Retired and Trippin

This was the final day of our Kansas waterfall tour. Our one and only waterfall would be Elk Falls. We departed Coffeyville at 9:00. It was cloudy and 49 degrees. Our route to Elk Falls was 169 northbound and 160 westbound. It was a sunny 45 degrees upon our arrival. Besides the waterfall, Elk Falls is known as the world's largest living ghost town ( GhostTown ) and the outhouse capital of the world ( Outhouse ). You will see why when you view today's photos. Viewing and photographing Elk Falls (the waterfall) was quite enjoyable. I was able to take some photos from a pedestrian bridge and then we could go down to the bank of the Elk River for closer photos. The iron truss bridge was originally built in 1893 and it was used for horse/auto traffic. After a flood in 1976, when most of the wooden planks making up the bridge were washed away, the bridge was no longer used. In 1983 the bridge was made usable for pedestrian traffic. In 1992 it was designated a National H...

Our day started at 8:30 as we departed our motel. It was mostly sunny and 66 degrees. We drove north a very short distance to Strong City, KS, where we enjoyed a large larrapin good breakfast at the Chuck Wagon Cafe. Back southbound on Hwy 177, one of my favorite drives through the Flint Hills. Some of the hills had been recently burned. Some were starting to show new grass growth. We stopped several times on our way to Cassoday to take photos. Hwy 54 took us west to Santa Fe Lake located between Augusta and Andover. This is a private lake as we found out when we were taking photos of the waterfall in the spillway. A nice young man drove up on a golf cart and told me my choice was to pay $7 to access the lake area or get a parking ticket that would cost $100. I opted for the $7 fee. After a short walk on the trails below the Santa Fe Lake falls we were back on the road, Hwy 77 south from Augusta to Arkansas City, where we stopped for lunch at Daisy Mae's Cafe. Then it ...

Chris and I are headed out on a Kansas waterfall tour. The information on the waterfalls came from Facebook. We left home at 7:30. It was sunny and 58 degrees. Today was Molly's and Piper's birthdays so Chris texted them happy birthday wishes as I piloted Poonie. Interstate 70 took us westbound out of the Kansas City area all the way to Junction City, where we turned south on Highway 77. A nasty, dusty, gravel road took us west to the dam portion of Geary State Fishing Lake. Geary Falls was located near the west end of the dam. at the top of Geary Falls, Geary County State Fishing Lake Geary Falls From Geary Falls we drove south on Hwy 77 to Hwy 50 eastbound to Newton, KS. In Newton we stopped to wash the dust off of Poonie. We were headed to Hesston, KS for lunch with my cousin, Janice (Schechter) Rhodes and her hubby, Gary (aka Moose). When I was in high school Janice was teaching elementary school nearby. At that time she owned a pea green colored Ford Mustang...