On the Go Again

We left Spearman, TX on September 13 heading for Junction City, KS. Our  RV was built in Junction City and we are having a desk built by the factory. On the way we stopped in Great Bend, Ks to spent the night in a Walmart parking lot. We find overnighting at Walmarts safe and convenient. We always check with the store to be sure it is OK to do so. We put our slide out and plug in the generator and have TV and usually have internet using our Verizon aircard.

The next morning we arrived at the factory and discussed our new built in desk with New Horizon's cabinet shop supervisor. They'll build the desk, and we'll come back in November to have it installed. We decided to continue to Elkhart, IN where we wanted to have the suspension on our trailer adjusted. The night on the 14th we stayed at the Paxico, KS. Mill Creek Campground with an uncharged benefit, hearing trains go by several times (12 to 15 times) during the night. The tracts were less then 100 yards from the trailer. Needless to say neither we nor the cats had a good night sleep. It was a really nice campground except for the trains.

Train Coming

Another Train Coming

Paxico Train Station

Storm Shelter

We can tell we are in tornado alley when you find a serious storm shelter in your RV park.

We passed through Kansas City, MO pictures of downtown and the Royals baseball field.

Downtown KC

Royals Stadium

We spent the night in Montgomery City, MO just 80 miles west of St. Louis at the Lazy Day Campgrounds, an Escapees discount park. Pretty little park with decorated painted bathrooms and a washer/dryer in each bathroom. Made washing clothes interesting. We stayed two quiet days.

Note from Chauncey: The reason Jane didn't get a chance to play in St. Louis was that I broke the leveling jacks. So we had another reason to visit Elkhart, IN. The jacks are made there as well as the suspension. In fact about two thirds of all the parts for RV's are made there.

On September 17th we went through St. Louis and I got a picture of downtown but you have to look very hard to see it. Chauncey promised that this fall we would stop in St. Louis and I could tour the Arch.

St Louis

We stayed in another Walmart parking lot in Lincoln, IL. As you can probably tell it was raining on us most of the time on our way to Indiana. We arrived in Elkhart on the 18th.

My favorite picture this last week is of this old farm stead. We can't believe the many abandoned farm steads we have seen in our travels. You know how lucky you are when you can take a picture through a window and it comes out like this.

Out and About in the Panhanle

Drove from Spearman, TX to Borger, TX just the other day and found some interesting things to see. One never knows what will be around the next corner. The reason for going to Borger was to see our cousin at the craft show/flea market at the Borger Aluminum Dome and do some shopping. Interesting a building with history at this link, http://highlightsmemories.com/a-landmark-unique-structure-caused-domesized-headaches-in-its-early-days-p616-163.htm

Borger Aluminum Dome

Bonnie with Her Jewelry

Leaving Spearman on Texas 207 is this Historical Marker which I thought was interesting. Click on it and it will be larger and read about Lindbergh's landing near Spearman.

 

Another historical marker another 12 miles down the road is this one. We are always interested in the old cowmen who did the cattle drives from Texas to the railroads to the north.

Always between the two towns we look for antelope along the way. Sometimes we see them and sometimes we don't. These were the close to the road. Notice how dry everything is.

 

It was nice to see the buffalo across the road.

 

These horses were down the way a little bit. My favorite subjects.

Spearman, TX

The Windmill Town

We have spent a week in Spearman, TX in the Texas Panhandle. We came here to have our hitch receiver on the truck welded and to visit our cousins.
The drought effects started 15 miles north of the Oklahoma border and across the Oklahoma Panhandle into the Texas. It is so dry that the irrigation systems are unable to put enough water on the crops for optimum growth. The corn is thin and the dry land cotton is really spotty. When we came through here in June the corn had just been planted and was just inches high. Now the corn is golden and being harvested. The soil is being worked in anticipation of planting winter wheat.
Spearman is a sleepy small town unless you talk to the farmers.They always have something to do. They are in the fields planting, fertilizing, irrigating, harvesting, moving equipment from one field to another. The farmers  fix their pumps, tractors, irrigation systems or fences and any other equipment needed for the job.
This town still has its cobbled streets downtown. Most of the businesses downtown are focused on farm business. There are seed companies, fertilizer stores, several large grain dryers and lots of storage for the crops. Several new restaurants have opened in the town since early summer with Mexican restaurants leading the way. We enjoy coming here to slow down because most everyone is not a hurry. The Football game was last night and we could hear the crowd and some of the announcements.

Cobble  Streets in Downtown

Grain Elevator (Dryer)

Grain Storage

More Grain Storage

Volunteer Sunflowers

  These multiple headed plants are the result of planting sunflowers the year before from hybrid seeds that will not sprout the single headed plant as the parent plant. This plant has a 1 to 2 inch center where as the parent plant has a 10 to 15 inch center. Most commercial seeds are hybrids.

Dry Land Cotton

Irrigated Cotton

Green Corn

Dry Corn Ready to Harvest

Milo or Sorghum Corn

Big Dry Field John Deere

Muddy Field John Deere

Traveling South

Left Gillette, WY on September 2 and traveled to Spearman, TX stopping at Hill City, SD and North Platte, NE to spent the nights. In Hill City we stopped at a KOA and in North Platte we stayed at the WalMart parking lot.
 We traveled 187 miles the first day, 304 miles the second day and 381 miles the third. This is more miles then we normally travel but the miles were easy, plus we had a nice tailwind. We arrived at our destination, Spearman, TX, on the 4th of September. We are having a welder take a look at and fix our hitch on the truck. We will spend maybe six days here and visit our cousins. The hot weather has ended for now, highs in the 80s and lows in the 50s for the Texas Panhandle.

Gillette, WY

We arrived in Gillette on August 27th to attend the Escapees Escapade. What an interesting time was had by all attendees. One could attend classes from 8:30am to 4:00pm for four days. I went to classes in Blogging, Cleaning the Rig, Controlling odors, Picasa, and lots of other things. A Market was open every day with everything an RVer might want. The final tally was 679 rigs and 1,286 attendees. The Cam Plex complex was unbelievable in its size and accommodations. (1,100 RV spaces)

Gillette, WY