Saturday, June 6

Start: Hutchinson, KS
Finish: Sedalia, MO

Back to US 50, heading east. Even on a Saturday traffic moves well, a couple of cars passed us the 2-lane stretches, but there are plenty of passing lanes interspersed to make driving easy.

First stop of the day was to Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, just north of US 50 near Strong City. It had been a number of years since I have visited this site. Since my last visit they have built a modern visitor center. The displays inside are excellent, and show the plant and animal diversity within this ecosystem. This park site has numerous trails to hike, plus several historic ranch buildings to tour.

Visitor Center & Barn


After Emporia, KS US 50 becomes I-35 heading into Kansas City, KS & MO. Just before US 50 turns east on I-435 we stopped in Olathe, KS to check out Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop and Farm Historic Site, an original stagecoach stop along the Santa Fe Trail. It is a private organization, admission price is $7.00 for adults. Besides including a short stagecoach ride, there are numerous farm animals. This also is a tourist information center, they have a passport stamp for the Santa Fe NHT.

Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop & Farm Museum


After we entered Missouri we made a quick stop at the Trailside Center. We drove by thinking it was a fire station, the trail center was a smaller, separate building at the end of the fire station. We expected more of an interpretive site, it was primarily a Kansas/Missouri tourist information center, with some local history displayed. It also has the NHT stamps for Santa Fe, Oregon & California. The three trails all followed the same route in this area.

US 50 in Missouri was very easy driving, divided 4-lane with very few stops. The geography changed, lots of trees and small hills. A bit too humid for us Desert Rats, especially with mid 80s temperature. Another motel night, too muggy for camping.

Sunday, June 7
Start: Sedalia, MO
Finish: Springfield, IL

Not exactly a quiet night at the motel, a car show was in town and filled the motels. Outside our room the low-rider trucks were parked and the the owners sat outside until midnight talking, right below our room. Never loud, or obnoxious, just persistent chit-chat.


Our white van, with windows in the back, can be seen off to the left.

We continued on US 50 into the St. Louis area, stopping for a few letterboxes along the way. This was our last day following US 50, we have thoroughly enjoyed the relaxed pace. For us, so much better than following the interstates, day after day. We appreciate that we are able to take more time in our travels and enjoy the 'blue highways'. The day was warming up and getting sticky - humidity!

We enjoyed the film about Ulysses S. Grant at his home outside St. Louis. I always enjoy learning more details about someone you 'thought' you knew so much about. The Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site is encircled by the commercial, and expensive Grant's Farm, managed by members of the Busch family. Only 10 acres of the original 900 acres of the farm are now preserved by the NPS. The barn/ museum was extremely well recreated into a modern museum about his life, yet maintains the barn structure and facilities.

Grant Museum - Barn


Grant home


We found a few more letterboxes before melting from the heat & humidity, we are such Desert Rats. We crossed into Illinois and ended the day south of Springfield. Strong storms were predicted for the evening, very glad to be inside with air conditioning.


Passport Stamps
Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve - Strong City, KS
Santa Fe NHT - Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop & Farm HS, KS
Santa Fe NHT - Trailside Center, MO
California National Historic Trail - Trailside Center, MO
Oregon National Historic Trail - Trailside Center, MO
Ulysses S.mGrant NHS - St. louis, MO

Bonus
Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve - pictorial
Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop Farm Historic Site- Olathe, KS

Wildlife Sigtings
Eastern Fox Squirrel

American Bald Eagle
Great Blue Heron
Hawk, ?
Starling
Red-winged Blackbird
House Sparrow
Northern Mockingbird
Northern Cardinal
Canada Goose & goslings
Common Grackle
Brewer's Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
Mourning Dove
Rock Pigeon