Last night when we arrived in Salina, Kansas it was 76 degrees and the wind was howling at over 50 mph. This morning it was upper 50's and not quite as windy, though still blustery. We headed off across Kansas, once again dispelling my misconception about the state as flat and boring. Most of Kansas is gently rolling and really quite beautiful. Early in our trip today, we came upon a giant wind farm. Dubbed the Smoky Hills Wind Project, it stretched on for miles, and with the wind blowing hard, it looked like a collection of giant pinwheels.
You can say we lead a boring life, but Marie and I were mesmerized by these giant wind turbines. Up close, they make a powerful, but quiet, whooshing sound, and to see so many of them twirling at the same time was really neat.
The drive then settled into a routine, broken by several forays off the highway into small Kansas towns. We began to notice a pattern - they lured you off the interstate with promises of unique attractions and stores. But once you arrived in town, most of the storefronts were vacant, a pretty depressing sight. One exception was Colby, Kansas, which remained pretty vital. And Oakley, Kansas - "See where the legend began" - did deliver in a way.
We entered Colorado, and as we approached the Rockies, the temperature began to drop. When it reached the low 40's, it was time to zip the legs onto my shorts. At Colorado Springs, we headed west, winding along the Arkansas River with steep canyon walls along one side of the road. Eventually, we arrived at our destination for the night, Salida, CO. The temperature was 37 degrees. We checked into the motel, then went downtown to have a burger and a beer at the Boathouse Cantina right on the river. As we left, our waitress said, "Be careful, it's snowing." Uh, yeah. As I write this, it's snowing hard - by morning we expect 2-4 inches, with another 3-5 tomorrow.Supposed to go down to 20 degrees tonight.
Our new Element is getting its first taste of snow.
We're supposed to head for Santa Fe tomorrow, but it may be tricky getting there. Stay tuned!
You know, it is chilly in MD (40 at night tonight) but not cold enough for snow! Hope you were able to get to Santa Fe. I am impressed by the variety of experiences you have had just toodling west. The flood situation is scary and the last time we were in WV (a week ago) the Ohio River was very high. Makes you appreciate Mother Nature...wind and all! Feel like I am traveling with you and Marie! Hugs to both of you and "happy trails".
Posted by: Barb Gage | 05/01/2011 at 07:48 PM
Hey Barb, we did arrive, but not without considerably more adventure, as today's blog describes. I think it's in our nature to make everything "an experience", and this trip is no exception. The flooding we saw in Illinois and Missouri was humbling; hope your place in WV stays dry.
Posted by: John | 05/02/2011 at 01:12 AM