2017 CROSS COUNTRY ROAD TRIP - 5-8-17 - GOODLAND, KANSAS TO LAWRENCE, KANSAS

Monday, May 8th, 2017

Our odometer reading today is 54762.  The distance we have traveled so far is 6,586 miles. 

We are leaving our hotel in Goodland, Kansas at 8.11 a.m. and we have 260 miles to go before reaching Abilene in Kansas. (There is also an Abilene in Texas if the name sounds familiar.)

8.27 am. I just saw a fox walking next to the fence line. It is always so cool these flashes of nature.  He stopped and stared across the field and was out of view in seconds. There are wire fences going on for miles. 

Fields as far as the eyes can see, in all directions. 

9.20 a.m.  Just saw a sign for Nicodemus Historical Site. 

8.50 a.m. Gregg is stopping to fill up the tank.  We are in Colby, described as the Oasis of the Plains. McDonalds next for breakfast. I am also getting a bit tired of McDonalds but, they have a Starbucks close by. I am going there next.  

10.09 a. m.  I couldn't help but overhear a conversation going on between three men in McDonalds, which makes me glad we went there after all because it was very entertaining. 

While I saved our seats and Gregg was at the counter getting our food, a few tables away there were raised voices from three men two in their mid 50s and an older gentleman.  I heard one say,  "I don't hunt anything I don't eat" and a few minutes later, "Well what do you expect?  That's because they got all those idiot women out there".  
I think the man who spouted forth about us women realized he had said that too loud, as his conversation turned quieter, but the conversation went on.  Eventually the higher decibels returned, something about politics and guns. But what do I know?  I am one of those idiot women out there.  

One of them looked at me a little suspiciously as he saw me stifling my chuckles.  I was actually trying to get control of them, shaking my head with my hand over my mouth when Gregg came back with our food.  I still had a wide grin on my face.  

I like Colby. Who couldn't like Colby?  They have fun conversations in McDonalds to eavesdrop on, and a Starbucks across the street. 

And Gregg drove across that street and very kindly popped in to get my coffee.  He saw a sign on the door that he wanted to show me, so took a photo.  It is very windy around here.

He also noticed that there were five women sitting around a table, each with a newspaper in their hands, all discussing today's news. I think those men in McDonalds should walk across the street and see this.  They couldn't possibly be talking about them could they?  I wonder!

Isn't people watching fun?  And I don't mean to eavesdrop but you can't help it with those loud conversations.

We are on our way with a latte in hand. 

Just passed a sign for Ogallah, Kansas.

We are seeing a lot of oil pumps, some with storage tanks nearby, some with none. Must have a pipe system with those.  When you are on a long journey, you seem to notice everything. 

Went through Hays, Kansas at 11.45 a.m. Gregg was curious. A large community. 

111 miles to Abilene, Kansas.

Historical Cathedral of the Plains. 

Just passed two very smart cows lying down in the shade of a billboard. 

12.18 p.m. Czech Museum up ahead.   Festival sign last week in July. This is where they have the World's Largest Czech Egg. 

12.23 p.m. We have been passing more wind turbines.  All turning around. I open the window to take a photo and it practically blew my iPad right out of my hands.  I didn't want to see it go flying so I didn't take any more photos until until we reached the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum.

Gregg saw a brochure yesterday at the hotel and was happy to see it was on our route.  I am very happy he suggested it, as I enjoyed it as much as he did.  

They had a lovely visitor center with two of the nicest ladies running it.  There was a gift shop too. I bought some souvenirs, postcards and greeting cards.  

We bought tickets for his boyhood home tour but missed it as we were walking and didn't realize the time. 

It was a very pretty home on the outside.

The museum was impressive and we were in there for a long time.  

I always enjoy the old photos of historical figures, I enjoy old photos of everyone no matter who they are.

Below is one of my favorites from inside, and is a very large painting that was entitled "The Dedication of the American Roll of Honor - St. Paul's Cathedral, 4th July, 1951."  The artist was Frank O. Salisbury.  I will do a post on the museum at a later time.

The photo below shows those wonderful sculptures we have been used to seeing on this part of our trip.  They were located near the steps of the museum.

The photo below was looking towards the Presidential Library from the museum. 

We walked over but when we asked the guard sitting at the front desk, it was explained to us that it is dedicated to professional scholars and most of the library is not open to the general public. 

I liked the wrought iron design of the buffalo in the window above the door, and the design could also be seen on the large oblong door nobs.

Across the way you can see the museum we had just visited.

We did get to see the foyer and it looked very nice with their highly polished marble walls.

We could have walked down the hallway to see another movie.  As we had watched a very good one of President Eisenhower's life over at the visitor center, we didn't bother.  It was getting late in the day and we wanted to see other things before everything was closed up.  

 

We wanted to go to the Place of Meditation where the President, his wife Mamie and their four year old son were laid to rest. 

Abilene is a very interesting and very pretty town.

3.33 p.m and we were on our way again.  

4.30 p.m. We stopped at a truck stop that had an A&W Rootbeer. Gregg was hankering for a Rootbeer Float.  We also ordered fish and chips for our late lunch/early dinner.  It will be nice to get home for so many reasons, but one of them is that I miss the plain, simple meals that we can cook at home.  

Some pretty scenes on our way to Lawrence, Kansas, where we booked our hotel room for the night earlier in the day.  

6.00 p.m. we are at the hotel.  It is always good to stop, even though our days have been very interesting driving through different terrain from state to state, and we especially enjoyed stopping at the Presidential Museum and Library. 

We will be home in two days. 

THIRD POST FROM MADAME TUSSAUDS

Another president in the President's Gallery.

