Rainy Kansas

10-08-11

We are tucked into a rest stop on 50, about 60 miles west of Hutchinson, Kansas. We will spend the night here after a long day on the road.

We ate breakfast before breaking camp at the RV sites in Eads, Colorado. We were hoping the administration office for the Sand Creek Massacre site would be open this morning so we could get the other stamp for this area. Not to be, so we started east on 96 the few miles left of Colorado, and into Kansas. We stopped a few times for breaks, and finally pulled into Fort Larned National Historic Site a little before 3 pm. We walked on into the VC and talked to the ranger for a minute. We asked about what time they close, and noticed it was an hour later than we thought. We had all missed the sign (if there really was one) at the Colorado/Kansas border that we are now in the Central Time Zone.

Look! It's Wild Bill Hickock in the center

There were several people standing around in period dress, and we found out there will be a candlelight walk at the fort tonight. Once again, here we are in the middle of something interesting, but alas, it was by reservation only, and completely booked. Still, they were setting up for it, and we could walk around and tour anything that was open.  It is a very interesting fort, with many, many artifacts and furnishings from the period. The doctor's office and large hospital area were very well done, with an old guerney, an amputating saw, and lots of medicine bottles. Some had actually been found on the site, and others have been donated. Saw the kitchen and bakery, the blacksmith shop and commissary, along with other areas. There was some nice furniture in the officer's quarters, and even an old square piano in one of the areas. They would soon be serving dinner for the volunteers in one building, and it smelled really good.

Barney is adjusting the damper.

Sleeping quarters for the enlisted men.

When we finished touring the fort a lot more people were coming in carrying their costumes. We had seen several children dressed in costume, and they would be participating in the school room. They were excited about it.

 Looked like it would be a really nice event, most likely a fundraiser.

We went out to the picnic area and had soup and sandwiches for our lunch/dinner at one of the sheltered and dry picnic tables.  It had been a long time since breakfast.

We stopped for fuel just before getting to the rest stop, and the Flintstone-mobile had just played its low fuel song, so we just squeaked in.

While looking on line for camping in this area, we discovered the Cosmosphere in Hutchinson. Had not heard of it before, but sounds very interesting, and we will stop there tomorrow.

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