Kansas
August 23-26, 2006
Check off another state! Kansas bites the dust. And dust may be the operative word. We have started out in almost 100 degree weather. It is really hot. Thank goodness for sunscreen. (Of course, I’m changing from SPF 30 to SPF 50.)
Thursday, August 24, 2006
Gardner, Topeka and Emporia
Our first stop was Gardner and the TradeNet factory. Bruce met my friends at work and saw what I do for a living. Also, my friends met the guy who thinks there are many interesting things to see in Kansas. Bruce had a chance to have breakfast at The Downtowner, my favorite breakfast restaurant in Gardner. Our next stop was the Topeka Zoo and the Topeka Rose Garden. We then drove to Emporia and wondered why we went there. The first of two attractions was a big pile of rocks on the corner of two main streets. The second attraction was an old bridge overlooking a bunch of junk in the river. We did have a “first” event, however. We ate at the China Buffet Restaurant which was the worst Chinese restaurant we’ve ever been to. Wow. No, really… “Big Wow!”
TradeNet Publishing- Home of my peeps!
Topeka Zoo and Rose Garden
Soden Grove Bridge and Big Stones
I suppose there was a grove here but there were also bugs so I didn’t do too much exploring. Also, by now it is about 98 in the shade and exploration of a non-air conditioned space is out of the question. This is a really old bridge. That it is still standing is more a testament to God than man. The stones have significance but I don’t know what. (Sure are a lot of pictures of not much.)
Kansas War Memorial Park
They have done a very nice job on this park. It is very inspiring if you are a veteran (as I am).
Tallgrass Prarie National Preserve – Canton Kansas
This is an eleven thousand acre prarie farm that is featured at this website:
http://www.nps.gov/tapr/
Maxwell Animal Preserve and The Old Towne Restaurant in Hillsboro
We went to see buffalo and we wound up seeing deer and grasshoppers. We also saw buffalo poop, however. And sunflowers. The link to the place:Â Click Here
At the Old Towne Restaurant in Hillsboro, I ate pickled okra. It was good. whodathought?
The Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center
A very cool place. Check the link:Â
Kansas Cosmosphere Space Center Website
Dillon Nature Center
The Dillion Nature Center is the first instance of Bruce’s “Little Men” reference. “Little Men” are the roots of a common tree at the center that come up through the ground and look like little men.
Check it out here: Dillon Nature Center Website
… and last, but not least, – The Wichita Botanical Garden
