dealt mainly with buffalo hides.  After mentioning to the trading post merchant that I had a beaver pelt from Wisconsin, he refused as it was only worth 50 cents, they could get better pelts from Mexico, and silk hats were more the rave (remember I taught 4th grade Wisconsin history).

Driving across Kansas was certainly a trip!  I told Karen that it was worse than Montana. Thank goodness for Kirsten making me some great CDs to sing along with!  Here are some "highlights":

• white beef cattle, as well as the traditional black and brown,
• wheat fields and FLATNESS,
• oil wells,
• manual gas pumps,
• limestone fence posts with barbed wire,
• too many gravel roads.
• cemeteries and golf courses WITHOUT trees,
• wind turbines,
• 75 mph speed limit, and 
• immense feed yards for the beef cattle where you could almost taste the excrement driving by.

Because of Mountain Time, I had an extra hour so I revisited driving across the Royal Gorge Bridge. Last time I drove and walked across, the boards were about 2 inches apart; now they're tightly together-great improvement!   It had rained A LOT, plus with the snow melt, the Arkansas River was really racing!  Driving through Bighorn Sheep Canyon with the Arkansas raging enroute to Salida, CO was how my day ended.

I feel a little like a pioneer venturing into unfamiliar territory.  The unexpected might be around any corner, but I know I have God as my guide along with my GPS. More adventures await!