Denver to TN- Eisenhower, Council Grove, & Tallgrass Prairie
After my solo trip to Denver (link to trip report) and attending the class I'd gone for, it was time to return home. My DH had flown out on the last day of the class then the following day we set out from Bear Creek Lake Park started our return trip to Tennessee.
We drove south on I-25 along the front range.
Then at Colorado Springs we turned west on State Route 94. Looking back, I could see how the plains run right up to the foot of the mountains.
But as the mountains grew smaller in the mirrors, it was time to look forward to the plains.
We passed through Punkin Center, a crossroad in the middle of nowhere, before picking up U.S. 40 at Aroya, CO.
It seems cows outnumber people in this area. In other words, a nice area to visit.
One hundred miles east of the mountains, we stopped at Kit Carson for lunch. This town, named after the famed scout, lies on the first rail line to Denver and features an original 1904 railroad depot, now a museum.
From our shady curbside parking site we could see a yard full of old equipment, old buildings, and a tower of industrial art across the street. After we ate, we took a closer look over the fence.
This place would be great for an overnight stop. Although we weren’t in a hurry, it was still too early to make camp so on we went across the plain, passing through towns that make their presence known with their tall silos. And to fill those silos one needs big farm equipment.
Finally we passed out of Colorado and into Kansas. And rolling on we went.
I guess these knobs pass for mountains in this state. And the kids on that school bus have a long commute.
We continued on as the sun slid towards the horizon behind us, throwing a golden light across the plain and everything in it. Time to find a place to light for the night.
DAY 12
We’d found a city campground at Ellis, KS. It was a nice facility complete with level pull-thru sites, water, electric, restrooms, wifi, picnic tables, huge cottonwood trees, and even a pond. I don’t remember the fee but it wasn’t much and had to be paid at City Hall a couple blocks away.
Before leaving Ellis we stopped at a stone building on the other side of the pond from the campground. A sign indicated it was St Mary’s Catholic Church built in 1909. I don’t usually like mixing stone and brick but the way this one was done was beautiful.
Next stop, the Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum at Abilene, KS. On a trip to Gettysburg a few years ago we’d visited the home where Ike spent his final years. Here we could see the home where he grew to adulthood.
The grounds are spacious and open. We left the library to the right for another time but we did visit the museum at the left.
The museum held items from Ike’s lengthy military career.
Another part of the museum was devoted to life with his lovely wife, Mamie.
Finally, we took our leave of Eisenhower and headed on to find a campsite for the night.
We found a nice spot in a nearly empty Corps of Engineers campground overlooking Council Grove Lake. A nice place to kick back and relax.
To be continued … see Part 2 on Page 2!
We drove south on I-25 along the front range.
Then at Colorado Springs we turned west on State Route 94. Looking back, I could see how the plains run right up to the foot of the mountains.
But as the mountains grew smaller in the mirrors, it was time to look forward to the plains.
We passed through Punkin Center, a crossroad in the middle of nowhere, before picking up U.S. 40 at Aroya, CO.
It seems cows outnumber people in this area. In other words, a nice area to visit.
One hundred miles east of the mountains, we stopped at Kit Carson for lunch. This town, named after the famed scout, lies on the first rail line to Denver and features an original 1904 railroad depot, now a museum.
From our shady curbside parking site we could see a yard full of old equipment, old buildings, and a tower of industrial art across the street. After we ate, we took a closer look over the fence.
This place would be great for an overnight stop. Although we weren’t in a hurry, it was still too early to make camp so on we went across the plain, passing through towns that make their presence known with their tall silos. And to fill those silos one needs big farm equipment.
Finally we passed out of Colorado and into Kansas. And rolling on we went.
I guess these knobs pass for mountains in this state. And the kids on that school bus have a long commute.
We continued on as the sun slid towards the horizon behind us, throwing a golden light across the plain and everything in it. Time to find a place to light for the night.
DAY 12
We’d found a city campground at Ellis, KS. It was a nice facility complete with level pull-thru sites, water, electric, restrooms, wifi, picnic tables, huge cottonwood trees, and even a pond. I don’t remember the fee but it wasn’t much and had to be paid at City Hall a couple blocks away.
Before leaving Ellis we stopped at a stone building on the other side of the pond from the campground. A sign indicated it was St Mary’s Catholic Church built in 1909. I don’t usually like mixing stone and brick but the way this one was done was beautiful.
Next stop, the Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum at Abilene, KS. On a trip to Gettysburg a few years ago we’d visited the home where Ike spent his final years. Here we could see the home where he grew to adulthood.
The grounds are spacious and open. We left the library to the right for another time but we did visit the museum at the left.
The museum held items from Ike’s lengthy military career.
Another part of the museum was devoted to life with his lovely wife, Mamie.
Finally, we took our leave of Eisenhower and headed on to find a campsite for the night.
We found a nice spot in a nearly empty Corps of Engineers campground overlooking Council Grove Lake. A nice place to kick back and relax.
To be continued … see Part 2 on Page 2!
