Another Day in the Lives of the Gypsies from Nevada

Dean  (the husband)
Shalane  (the wife  :O)

I know it has only been a few weeks since we arrived in the Great Plains.  However, I have already nearly forgotten what the mountains look like.  We are anxiously awaiting our first view of the Rockies later today.  The cool air that comes with that will be appreciated as well.  To say the least!!!

Don't get me wrong, it is never easy to say goodbye to friends, especially ones that have been a big part of your life since childhood.   However, it was 111 degrees F (40+ degrees C) on Tuesday so the thought of cool air is exciting!  I only wish that our family and friends could follow us and experience our views from above.

Last night we made it back to the town of Greensburg, Kansas.  We are staying at the Greensburg RV park which is right on the main highway.  It is only $15 for an electric (20,30, & 50 amp) hookup, and they have a fantastic restroom with hot showers.  We had talked about going all the way into Dodge City but really wanted to pump our money into this amazing little town that was completely wiped away by a tornado in May of 2007.  We actually wrote about it as we passed through it a few weeks ago heading the other way.  If you haven't had the chance to read it, this town decided to rebuild "Green."  As we slept last night, the wind turbines above the town continued to produce electricity.  As the sun came out this morning the solar panels located all over the town began their mission to accomplish the same thing.  It really is a remarkable little community.

The next couple of days will be spent by the Royal Gorge near Canon City, Colorado.  I've never been, and I'm super excited!  :O)  As always, pictures will follow.  For those of you unfamiliar with the Royal Gorge it is worth a quick search on the Internet, but we'll fill you in on what we discover on Sunday's blog.  Until then, Happy Trails!

Who Says You Can't Go Back

Dean  (the husband)
Shalane  (the wife  :o)

What would you do if you were confronted by a gorilla?  For us, the answer is easy.   We would take them to the Crawford County Fair.  Okay, the ’gorilla’ that I am talking about is my daughter.  Before you get too upset about how mean-spirited I am, let me explain.  My oldest child is in her last year at Pittsburg State University.  The mascot for that school is a gorilla.  She is a beautiful young woman and in no way resembles the jungle creature.  We considered it a wonderful joy and blessing to spend some time with her and her boyfriend.  We were so lucky to get to see both of our daughters on this trip.  They are beautiful, powerful young women, and we are so proud of both of them.

Hannah and Shalane

Shalane and Maresa

Maresa and her boyfriend, John

 Our last full day in my hometown started out by spending some more time with our dear friend, Mishelle.  In the afternoon, we went over to visit my mother.  It is amazing how things have changed on the farm where I spent my teenage years.  It is hardly recognizable. Still, it was great to enjoy the company of my mom in that wonderful place full of childhood memories.  

Dean and his mom

It has been about five years since my last visit to the old homestead, and so much has been altered, yet some things in the area remain untouched by time.  For example, Chicken Mary’s, one of our family’s favorite places to eat, is still there and still hiring friendly people to serve great food.  Their German potato salad is something that I have always enjoyed, so we didn’t argue when my mother insisted that she take us there for dinner. 

http://local.yahoo.com/info-17958993-chicken-marys-pittsburg

Today is the day that we will be heading back toward the mountains and cooler air.  We will stop somewhere in western Kansas tonight and be in the Rockies sometime late tomorrow.  We have thoroughly loved being with our family and friends, and have enjoyed the pleasure of their company.  However, we have also missed our mountains and do look forward to being surrounded by their majestic peaks again.  Happy Trails!

When You Have Lost Everything, How Do You Press Forward? Day 5

May 4, 2007, started out like any other day in the Kansas prairie town of Greensburg.  Flowers were in bloom, kids were playing, and it all seemed like a typical spring day for its 1400 residents.  However, by 10 pm that night, there would be nothing "typical" about it.  The town of Greensburg, famous for having the largest hand dug well in the world, would now be known as the town that was completely destroyed by a F5 tornado. 

No, we didn't get hit by a tornado. This is just an impressive dustdevil in Oklahoma.

