May 15, 2009

Return to Kansas

We left Colorado Springs at 8am and headed due east.  They say that US 50 through Nevada is the loneliest road in the world.  I have a second option.  Colorado 94 is straight as an arrow on compass bearing 90 degrees for over 150 miles.  Some ups and downs but no turns.   An occasional dirt road branching off to a distant ranch but no towns and no services the entire way.  We passed three vehicles the whole stretch.  It is good road just lonely.  Just before the state line it joins a larger highway and we had company on the road again.

We were a bit disappointed that we were unable to reach the summit of Pikes Peak.  We will try again but we did want to hit a least one summit on our trip.  Our route took us near Mt. Sunflower, the highest point in Kansas.  This was our chance.  Just inside the state border we headed north on a dirt road.  Eleven miles later we reached our goal.  The pictures document our success.

 

Yes!  The carbus is sitting on top of the highest point in Kansas.

 

These are the vast plains below Mt. Sunflower.

 

I did say we were in Kansas.  That means one thing – WIND.  Note Sue’s hair.

This is a weather rock (look it up if you don’t know what that is) on top of Mt Sunflower.You can’t see it in the picture but it is not just moving, it is swinging.

The item at the top of the pole on the right is a windsock.  It is almost totally shredded away.

After getting back to the highway we fought 30mph crosswinds for 60 miles and then called it a day.  It is still very windy.  Things could be worse.  We are watching a nonstop weather advisory on TV.  Wichita is in the middle of a very bad storm.  Weather radar shows very little green.  Some yellow.  Mostly orange and RED.  Tornado warning for the area for the next two hours.  Numerous funnel clouds seen.  Golf ball sized hail.  We will take the wind and wait a few days to visit Wichita.