Midwest
Driving through Colorado into New Mexico…
KANSAS IS BEHIND US. Kansas is behind us and as we enter Colorado we find ourselves in a vast and sparsely populated area called the Comanche National Grassland. In the distance we see the snow covered mountains around Denver and we’re glad that we made the decision to change our route and avoid the severe weather … Continue reading
Leaving America’s Heartland…
IT’S WINDY! If Chicago is the “windy city” then the state of Kansas must be the country’s windiest state. Wow! A day or two ago the wind was so strong on the highway that we were forced to stop driving early in the day. We were fortunate to find a beautiful lake near the little … Continue reading
America’s Heartland, Part II
WE’RE MOVING ALONG. A few days ago we put Missouri in our rear-view mirror and traveled west to Kansas, in search of Dorothy and Toto. We didn’t find them, but we did find more interesting spots in mid-America. The seasons are changing. There’s a chill in the air. Leaves fall from the trees and a red … Continue reading
America’s Heartland…
MANSFIELD, MISSOURI. As we trek across America from East to West, we find ourselves today in Mansfield, Missouri. Only about three hundred families live here. We’re still in the Ozarks. Highway signs blare: “Abortion is murder!” Streets have names like Hickory Hollow and Cemetery Road. A gunmetal water tower announces the town’s name. “Rick’s Quality Used … Continue reading
Welcome to the Ozarks…
WELCOME TO THE OZARKS. We’ve arrived in southern Missouri’s Ozark Mountain Country, also referred to as “the Ozarks.” It’s a highland geologic region of the country’s central states of Missouri, Arkansas and Oklahoma, extending in Missouri all the way northeast to the suburbs of St. Louis. Although sometimes referred to as the Ozark Mountains, the … Continue reading
The Solar Eclipse…
SOLAR ECLIPSE ON AUGUST 21, 2017. Not since 1979 and not again until 2024 will there be a solar eclipse like this one. What a big deal! I don’t know where you were during the eclipse, but in this part of the country seeing it was supposed to be a real “happening.” We’re staying at Wappapelo … Continue reading
Have you ever found a “kindness rock?”
KINDNESS ROCKS. Several weeks ago, I began finding small rocks, painted with inspirational quotes, around RV parks and at the beach. They were in plain view, unlike geocaches which are carefully hidden. Have you guys seen these kinds of rocks, just lying around on the ground? “What’s going on with this?” I wondered. So I … Continue reading
Are you kidding me?
MAY 26, 2015 ARE YOU KIDDING ME? “Hey Julie,” I said to our server at the restaurant after we finished lunch today. “We’re exploring America in our motorhome. We don’t have a washer and dryer aboard and we really need to do laundry before we leave town in the morning. Do you know if there’s … Continue reading
“Guess who’s coming to dinner.”
MAY 25, 2015. A VERY SPECIAL INVITATION. “Do you and your wife have plans this evening?” Owen asked me. “Would you like to come to my house for dinner?” Wow, what a nice invitation, I thought. I’d only met Owen Yoder, the young Amish store manager at Schrock’s Heritage Furniture Store in Berlin about a … Continue reading
Amish Country…the little town of Kidron, Ohio.
MAY 23, 2015. THE TOWN OF KIDRON. One of the many Amish towns in the area is Kidron, located in Sugar Creek Township just a short drive from Meadow Lake RV Resort where we’re staying. It’s home to an outdoor flea market held twice a week, a livestock auction and a retail store called Kidron … Continue reading
Amish Country…the town of Berlin, Ohio.
MAY 22, 2015 BERLIN, OHIO. Today was our first full day exploring Amish Country. We drove to the nearby town of Berlin, which is at the heart of the 40,000-strong Amish community and is home to the Amish and Mennonite Heritage Center. There we were able to “get our bearings” and learn a little about … Continue reading
Ohio’s Amish Country…beautiful and fascinating!
MAY 21, 2015 OHIO’S AMISH COUNTRY. Amish Country is a unique place, located in the rolling hills of east-central Ohio. It’s a three county area, far removed from the hustle and bustle of the city. We’ve found country roads, well tended family farmsteads, beautiful scenery, a slow, quiet pace and about 40,000 honest, friendly, hard-working … Continue reading
