Independence Day Ride to the Falls
It was cloudy, a little foggy and 67 degrees when we left at 8:15 to check out a couple waterfalls mentioned in this link:
KansasWaterfalls
Both falls were in the Manhattan, KS area but, having been there numerous times, I wanted to get there by a different way. So we took a northern route through Tonganoxie, Oskaloosa, Valley Falls, Holton, Wheaton and Fostoria. We stopped in Holton for gas and a stroll around the town square.
Highway 13 dropped us down to the south end of Tuttle Creek Reservoir, where we stopped at the Rocky Ford Fishing Area to check out Rocky Ford Falls.
Water was running pretty good and we saw several people fishing, one with a bow and arrow.
By this time it was around noon and we were hungry so we enjoyed a LARRAPIN good burger at Vista Hamburgers on the north side of Manhattan. I topped that off with a mint chocolate chip shake.
Our next stop was Deep Creek Falls at Pillsbury Crossing south and east of Manhattan but I made two wrong turns. One was because I started to follow the Garmin GPS instructions and the other because I'm a doofus. But, my "doofusness" resulted in us seeing a cool looking barn and an old school house.
The downside - this was gravel road riding.
Eventually we made it to Deep Creek Falls. You can see why this is a crossing. A big slab of granite provides a level shallow water crossing for vehicles and just north of the crossing is the falls. There were quite a few people there, what with it being a holiday and a beautiful day (80 degrees by now).
A short distance east and north of Deep Creek Falls on Highway 18, just into Wabaunsee County, we rode past a very cool looking stone barn across the highway from an equally cool stone house.
In Wamego they were having a big holiday shindig with a carnival, car show, street vendors, maybe a flea market and a fireworks show tonight. It was a hoppin place. We also saw this windmill in Wamego.
Hwy 24 took us back to Tonganoxie and Kansas City where we hopped on I-435 to return home at 4:30. It was a very enjoyable day with a high temperature of 84. Not bad for July 4th.
To see all the pictures taken today click on the following link:
IndependenceDayWaterfallsRide
KansasWaterfalls
Both falls were in the Manhattan, KS area but, having been there numerous times, I wanted to get there by a different way. So we took a northern route through Tonganoxie, Oskaloosa, Valley Falls, Holton, Wheaton and Fostoria. We stopped in Holton for gas and a stroll around the town square.
Highway 13 dropped us down to the south end of Tuttle Creek Reservoir, where we stopped at the Rocky Ford Fishing Area to check out Rocky Ford Falls.
By this time it was around noon and we were hungry so we enjoyed a LARRAPIN good burger at Vista Hamburgers on the north side of Manhattan. I topped that off with a mint chocolate chip shake.
Our next stop was Deep Creek Falls at Pillsbury Crossing south and east of Manhattan but I made two wrong turns. One was because I started to follow the Garmin GPS instructions and the other because I'm a doofus. But, my "doofusness" resulted in us seeing a cool looking barn and an old school house.
Eventually we made it to Deep Creek Falls. You can see why this is a crossing. A big slab of granite provides a level shallow water crossing for vehicles and just north of the crossing is the falls. There were quite a few people there, what with it being a holiday and a beautiful day (80 degrees by now).
A short distance east and north of Deep Creek Falls on Highway 18, just into Wabaunsee County, we rode past a very cool looking stone barn across the highway from an equally cool stone house.
In Wamego they were having a big holiday shindig with a carnival, car show, street vendors, maybe a flea market and a fireworks show tonight. It was a hoppin place. We also saw this windmill in Wamego.
Hwy 24 took us back to Tonganoxie and Kansas City where we hopped on I-435 to return home at 4:30. It was a very enjoyable day with a high temperature of 84. Not bad for July 4th.
To see all the pictures taken today click on the following link:
IndependenceDayWaterfallsRide
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