Crossing Kansas

Okey, dokey, on to another “new” adventure. However, this is not an untried trip like I often take, to unknown and never visited places in the American West, but an old “familiar,” where I spent the summers of my childhood in Northeast New Mexico. My grandma had a lil’ ole’ cabin in a tiny community called Idlewild near Eagle Nest, New Mexico. There, my cousins, siblings, and I had the run of the mountains, exploring, climbing, hiking, and generally creating mischief and mahem, every summer. Ranging from ages 4-8, she’d let us loose every morning, to wander at will, sometimes with a packed lunch, we might be gone all day. One can only imagine letting as many as ten children run wild for hours in today’s world, but back in the good ole’ days, she didn’t need to worry. These many childish adventures, no doubt, led to my adventurous spirit today.

So, I’m off to Emporia to pick up my cousin Reletta, who was also one of those very same rambunctious children crawling about the mountains, and begin a trek across Kansas, stopping at every sunflower field and wind farm, as well as a few small towns for photo opportunities. Our final destination of the day is Ulysses, Kansas, about 400 miles from Kansas City, and located in the severe southwest portion of the state. Both my cousin and I grew up there and my Dad and Reletta’s brother still live there. So, we have a little family visit before we're off again.