This time it is Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th President of the United States.  

One of my favorite characters in history as he was a great conservationist and was instrumental in putting land aside for many of our national parks.  Also he was a hunter and a taxidermist from a very young age.  When he was in his teens he learned to identify the sounds of almost all of the birds in his surroundings of New York and Long Island.

You can learn more information about him here.

Above are likenesses of President Kennedy and First Lady Jackie Kennedy (Onassis).  I found a very interesting history of how they met here.  I spent almost two years in Newport, Rhode Island in the late 1970's, and had no idea that that is where they were married.  John F. Kennedy, known as Jack, was our 35th President.  I am not showing you the presidents in numerical order.  More info on him at this link.

Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy.  They were married for 52 years.  He was our 40th President and was born on February 6th, 1911 in Tampico, Illinois.  After graduating college in 1932 he found work as a radio sports announcer in Iowa.   More info here.

I enjoyed this mural along one of the corridors between exhibits, and other artwork along the way.

The following picture depicts John Adams, who was the 2nd President of the United States, and was the first president to live in The White House.  When he arrived in Washington DC, this famous landmark was still under construction and he temporarily lived at the Tunnicliffe's City Hotel.  He didn't move into The White House  until November 1st, 1800, but soon after was defeated in the 1800 election, and only lived there for four months.  He was a bit of a grumpy guts but married a good lady, Abigail.  You can read more at this link.

This is John Quincy Adams, our 6th President and the son of John Adams.  He was a statesman and a diplomat, a Senator and member of the House of Representatives.   He was married to a lady named Louisa who was English, from London, and up until this last election, was the only First Lady who was born outside of the United States.  A link with more info can be found here.

The following is Woodrow Wilson who was the 28th President of the United States.  He was born in Staunton, Virginia, not too far away, a little over a two hour car ride.  He was born on December 28th, 1856 and experienced the Civil War in his youth, as he was present in Georgia when Union troops entered his town.  His mother tended to wounded Confederate soldiers.  Also, as a 13 year old he stood next to General E. Lee when he, Lee, participated in a procession in Augusta. His link full of information can be found here.

Warren G. Harding was the 29th President of the United States.  Info here.  Harding came from a small town in Ohio, and before entering politics he owned The Marion Star, which is still in existence today.  He served only two years in office, from 1921 to 1923, when he died.  His Vice President, Calvin Cooledge, became the 30th President of the United States.

Next, Dwight D. Eisenhower, our 34th President.  Camp David is named after his grandson, David.  Many years ago my sister and I were staring through the railings at the side of The White House (this was when there were no barriers except for the tall iron railings).  What captured our attention was a white squirrel on the grounds, scurrying along with a mouthful of acorns, trying to find a spot to bury them I'm assuming.  We had never seen a white squirrel before and were discussing the fact.  The next thing we knew, a guard appeared at a fast pace through the trees, with a rather formidable looking rifle, no doubt to make sure we were behaving ourselves.  Our conversation must have been a bit boring.  "Well I never, have you ever seen a white squirrel before?" "No, never!" was my reply.
"Isn't he a lovely little thing?"  We were trying to take photos, not of the Oval Office but of the white squirrel.  My sister and I were so startled at the sight of the guard we nearly fell out of our shoes, and with a quick smile at the guard, knew it was time to move along.   I have been seeing white squirrels each time I visit the city over these many years, the great, great grand-squirrels of that one little white squirrel perhaps?  Why am I retelling this tale?  Because the following story reminded me.  Eisenhower banished the White House's squirrels because they were ruining his putting green.  In the spring of 1954 the American Public Golf Association installed an outdoor putting green just steps from the Oval Office, which we were unknowingly standing not too far from, it being blocked from view by a 'forest' of large bushes and trees.  Much to his dismay, Eisenhower, who was an avid golfer, noticed the squirrels were continuously digging up the putting green to bury their acorns.  "The next time you see one of those squirrels go near my putting green, take a gun and shoot it", this to his valet.  The Secret Service, however, wisely avoided the use of guns, and instead the groundskeepers trapped the squirrels and released them into Rock Creek Park.  Well, I can tell you now, they came back!

Gregg is standing next to Ulysses S. Grant and Robert E. Lee.  It depicts a scene at the Appomatix Court House in Virginia, where Lee surrendered his army to Grant, a precursor to the end of the Civil War.  President Grant became our 18th President.  There are some very interesting facts about the two at this website.

There was a very old tree in our neighborhood and local legend, so I was told, said that Lee stood under its branches and addressed his troops.  It would be nice if the story had some truth to it but I have no clue if this is fact. Sadly the tree had to be cut down years ago. 

The following collage shows from left to right, William Howard Taft, No. 27, Ulysses S. Grant again, No. 18, James Buchanan, No. 15, and Rutherford B. Hayes, No.19.  You can click on their names to learn more.

The following are Presidents Richard Nixon, No. 37, Gerald Ford, No. 38, Lyndon Johnson, No. 36  and Jimmy Carter, No. 39.

President Barak Obama, our 44th President and First Lady Michelle Obama.  President Obama was born in Honolulu, Hawaii.  First Lady Michelle was born in Chicago, Illinois.  They met while working for a Chicago law firm, where she was assigned to be his advisor.  They were married on October 3rd, 1992. There is more information here.

We visited before President Trump was added but I read that he has now joined the President's Gallery.

I hope you've enjoyed this post.  I have tried to get my facts correct, but if any historians out there see any discrepancies, I would be very grateful for any corrections.

I have one more post to share of the celebrity section of the wax museum, and that one will be my last post.