As we traveled through that town yesterday, we were shocked by the complete destruction of the entire town. (The best hour long documentary of it that I have found online is on YouTube: http://www.youtube.co/watch?v=08PM3YEqBcE&feature=watch-now-button&wide=1 .   Five minutes into it will show you the first video of the aftermath & 10 minutes will show the first sights of it the next morning. )  Four years later, there are few original trees left.  Slabs of concrete are all that remained in many parts of the little town where houses and buildings once stood.  We drove to the site of the hand dug well, only to see the remnants of what used to be a building which I suspect was used to give tours.  A steel flagpole (shown to the right) was twisted in the midst of the ruins next to the site.  As one might imagine the population of Greensburg has declined substantially since that infamous day.

Inside the Grean Bean Coffee Shop/Deli

Now for the good news, Greensburg is making a comeback.  In order to prepare for this new century, they decided to pick a "Green" theme to draw people into their town.  It only seems right that Greensburg would chose to go green.  As we drove around the town there were solar panels, wind turbines, and various other "green" technology in place.  Across from the site of hand-dug well was a interesting visitor center showcasing the new technology being used.  A sweet lady inside took us on a tour of the new things being used in town.  (I even had the opportunity to get inside of an egg shaped storm shelter that should be able to survive any tornado.)  Sadly, many people had no choice but to leave their town to seek employment elsewhere, as there were no businesses left.  However, there were some that were fortunate enough to be able to stay in their hometown.  I hope that they will one day be able to see the rich rewards of their vision.  (At 53 minutes into the above mentioned youtube documentary you will see their 'green' vision for the future.)  If you ever find yourself in Greensburg, I recommend the "Green Bean" coffee shop/deli/ice cream parlor!  It even has free wifi for those needing to connect to the internet. 

Solar powered art studio in Greensburg

This sink is located on top of the toilet.  As you wash your hands it refills the tank for the next flush.

On a side note, I was able to see my native state of Kansas for the first time in over 5 years.  I know that there are many people out there that think it is a boring state.  Both my wife and I love to find the beauty of all things.  It is not hard to find if you will just take the time to look.  I'm really looking forward to our return to southeastern Kansas in a few days.  After seeing first hand what can happen to a town in the blink of an eye, I know that I will more truly appreciate the time I spend in my hometown when we make a short visit there.  Happy Trails everyone! As I mentioned yesterday, my wife is with her mom for a couple of days.  She will be back soon!

Where Should We Go Next?

Dean  (the husband)
Shalane  (the wife  :O)

We drove to Echo Canyon State Park last Thursday for the last time this summer.  I have to admit I was a little saddened.  We have spent some great evenings there this summer, and yesterday did not disappoint.  On her first cast, Shalane reeled in the biggest bass we’ve caught since we came here in mid-June.  The average weight of the seven fish we caught was easily the best of the year.  It was such a great night of fishing. All the fish were fighters, which made reeling them in really fun, plus it meant that we were able to release all of them back into the lake.  Perhaps the highlight of the evening occurred after we decided to head back to the trailer.   Just after dusk, we walked back up to the truck at on top of the dam.   As we stood there, we looked across the valley and tried to take it all in.  The flashes of lightening, the cool breeze rolling across our faces, the smell of the rain with the approaching thunderstorm, and the sound of thunder made it all even more breathtaking.  Truly, a great way to end the day.

As we know, closing a door to one room means that we're opening a door to another.  So it is with us, as we are looking forward to our upcoming trip to the Midwest.  We have decided that we will make this trip from Nevada to Southeast Kansas without ever driving on the interstate.   It will take a little longer, but the scenery should more than make up for the extra time and gas.  We will not be taking the trailer, as we have decided that it will be much more of an adventure to Greendock the entire trip in the truck.  We hope to stay only in campgrounds that are ten dollars or less or tucked away in the woods.  I'm not worried about Utah and Colorado, but the heat in Kansas and Oklahoma might prove to be a challenge.  I suggested that we might need to stay a couple of nights in a motel.  Heck, we don't even have windows in the back of the truck!  Dean says no way!  He's hardcore, and wants to battle the elements no matter what!  Well, we'll see who wins that one.  You know I'm all about a good adventure, but I don't see myself sleeping in the back of a truck that's 100 degrees when I could be in a hotel with a pool and air conditioning. :O) We hope to be able to continue our blogs as often as we can while traveling.  My wife loves to take pictures, so hopefully you will get a feel of what we'll be experiencing.  For our friends and family in Kansas and Oklahoma, we look forward to visiting with you soon.  Until then, Happy Trails!