060818-Kansas & Cowboys

Kansas
Sunday, August 13, 2006
Salina, Texas
Sundowner RVP

Although we have taken up the custom of boon docking (usually at Wal-Mart), we do need to pick a park for a couple of day a week to dump tanks, reload water and do some house cleaning.
Peter has been shedding for a while now. I don’t think he is finished yet, but it’s getting so bad that I‘m coughing hairballs.

Bought new throw rugs at Wal-Mart so I can toss the old ones. HAD TO …The vacuum cleaner took one look at the old ones and begged me not to plug it in.

By the way – I ended a streak that lasted five months. Up until yesterday I had not paid over 2.99 for a gallon of gas.
We were driving south thru Kansas, and it’s a pretty big state but with lots of open and empty spaces. Our gas gauge was at an eighth and we had no idea where the next station would be or the price, so we pulled in at the first one we saw and pumped until it shut off at $75 and we paid $3.08/gal.


Monday, August 14, 2006
Abilene, Kansas
Dwight D. Eisenhower Park

The complex is a beautiful park setting with about 5 buildings. The house they lived in till 1946, the library, museum, visitors center and meditation center.

What struck me right away was the fact that both Eisenhower and Truman came from the same part of the country. Abilene and Independence are only about 150 miles apart. They both come from poor families and they gained their recognition as leaders by serving in the military. Their paths crossed professionally as well when Truman assumed the role of Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of which Eisenhower was the Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Forces in Europe. Of course we all know that Eisenhower became the next president after Truman declined to run again.

The buildings were large and richly filled with exhibits and memorabilia of the similar period of Truman.
Of course, besides being the successful general that ended to war, Eisenhower is most notably remembered for the idea and construction of the INTERSTATE HIGHWAY SYSTEM that we all enjoy.
Its initial purpose was to be able to transport military personnel and equipment across the country rapidly as needed, but it also created a major boon to personal and vacation travel.

Of the many quotes that were attributed to “Ike”, one that was displayed on a wall caught my eye because it seemed as important to day as it did when he said it back in 1944.

“If we don’t defend ourselves on the Rhine, we will have to defend ourselves in New York

Wednesday, August 16, 2006
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
National Cowboy and Western Museum

This attraction was so much more than I expected, and I will list it as a highlight of this trip.
To start with, the main building was enormous with many sections and wings that one could almost get lost in. There were beautiful exhibits devoted to just statues (large and small) depicting aspects of the early western lifestyle. Other areas housed painting by many famous artists displaying American and Indian examples of art and their culture.

Of course, the most popular area (to me at least) was the area devoted to our radio, movie, and television heroes, the media cowboys. They were all represented, from Tom Mix, to the singing cowboys, to our more recent favorites.
How many do you remember? Hoot Gibson, Ken Maynard, Hopalong Cassidy, Tex Ritter, Gabby Hayes, Roy Rodgers, Gene Autry, Herb Jeffries (the first black cowboy star), The Lone Ranger, Wild Bill Hitchcock, The Cisco Kid, Maverick, Sugerfoot, The Rebel, Matt Dillon, Maverick, and probably a few I missed. Another area was devoted to the Rodeo and the famous riders and ropers.
This is a must see on your list if you are ever in Oklahoma City.

Thursday, August 17, 2006

We were planning on having lunch with a friend’s brother who lives here, but our signals got crossed and the weather was getting hotter by the minute. By the time we headed out of town, the temperature had hit 102 and the prediction for tomorrow is 104.

Crossing the Oklahoma panhandle, we entered the Texas panhandle and arrived in Amarillo. The weather was 15 degrees cooler and planned on staying that way.

By the way, can you name two other states that have “pan handles”?

If you were thinking Florida and Idaho, you get a gold star.