On Sunday we drove a short distance to Independence,KS to Campus RV park to begin our Oregon Trail Tour. Lynda and I drove around and around looking for this park, even though I had been here years before. This enterance sign is sort of up on a hill and we kept missing it. The GPS said we were there but we couldn't see it. The two couples traveling with us were already at the park and enjoying touring the area. Independence is the home of President Truman and the main jumping off spot for the Oregon Trail. There is a lot of interesting history here.
Monday afternoon we started the tour with a trip to the National Frontier Trails Museum. We saw a movie that details the origin of all three major trails, the Oregon, California, and Santa Fe. The museum was full of stories about the people who traveled on the trail. What hardship they endured.
Lynda and I went on a tour of Community of Christ Temple, an off shoot of the Morman Church. It is very beautiful inside. In the sanctuary we heard a gentleman play this 102-rank pipe organ. I made me think of what heaven might be like.
The santurary has a spiral ceiling, quite unique.
On Tuesday night I made a beef stew meal for the group. We ate outside trying to catch a breeze for the temperature was 100.
Larry, John, June, Carol, Bill , Beecher, Ellen and Lynda.Tuesday morning we had a mule wagon ride around Independence.(sorry I forgot to post that picture) I then went and had my hair colored and cut. We went to a bike shop and bought new bikes. We had worn out our other bikes and left them in PA. We then went to a mall and did some shopping. This was the best place to be because the tempature was 110.
On Wednesday we drove to Blue Rapids, KS about 180 miles. We took I- 435 around Kansas City and then got on I-70 through Topeka before we headed north on 77. We see these trail markers along the route. We are parked at the community park in Blue Rapids, only $5 a night . After we all arrived we drove to Marysville to the pony express station. We then went to the Hollenberg Ranch, which is the only unaltered pony express station in the nation. It also was a stop for the wagons along the Oregon trail where the emigrants could get meals, lodging, food, clothing, and livestock.
Our last stop of the day was a six mile drive on a dirt road to Alcove Spring. It was an area the wagons stopped at for a few days waiting to cross the Big Blue River. Our group looking at a sign telling about the wagon swales that you can still see here.
These post mark the wagon ruts (swales) along the trail.
Back at the campground we had a hot dogs and baked beans dinner. The weather was much nicer today, so eating out was much better. The only problem was we shared our meal with flies!
On Wednesday we drove to Blue Rapids, KS about 180 miles. We took I- 435 around Kansas City and then got on I-70 through Topeka before we headed north on 77. We see these trail markers along the route. We are parked at the community park in Blue Rapids, only $5 a night . After we all arrived we drove to Marysville to the pony express station. We then went to the Hollenberg Ranch, which is the only unaltered pony express station in the nation. It also was a stop for the wagons along the Oregon trail where the emigrants could get meals, lodging, food, clothing, and livestock.
Our last stop of the day was a six mile drive on a dirt road to Alcove Spring. It was an area the wagons stopped at for a few days waiting to cross the Big Blue River. Our group looking at a sign telling about the wagon swales that you can still see here.
These post mark the wagon ruts (swales) along the trail.
Back at the campground we had a hot dogs and baked beans dinner. The weather was much nicer today, so eating out was much better. The only problem was we shared our meal with flies! We had a cake for Bill and Carol's anniversary.
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