Day Five we made it to Abilene, Kansas, a beautiful part of the country—rolling emerald green hills-- specifically to visit the Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum at his boyhood home. We spent most of the time at the museum amazed at all his accomplishments…and all we had forgotten. Things like starting the US interstate highway system, the National Parks Service, establishing the Alaskan Wilderness Refuge, appointing the second woman cabinet member in history to head his newly established Dept. of Health, Education and Welfare, the end of the Korean War, Civil Rights legislation, not to mention listening to his visionary farewell speech, which could be given today. In it he warned of the dangers of an unchecked military-industrial complex, the need for global cooperation and cautioned against plundering our natural resources. A great afternoon.
`
From there, we headed to the Brookfield Inn—the home of the famous Abilene chicken dinner. Fun and good home cooking, but who knew the best awaited us back at the RV park!
Earlier Fiday morning we were awakened by the smell of hickory smoke. Turns out the RV Park is hoppin’ on the weekend. It's home to many contractors working at Ft. Reilly, a little community. In chatting with our neighbors, they said a brother was graduating from KS tomorrow and they were barbecueing all day preparing for the event. A local resident brought his grill wagon and "fired ‘er up!" They offered to smoke something for us and suggested we pick up a pork loin in town while sighseeing. So, after our chicken dinner, we brought our new RV friends a roast and some beer. We talked for two hours then were presented with the most tender, delicious smoked loin we have ever tasted, with their special rub and homemade sauce. They also shared burgers, ham, pork butt and tongue (my first try—quite good!) from the natural/organic animals they had raised. So, we thought we had eaten well at the “chicken place.” However, back in the RV camp was the true regional culinary highlight!
Saturday we headed to Lamar, CO through the flattest, nothing-for-miles-and-miles landscape. Dry and windy.
We went by the controversial Sand Creek Massacre area, where over 120 Cheyenne died, and ended up at the RV Park and Horse Hotel—complete with a stable, paddock and two visiting horses. Charlie (our male Airedale) definitely thought the horses were the best!
Tomorrow we’re off for some shots of the Colorado sand dunes in Alamosa.
