Ride to Burden, Kansas

The skyscrapers of Kansas are grain elevators and bins. During our rides, you can see them for miles, along with the train tracks that run along side the elevators. I always know that there will be a small town just waiting for us to explore. Today was no different.

Burden, Kansas is the home of the Happy Hooker Restaurant and Bait Shop, yes food and bait. What more could a guy ask for? Beer you say, well they have that too. Our mission was breakfast at Happy Hooker. Not to be disappointed, it was delicious and they also had home made pies. Breakfast or pie, a very difficult choice. We all chose the breakfast. Our stomach's were happy and we were ready to ride. Not knowing if it was going to rain, or where we wanted to go, we headed towards Highway 99 and Moline, Kansas. The home of the oldest swinging bridge in Kansas, at least that is what the sign boasts! Built in 1904.....but we weren't exactly sure why they built it.

As a side note, on our way to Burden for breakfast we rode over the dam at Lake Winfield, the water was like glass and the clouds and the lake just came together. It was magnificent.

We made our way back around through El Dorado, Kansas and stopped for gas and a cold water. At that point, we decided it was time for lunch. So, off to Timbuktu in Andover, Kansas. Cold beer, 1/2 pound burger and lots of laughs. Always planning our next trip and wishing someone would win the lottery.

A great day, wonderful friends and never enough time for riding.....

Peabody & Strong City

On Friday, July 23, just Luke and I rode to Peabody, Kansas for lunch. And lunch did we have! Chicken Fried steak sandwiches on Texas toast with french fries and Dr. Pepper. YUMMY! I wasn't exactly sure we would be able to ride and stay awake.

After lunch we took off towards Strong City. There is a small Catholic Church there, St. Anthony's that is beautiful. The pictures just don't do it justice! The sun on the cross was so pretty there is just no way to describe it. As I stood and took the pictures every person that drove by waved to us, as if we were one of the locals. I love that!

From Strong City we headed to Cottonwood Falls, to the park for a rest and water. The weather was so hot! We continued into Cassody for another break. Again, the Flint Hills amaze me. The pastures are so green and full of cattle and horses. We came upon two cowboys and I mean cowboys, working the cattle. It was fascinating to watch and think that in 2010, these men are still working the cattle just like in the 1800's. Some things just won't change.

We made it back home around 3:00 p.m. the temperature was 103 degrees. We are officially crazy.....

Cottonwood Falls July 18, 2010

I absolutely cannot believe we rode in this horrible heat last Sunday. It started out gorgeous outside and our plan was to be home by 2:00 p.m. to beat the heat. Let's see as the saying goes......the best laid plans.

We rode to Cottonwood Falls for breakfast at the Emma Chase Restaurant which is located in Chase County in the beautiful Flint Hills of Kansas. I love the Flint Hills. Everytime we ride through, it is different, the landscape transforms itself constantly. The farms and ranches go for miles and the trains running through the winding tracks seem to put me into a trans, I love to hear their whistles blowing.

After Cottonwood Falls, we decided that we would wind our way back to Wichita, good plan, the heat was going to be rough. We made it into Gympsum and stopped for a water break and decided we would not eat again and just keep going. The next stop was for gasoline in Lindsborg. Again, not wanting to be in the heat, we filled up, drank more water and kept going.

We all split up as we grew closer to Wichita and Luke and I stopped at a gas station in Park City, just about 14 miles from home. We had to have water. After our break, we got on the bike and it would not start. It was dead, no power, NOTHING. 104 degrees, in a parking lot with a dead motorcycle. Hello Mr. Tow Truck, two hours later, we pulled into our driveway with the bike on the back of the tow truck. Thank God for tow insurance and road side assistance. Luke has been working on it all week, the jury is still out on what is really wrong with it.

The Flint Hills National Preserve was one of our first stops after breakfast. The ranch was established in 1881 and is now on the National Register for Historic Landmarks. It is amazing! I love it.....I could go there once a week and just wander the property. It has a barn, house, outhouses with three stalls, smoke house and a small servant quarter. I sometimes think I was born in the wrong century. I love this time in history. I can't imagine traveling across the country in a covered wagon to discover a new place. But, I think I would have tried.

The pictures are of the long road in the Flint Hills, a picture of Jane and Terry in the cardboard cutout in the barn, the flag at the house; me, Jane and Susie at the preserve and finally, the tow truck with the motorcycle on the back.

So I end my blog tonight, loving the Flint Hills. I suppose one huge disadvantage in the 1800's was no air conditioning!

Stay cool.....Pam

Beaumont, July 11, 2010

It seems like forever since I have written! So, just a quick update on our motorcycle trip to Beaumont. We took off at 8:30 a.m. and drove to Beaumont, Kansas for biker breakfast. As you will see in the photo, the plastic tent is to cover our breakfast buffet. Not the most sanitary conditions around! Still it was an adventure. Just as a side note, Beaumont is the town most famous for its grass landing strip. Airplanes used to fly in on Sunday afternoon and go to the restaurant for fried chicken and then fly out. Now only a few planes fly in and out, the motorcycles have taken their place.

After having our delicious breakfast, we headed south towards Kaw Lake in Oklahoma, stopped at a friends house for a beer and continued into Ponca City, Oklahoma for Mexican food. We left Ponca City around 3:00 p.m. Taking back roads all the way back to Wichita, we made it home at 7:00 p.m. Hot, tired and ready for a shower. It was great fun!

The pictures are pretty self explanatory; the small church in Beaumont, the sign outside the Beaumont hotel and restaurant, the food tent, the short road to Ponca City and the very long hot road back home.

Just for fun, go eat at a restaurant that serves food from a tent, can't go wrong......Pam

Fourth of July Weekend

It has rained off and on all weekend, we were supposed to go to the baseball game and then watch the fireworks but everything has been cancelled. Also cancelled, all of our rides. So just hanging out at home, had friends over for dinner Saturday night. Caleb, Anne and Matyson came over Sunday and had some snacks with Luke, Simon and me. We are dog sitting for Erin and Kyle while they are in Colorado. Even though the weather has not cooperated, it has been a very relaxing and nice weekend.

I had the Eagles concert on Wednesday, June 30, at work. They were amazing and we had a sold out crowd. They sang a few new songs and all the old favorites. I was able to score Luke a ticket at the very last minute and he had a great time. Here are a couple of pics that he took during the show. He told me he was too busy watching and listening to take pics!

Not much else going on, just hanging out. Work has been a little slow but I am not complaining - this is a great time to get caught up and I will start hiring for the fall soon. Working on the evacuation plans and working on employee files. Necessary items that require time that I just did not have when we opened the building. A great job, fun times, long hours and very tiring, no complaining, extremely thrilled to be a part of all of it!

Have a wonderful Fourth of July as we celebrate our freedom. Pray and remember our troops far from home so we can enoy.

Love to all.....more later!