Hutchinson, KS

We have come to Hutch (as the locals call it) to see our granddaughter's family:  Andrew, Lauren and their daughter Natalie, and our newest great grandson Finn.  Both Natalie and Finn were born exactly one year apart on December 23.  Finn is now 6 mos and Natilie is 18 mos.  I personally sorta think they're going to get gypped out of either Xmas presents or birthday presents...

Great Grandma Eloise, Natilie and Finn

Great Grandpa Gary and Finn

Daddy Andrew

Natalie and um Natalie

Finn

Finn

 Okay, I need to get a picture of Lauren inserted.  Also, we have about a bazillion more pictures of the cute kids.  Want more?   Just ask, I dare ya!

K State Fair Ground RV Park

We're camped at the Kansas State Fairground RV park.  Scads of spaces here at $30 a day, full hook-ups.  Central to town, and attractions.  

Terry Gaylon Inverter Technician

 Terry is listed as the area's Xantrex repair facility.  Our's went 'out' at the same time the generator went out.  Terry took the unit with him, but made sure we could have power for our A/Cs.  He brought it back late the next day, installed it, and it's working great.  Only cost $524 clams.  This is getting to be an expensive trip!!!

SR 71 Blackbird

Hutchinson is the home to a terrific museum of space artifacts called the Cosmosphere.  Hanging in the lobby is a 'flown' SR 71 Blackbird, the fastest airplane ever built.  Also houses an IMAX domed theater.  We were here years ago and found the museum to be unique and worthy.  A bit expensive today at $26, but seniors get a little break.    The following is a cut/paste from the brochure:

FOUNDING THE COSMOSPHERE

In 1962, Cosmosphere founder Patty Carey set up a used Planetarium Projector and rented folded chairs in the Poultry Building of the Kansas State Fair Grounds and created one of the first public planetariums in the Central United States. Four years later, the planetarium was offered a new home on the campus of Hutchinson Community College and a new, enlarged science center was constructed.
Encouraged by the planetarium's popularity, Patty and the board of directors began an expansion campaign to develop a space and science center worthy of international recognition.  When it opened in 1980, the 35,000-square-foot facility included the planetarium, a three-level exhibit gallery, new classrooms for expanded school programs and one of the first-ever IMAX® Dome Theaters.
In 1997, a major building addition expanded the facility to 105,000 square feet and allowed for the display of a flown SR-71 Blackbird in the lobby. In 1998, the Cosmosphere was named one of the first affiliates of the Smithsonian Institution, formalizing a long-term relationship with the Smithsonian's National Air & Space Museum.
In 2014, the Cosmosphere announced plans for another major renovation to support more interactive science education opportunities and to showcase its world class collection of artifacts in the type of engaging and stimulating environment today’s museum visitors expect. "

You can take a virtual tour here:  Virtual Tour



 Another don't miss thing to do in Hutch is to tour an active salt mine.

Underground in the Salt Mine

 Morton Salt has been here since the 1880's.  There is a tram ride tour.  One section of the mine is dedicated to preserving priceless things.  One debatably priceless things are old Hollywood films.  It's called Strataca:

"Travel 650 feet underground into an active salt mine!  Experience a cool and soothing subterranean world formed by salt deposits in the Permian Sea long ago. See the raw mine as it was left more than 50 years ago on the Salt Mine Express train ride and catch a guided tour on a tram to the Dark Ride. You won't want to miss a special gallery filled with authentic movie costumes and memorabilia. And don't miss the SALT SAFARI add on tour. A one hour guided adventure tour that goes BEYOND STRATACA. See salt formations not available to the general public until now! Limited capacity -- only 12 visitors at a time depart 3-4 times a day."

....that's from the brochure.  It's closed on Mondays.  You'll wear a hard hat, so don't bring your own.  It's Fun!

Now heading for Lansing, KS

El Reno, OK

On our way from Rochester to Hutchinson we stopped for an overnight at a casino RV parking area.  There was no charge to stay and with full hook-ups, but I figure they expected to make some dough from us in the casino.  Boy, they're going to be surprised...  just going inside long enough to register we inhaled enough second hand smoke to make us choke up. 

There were some geocaches in several of the surrounding cemeteries.    They were pretty interesting.  One was one devoted to the Mennonites who came thru as pioneers, stayed and passed away.

As we were walking around in another after finding the cache, I noticed this head stone:

The Lord is my shephe-
rd

Maybe syllables were different then??

Where the heck is that cache??

This cloud appeared to the east late in the day.  We decided to stay over another day so as to not have to drive in the storm's aftermath.  Good thing.  Wow did it ever blow and rain that night.  Even though our stabilizer jacks were solidly on the ground, the RV was getting blown around.  Oh, well.  Another free night can't be so bad.

