Pastures, Prairies and Ladies!

 My Great Gram grew up here.  At least, this is what one of the back fields looks like today.  No doubt it was quite different in the 20's and 30's. 
That's all I have to say about that...

 Kansas riding over the past two days has been different than I expected.  For the most part I love it.  The climate is completely different than last year when there were 25 consecutive days of 100+ degrees.  The present cool air and varying shades of shrubbery made for a beautiful setting to cruise by.  And rural towns every 12 to 26 miles make for nice changes of pace.  But there were underlying sad truths.

 At my first stop outside Cousin Bea's I tore into tomatoes I picked with her husband John from their garden the day before and watched the cows on the hill in the picture above.  On my first day here I would have been excited to see free-roaming cows. 
 Since talking to John I've learned they'll eventually be sold to big industry corn feed lots to pack on a couple hundred more pounds before butchering, packaging and shipping.  There aren't any more local slaughter houses with local suppliers.
 Nearly all locally owned grocery stores that supported local farming are gone.  Walmart Supercenters are the most common place to get groceries.  And dining in these small towns?  You get Arby's, Subway, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell.  It is rare to see anything locally owned or original unless it's a diner attached to a gas station - which has great coffee and decent burgers.

 The quintessential travelling rider picture!

 I went to my FIRST Rodeo the other night!  This is a section of our country full of patriotism, values its history and is full of dry humor one-liners.  I quite enjoyed the event.

 The ride out to Dodge city was awesome - until the last 36 miles.  It flattened out and the wind beat me up pretty well.  And right on the edge of town was one of those feed lots I mentioned.  Now, I rather enjoy the cow manure scent - it reminds me of home.  But there was only the smell of processed cow to be had.

 So I blew of camping on the edge of town and found this B&B instead.  My father makes fun and calls me "one of those high-falutin types" - so why not!?
I got great info on the attractions in town and where I'll be spending my next three days as the owners are from Colorado and spent their first 10 years of marriage camping everywhere.
 Just down the corner was the first Teachers Hall of Fame in the US - I was there an hour past closing BS'ing with the owners - nice folk.  And across the street was the Boot Hill Museum which also had a gunfight re-enactment and saloon performance.

 There were other displays for Buffalo Hunters, Lawmen and Colt revolvers.

 And at said saloon performance these ladies spotted me for an easy target and had a grand time embarrassing me!  Oh Dodge City...