Traveling to Denver

The drive from my house to Jessica's house is about 18-19 hours, a trip that I made last summer during the height of the pandemic so that the two of us could still spend some time together over the summer.  We went camping in Colorado where we were able to social distance like champs!  One would think that making the trip again, a year later, would be daunting to some.  But no, I love the excuse to see the countryside through the windshield and great audiobooks with some pop-music every now and then keep me going strong!

For me, there is something about crossing the Mississippi River.  It's not something I see frequently, but it sets a boundary for me, a home of familiarity for me.  Crossing it, I feel like the hobbits who crossed the border line of the Shire for the first time.

That being said, I sort-of bee-lined it out of the southeast, knowing that those states are close to me, and I can visit them anytime.  Although, I must admit that it is those places closest to me that sometimes don't get the attention they deserve.  Driving through rural, western Arkansas made me want to make a special trip sometime to see the Ozark Mountains and try out the Arkansas wine country (I'm confident it's like Napa, right?).

Last year, Kansas was a new state for me, so I took my time traveling down interstate I-70, stopping in Wamego (the self-proclaimed home of Dorothy and the yellow-brick road), America's Most Artistic Giant Toilet, a giant statue of the legendary Johnny Kaw, World's Largest Czech Egg, the North Pole of Kansas, and the World's Largest Easel (and painting).  You're already planning your trip to Kansas, aren't you?

So, this year, I once again wanted to enjoy Kansas.  Driving the hundreds of miles straight across the state on I-70 is not the most thrilling of ways to see the state, especially since I had already taken all of the little detours close to the interstate just last year.  My mom recently sent me a blog post about the best road trips in each state, and I realized that the Prairie Trail Scene Byway was not too far out of the way, so I took that side trip which weaved through one-stop-sign towns through the middle of Kansas.  

I stopped for a minute in Canton where the sounds of birds far-outweighed the sounds of cars.  The town's claim to fame is having the last built Carnegie Library and two water towers: one for hot and one for cold water.  Which begs the question, why don't we all have that?

Cold and Hot

My next stop was a much livelier town, whose proximity to the interstate no doubt contributes to its success.  Lindsborg, which in Swedish translates to Linden Castle, is a thriving tiny town with a population of a few thousand people.  This "Little Sweden" is proud of its heritage.  Dalas (Swedish painted horse statues) adorn the sidewalk, each uniquely created and painted to match the storefront.  My favorite was the one painted like a grapevine in front of the local newspaper.  Yes, I thought it was going to be a wine shop when I approached, but reading the "Heard it Through the Grapevine" description then made perfect sense!  There were local art shops, cafes, a Swedish bakery, restaurants, gift shops and a toy store.  Main Street was bricked, adding nostalgia, and every person greeted me with a warm welcome.

When given the opportunity to take a two-lane road or an interstate, for roughly the same amount of time, I will always choose the two-lane.  I love an opportunity to see the countryside, with less concrete.  Driving Highway 4 across the center of Kansas (I passed a town that was the geographical center!) was a delight!  There were enough cars around that I never felt unsafe, but for an hour of my three hour journey, the only car on my side of the highway that I encountered was one that was passing a tractor.  The tiny flat towns that dotted the landscape provided fuel when need be and a sense that I wasn't alone.  (Although, keep in mind that listening to a thriller about women going missing in a small town is not the best when stopping alone in small rural towns.)

One way that I found to entertain myself on the long, flat stretches was to spot something tall up ahead, usually a slender silo or a water tower, and then see how many miles until I reached it.  Many things were three, four or five miles.  Two different destinations I spotted on the horizon were eight miles away.  Eight.

My next destination was fourteen miles on a gravel/dirt road where I had to dodge the prairie dogs that scurried eagerly across the road.  But, Monument Rocks, a National Natural Landmark was well worth the detour.  Pulling up alongside these imposing chalk pyramids, in the middle of prairie lands, completely alone, was extraordinary.  They are on private land, but you are allowed to walk amongst them and wander among these towers where swallows have created colonies.  A couple other people arrived, but sharing this natural wonder in the middle of no where was not difficult.

I-70 finally beckoned me back, and I must admit that slowly watching the Rocky Mountains come into view is an astonishing site.  I'm thankful now for a few days with Jessica before we set off on another long driving day.  But if you haven't truly seen Kansas yet, give it the time, even just the vast expanses of fields is an amazing site to see.