I'm putting this in belatedly.  It's from the earlier visit to Tent Rocks, but wanted to show off the 'head nets' that we got for 2 bucks at Wally World.  If you've ever been bugged by insects flying into your ears, eyes and nose, then these are the handiest things.  There were pesky flies that simply wouldn't leave us alone back at Tent Rocks.  Eloise got hers out and used it.  I suffered along until we were out of that area. 

Stylish, no?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rochester, TX

I have to apologize for the blur.  I have what is called 'essential tremors' and that condition causes shaking hands.  Sometimes it is worse than at other  times , but very annoying when trying to take a picture. Distance pictures are not a big problem for me though.    Eloise says it was maybe just the wine.

We have known Jack and Linda Parsons since early in our motorhome travels.  We first met at a Thousand Trails park near Cottonwood, AZ, during a line dancing session.  We have been at many square dances with them too and over the years we have met up in various places around the country.  In 2006 they bought a home in Rochester, TX a town of 300 souls north of Abilene.
 

Parsons residence 








We spent a very enjoyable 4 days here.  We were comfortable in the back yard with the full hook ups for our RV:

Our awning not fully extended as a caution against sudden wind







Linda is a terrific cook.  One night she made what she called 'braided salmon'.  A mixture with salmon and covered with a braided dough.  Looked like this:

                                Before...

Yummy







Eloise and I  walked into the farm land each morning before breakfast.  On one of our jaunts, a couple mutts from a yard near the Parsons came out into the street and introduced themselves.  We were at first afraid of getting bit, but kept walking.  They fell into step with us and we became at ease with them.  We expected them to get bored and turn back, but they stayed with us our entire walkabout, which that morning was over 3 miles. 

The darker one must have been used to a leash, it would mostly trail just off to one of our sides.  When we got back to our RV they were still with us.  We tried to shoo them off, but they were still waiting for us when we emerged after breakfast.  We were back inside when Linda came out of the house and shooed them away properly!  They have a rescue cat that doesn't care much  for the canine folks.

Built in dishwasher.  Same brand as ours.







We are heartened that the Parsons are considering doing some of next winter in the Mesa vicinity.  Even though they no longer dance, it will give us a chance to play board games and cards with them, which is what we love to do.

We're off now to see our great grand babies and family in Hutchinson, KS.

Amarillo, TX

Famous for it's free 72 oz steak, IF you eat it and the trimmings within one hour!  That would be a shrimp cocktail, baked potato and rolls.  This is what the interior is like.  Eloise and I had one of their least expensive menu items for steak, a 10 oz double cut (2-5 oz) for 2 people.  I'm not kidding, I think it was the best steak I've ever had in my life.  I'm drooling now just remembering it!

 Scrumptious cheesecake with strawberries and whipped cream!

 "The cooks"

And this is the area where the people trying to eat that much steak sit.  Notice the timers in back.  They are not allowed to stand or have anyone else touch their plates.  We were here a few years ago when there were a couple people who tried and failed.  This time, nobody was that nuts.  If they don't qualify for the free steak, the cost for trying is $72.00

Amarillo was the closest town that could repair our generator.  It's an Onan generator and so belongs to under the Cummins engine umbrella.  I was able to get an appointment with Cummins before we arrived in town.  The day we showed up with our RV we were informed that the mechanic (the only one there qualified for Onan) called in to say he wouldn't be in.   (Not sick.)  The clerk says he does that sometimes.  Hmmm.  We were fuming and fussing and then trying without success to find another shop to work on the generator, when he walked into the Cummins shop.  He proceeded to check out our engine at $145 an hour.  Here's where you fellow Tiffin motorhome owners should pay attention:  There is a fuel filter for the generator that is on the rail, before the generator's own filter.  If you've been changing only the generator's filter, you will likely end up broken down like us!!  That filter had been on since new in 2005.  That is what was clogged up with gunk.  You could tap the filter and get black 'stuff' coming out.   Nowhere does it cover that filter in any of our material.  The technician says it is often the case with Tiffins and another brand he couldn't remember, when they come in with problems.  In our case, he replaced it with a 'see-through' filter from O'Reileys and showed me where it's located, so that we can see if there's foreign material, and clean and replace the filter.  Total cost for our ignorance: $467.47, that with a 10% discount for being a member of the Cummins Power Club!  

A highlight of our stay in Amarillo was the evening we spent square dancing with the Whirley Birds!  There were just 2 squares that evening with Jimmy Gouge calling MS and a little plus.  Cannot remember a club that was more outgoing and friendly than this one!   One couple there offered to pick us up from our RV park and take us to a world class concert in Palo Duro Canyon the next night.  https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/palo-duro-canyon   Palo Duro is like a mini-grand canyon.  There is a huge ampitheater where the concert was to be held.  A very beautiful state maintained place with campground to spend a day or week.  We were there in the past and it is truly a must see spectacle. 

