Here's today's route (starting in Wichita not Arkansas City) First stop was Dodge City; we visited a tourist attraction named Boot Hill, which was kinda cheesy but did have some cool historical stuff Then a quick lunch in Old Town Then miles and miles of straight road west to the horizon Kansas has MANY wind farms Our next stop was Monument Rocks , which is about 15 miles off the nearest paved roads. We had to be careful to not hit any cows. Lots of cornfields, but surprisingly, right before the Rocks, was a huge sunflower field. I learned of this landmark a few years back while watching the PBS show Making North America . Bee in the "Eye of the Needle" The strata are very interesting. Layer upon layer of shells. A closeup Then more driving westward on I-70, flowing with traffic at 90MPH. Eventually we passed into Colorado. And had a GREAT sushi dinner in the Cherry Creek area o
Heading west, across the Mississippi, the Ozarks, and into the Great Plains We spent the night in Fulton KY, which is right on the KY/TN border GREAT hotel! This opened last year, and it's beautiful and very comfortable. Compare the pic below with what it looked like last year ( google street view ) Across the street is the breakfast place, which is actually in TN (the state line runs down the middle of street). Reminded us of Blackwater Junction back home. I read the local newspaper over breakfast Upon checking out, I chatted with the hotel guy. He asked why we were in Fulton, and I told him it's the childhood home of a good friend. He asked the name, and I said Mark Pennell, upon which the guy said he knew Mark - they went to grade and Middle school together, and played trumpet together, and that Mark was really good. (His name is Chad). So I guess Mark really is from here! Here's Mark's childhood home in South Fulton, the TN si