We’re Back! And We’re Glad!

Our last post was on December 5, 2023, which featured our visit to the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum during our Spring Adventure. Jon’s hernia surgery, my broken arm, and various medical appointments limited my time at the keyboard for several weeks. I’ve been playing catchup ever since. A word of caution: Jetways may be slippery when wet, so hang onto the handrails.

Now, on to this week’s post. A short one as we get back into the groove.

We headed from Salina, Kansas, on May 1, 2023, and traveled to the Goodland, Kansas, KOA. We arrived early enough to poke around close by. Goodland’s claim to fame is the “Big Easel,” a reproduction of van Gogh’s painting “Three Sunflowers in a Vase” by Cameron Cross. At 80 feet tall, it is known as the World’s Largest Easel, according to the World Record Academy.

Down the road is the High Plains Museum, operated by the City of Goodland. Artifacts include items donated, such as a replica of the first patented helicopter, the Goodland’s Flying Machine co-invented by William J. Purvis and Charles E. Wilson.

The displays also included a 1902 Holsman Auto owned and driven by Dr. A. C. Gulick, a Sherman County Physician. The car is missing a few safety features compared to our modern vehicles.

Dioramas reflect the town as it might have appeared during its founding, along with various machinery, equipment, and household goods.

Next door to the KOA sits a historic farmhouse under renovation. I wondered who once lived there and who might live there again some day. According to the owner, they bought the house 37 miles away and moved it to its new location. She was out watering the trees, which were not doing well because of the drought in the area.

If we pass through this area again, we might stay more than one night and take in other roadside and historical sites. I hear the Giant Grasshopper made from tractor parts is a must see quirky tourist sight.

Next stop: Colorado Springs, Colorado

Safe Travels