Of course we were able to find time to do some geocaching -- this time on some of the property that at that time was Amarillo Air Force Base, now closed.   The area now houses a college and truck driver training facility.  I was stationed there as a raw recruit in 1965 for completing Administrative Technical School.  Didn't like it there much at that time.

We're off to see some friends who live near Abilene.  Later.

Tucumcari, NM

After leaving the lake Friday morning, we arrived at Tucumcari, NM for an overnight.  We arrived at Cactus RV Park mid-afternoon, caught some late lunch at a local restaurant and hunkered down until the heat abated a bit.  Then we were ready to hit the streets in search of...you guessed it...geocaches.  Yep, they're everywhere! 

On the main drag, Route 66, there are many, many motels.  Some of them open like this Blue Swallow Motel. Motels with garages were pretty common, as this one is.  Still being used in that way.  The old Pontiac in the picture is a 'plant', but others are being used like the mini van you can see. 

That's a 1957 Hudson Hornet.  It's just tourist bait, but I liked it anyway!  Back there where that dude is standing was one of those bean bag games.  Eloise and I played, and because she cheated, she claimed victory.  There was a cache on the property.

I recall the folks came through this city with us kids long ago, before the freeways ruined the route 66.  We traveled between Oak View, CA to Illinois relatives.  My father refused to take a motel anywhere that cost more than $6 bucks for the family.  I don't recall it being too much of a challenge.  This city is crumbling, dying and is fighting it.  The only really nice buildings were the Federal Credit Union, a couple museums and the churches.  

As we were walking we came across several murals that seemed to have a familiar touch.  Sure enough, as we got closer we could see the artist was Doug Quarles.  He is a familiar name these days in Benson, AZ where he relocated.  He's making a lot of murals around Benson, and has a gallery there where he and his wife have a really interesting shop.  If you get to Benson, be sure to stop in.  It's right on 4th Street which is really Main Street but that's not what it's called.  Don't ask me.

That is not somebody posing there, it is part of the mural.

The train is next to a building that sells and services Trane air conditioners.  Their motto is "It's hard to stop a trane".  Coincidence...I don't think so.

 Here is another mural we found by Quarles.  The little sign beside 66 says QuarlesArt.  Those are murals on the garage doors too.  One was a  1959 Cadillac, the other was an Indian motorcycle. 

Eloise took a picture through one of the garage windows.  This is what was there:

Across the street we saw this sign:

It was after business hours for the historical museum, but could  provide some amusement if you're so inclined.

This last picture is for those farmers watching the blog who would really like to let their hair fly! 

More later.

Santa Fe, New Mexico

We spent the day in Santa Fe, New Mexico.  It was 36 miles from our campground in Cochiti Lake.  When we got there we realized we hadn't visited the capitol when we were here in the past.  It's not your typical domed capitol in most states.

It does have a rotunda.

The place is overflowing with art and sculpture.  Some of it was interesting.  There was this bison head made of lots of different things, like paint brushes shards of pottery, lantern and stuff.

And a nice chair and carved bench.

 
On our way to the visitor center, we pulled into a pay lot, thinking to pay a couple bucks.  Nope.  $10.  But you could stay all day...We left. We arrived at the visitor's center, and there were vast numbers of parking spaces -- all reserved for official use only, and about 6 visitor spaces, 30 mins max.  We pulled into a slot toward the back.  But the signs all said  "Towed at Owners Expense!"  We saw a tow truck breeze through the lot as we were wondering if we could get by for a couple hours!  We moved.  At the visitor center we asked for a parking suggestion, and were told to go to the other side of the capitol, and there would be a free parking garage.  Yep.  And we had a shady spot on level 2.  Go there if you come.

Santa Fe, ancient town that it is, is a mess downtown!  Streets go off everywhere without rhyme or reason.  Some so narrow two oxcarts couldn't have passed.  We were on foot for over 3 miles checking it out and finding caches.  

Walked past a fire station where a couple men were hanging around outside.  Asked where we could get an inexpensive lunch.  We were directed to a restaurant near the capitol where these guys sometimes go for lunch.  When we saw the menu prices, I began to wonder if those firemen were a bit overpaid.  Lunch special $37.  We needed some bananas, so on the way out of town we headed for Walmart.  On the way we noticed a Mexican restaurant called Los Potrillos on Cerrillos Road (a major artery).  It was great food, excellent menu and reasonable!

Oh yeah, on our way in to town we stopped to snag a geocache.  Eloise was reaching down right next to a bunny rabbit.  She hadn't seen it, but was within just a few inches of it.  She took a picture of it, poor thing.  It's in the shade and hard to make out.

Well, it's there if you know where to look!!!

Tomorrow is moving day, headed toward Amarillo, one nite stop on the way TBD.