Kansas. Usually when this state is mentioned, people roll their eyes and talk about how "flat" it is or how "boring" it is. I like Kansas, though. Yes, it's flat...in parts. Yes, some might find parts of it "boring," but I like it. Kansas is rich in American history, and the folks living there are friendly and kind. Moreover, those who farm managed, for the most part, to eke out a living from pretty unforgiving conditions. Bad soil, no water, heat, bugs, hail, tornadoes...all make life difficult in the western and southwestern part of the state.
My son and I just returned from southwestern Kansas after visiting a friend of mine and her family. I wanted my son to see a different part of the country and a lifestyle unfamiliar to ours. I also wanted some one-on-one time with him as we haven't seen much of one another over the past couple of weeks. What better way to spend time with one another than a seven hour car trip?
We decided to bypass downtown Denver and the I-70 exchange by driving through Castle Rock and heading east to I-70 that way. I hadn't been much past Castle Rock, so it was interesting to see the land change from pine trees to open spaces, dotted with small ranchettes. We passed through towns we've only hear about, and finally, I-70 loomed in front of us. Our adventure had begun!
With quick stops in Limon and Burlington, we saw truck stops and small communities. Towns like Burlington have history we don't often appreciate; they were towns early settlers founded as they moved west across the prairie. I cannot imagine the difficulty of their existence, and therefore I have great respect for towns that have existed for so long and under such tough conditions.
The land changed constantly as we moved from Colby, Kansas to Garden City, Kansas. Homes were sparce, trees much more so. Fields of green and gold filled our eyes. The contrast was stark and lovely at the same time. The sky opened up, and we saw variations of blue and white as puffy, cottony clouds floated through it. I enjoyed watching the topography change as we traveled further into southwestern Kansas. My son seemed equally impressed with the vastness of the land before us and around us.
My friend lives in a small town, founded over 100 years ago. It's surrounded my fields of wheat, milo, soybeans, and corn, and the trains still come through regularly. My son was able to see a thin slice of small-town life and learn about the values in a different part of the country. For example, it's hard to simply run to the grocery store when necessary. It's a 44 mile round trip excursion. Each time we drove up and down Main Street, people waved at us. One's church is important and central to one's social life.
We visited a local state park, a dairy, a couple of other towns and cities, and each time, the land was different. That's what fascinates me about Kansas. It can be flat in one area and a valley with amazing sandstone rocks over the hill. Certain areas, like the state park, sported a number of trees, while other areas, like the dairy, were completely barren of trees.
At the dairy, we were able to see how cows are milked and cared for, plus we had the amazing experience of watching a calf be born. We drove out to a field and picked potatoes, which we ate a couple of times during our visit. My son was able to ride a horse, an experience that left him glowing with happiness. We also visited a barn where some kittens lived. Our vehicle had a cropduster fly above us, and we could feel the vibrations from the airplane as it did so.
Traveling to Kansas was a lovely experience, both for my son and myself. We learned a bit of history in Dodge City, went to a farm show, saw where the Dalton gang's hideout was, and spent time learning more about a lifestyle completely alien to ours. Kansas isn't flat and boring; it's filled with hills, valleys, streams (though plenty, sadly, are dry), history, and lovely people. While I haven't traveled all over the state, I have been from the western side to the eastern side, and I enjoy it each time I'm there. My son had such a good time, he wants to go back again this summer. Kansas fueled his desire to farm, and our road trip fostered his interest in more road trips.
I couldn't have asked for a better experience.
