Kansas Highlights

On a hike through the Herbert Reinhard Green Memorial Wildlife area, just outside Topeka, the photo above is some old farm equipment that would have been drawn by horses. The house in the photos on the link is was built by the Green family from the native stone remnants of Uniontown in 1877. The whole area is located where Uniontown once served as a trading post for the Pottawatomie tribe, and later as a crossroads of every major trail in the area. On one of the trails, the Oregon Trail is clearly visible because of the depression left by so many feet and hooves passing along it. The most interesting natural feature of the area: pink quartzite carried along by glaciers from Minnesota. This is the southernmost area these rocks can be found. Click here for some photos.

Donny tries to steal Lewis and Clark's chest.

In 1803, Thomas Jefferson sent his secretary, Meriwether Lewis, and William Clark on an expedition to explore this area of the Missouri River. The sculpture portrays the two of them, as well as Sacagawea, York (Clark's servant), and even Seaman, Lewis's Newfoundland dog. Here's how Clark described the area the sculpture now stands, and their activities there.

Clark’s JournalMonday, the 15th of September 1806

we set out early with a Stiff Breeze a head saw Several deer Swimming the river soon after we Set out. At 11 A.M. passed the entereance of the Kanzas river which was very low, about a mile below we landed and Capt Lewis and my Self assended a hill which appeared to have a Commanding Situation for a fort, the Shore is bold and rocky imediately at the foot of the hill, from the top of the hill you have a perfect Command of the river, this hill fronts the Kanzas and has a view of the Missouri a Short distance above that river. We landed one time only to let the men geather Papaws or the Custard apple of which this Country abounds, and the men are very fond of. we discovered a Buck Elk on a Small Island, and sent the 2 fields and Shannon in pursute of it they Soon Came up with and killed the Elk, he was large and in fine order we had his flesh Secured and divided... We passd Some of the most Charming bottom lands to day and the uplands by no means bad, all well timberd...”

(http://www.lewisandclark.mo.gov/sculpture.asp)

Lunch at Arthur Bryant's, a KC institution. This BBQ legend was founded in the early 1920's, by Charlie Bryant, Arthur's older brother. The tradition lives on, and we feasted on plates of slow-cooked pork on Wonder bread with greasy fries (d3), beans (HT) and lots of messy sauce, made, of course, strictly according to the secret Bryant recipe.