The weather in Wellington, Kansas is wet, wet, and wetter! The ground is mush and there is standing water everywhere. In Nebraska, the Platte River continues to flood. With that being said, our travel plans have changed. We will not be getting our "Nebraska" state for our map this year. It just isn't worth risking it. Instead we are headed for Dodge City, Kansas for a few days. There is a lot of Wyatt Earp history there and we will go exploring that area!
Today, because of the weather, we were just going to hangout and rest, which we did for much of the day. We learned there was a diner right down the road from the KOA so we had lupper at Penny's Diner! The food was good, as we find most diner food is! We are beginning to think this blog should be called "Diners Across America"!
Before I continue with what we did next, I need to explain why we did so:
~ Early this morning, around 1:00 a.m., I was up watching t.v. and catching up on e-mail when I started hearing this strange noise. I could hear train whistles in the distance as well but this particular noise I kept hearing was different but familiar. All of a sudden I realized it was the sound of jets flying over the campground. McConnell Air Force Base is located in Wichita so it made sense that the jets could be flying maneuvers. I imagined they were F14s, F16s or F18s. I thought of waking Thom up but I figured he would be awakened by the jet engines, but he wasn't. This morning I asked him if he heard the jets and he said he hadn't. Then, while having breakfast, the jets started flying over yet again. Thom went outside and when he returned he informed me that the noise I was hearing was not from jets but from trains! Trains? Apparently, Train Central Station, is just behind the campground through the wheat fields! ~
After our meal, we tracked down those darn trains! Holy cow - this place is crazy - 24/7! In a 5-minute period we saw at least 4 very long trains enter the area! And, after exploring the dirt roads along the train tracks, we saw even more very long trains arrive! I believe I will do a review of this KOA and warn travelers of the train noise all night long. Hey, we are a bit disappointed when there isn't any train sounds, because it has become part of the RV way of life, to be near a train! But this is absolutely nuts!
This was our day, other than getting ready to pull out early tomorrow to beat the thunderstorms lurking in the area, getting ready to pounce on this already soggy terrain.
Before I forget, our new mattress arrived this morning! How ironic that Mattress Firm was already making a delivery to the KOA and that is how we were able to get ours today rather than waiting around tomorrow! I'm sure it will be a much better night of rest for us but only if we wear earplugs!
Our day in photos ...
A local diner in Wellington, down the road from the KOA.
Thom wanted to get a photo of the diner so he put me in it, as if he was really taking my picture!
Thom's very thick chocolate shake!
This is hash browns mixed with: peppers, onions, bacon, mushrooms (double), jalapenos, 2 eggs over medium with whole wheat toast! There was so much I could not eat it all.
Train Central Station in Wellington, KS! Goodness!
The loud noises I heard were from the tracks, as well as from the engines coupling up.
Because we like to explore places new, we decided to follow this dirt road which took us under the train bridge.
Time to go mudding!
We came across this old car, a 1963 Ford Galaxy XL 406 with weeds growing out of its engine!
It was actually a car cemetery! This is a row of Plymouths. The cemetery was lined up by make.
A white egret; nice to see.
I found the landscape to be very pretty on this dirt road along the railroad tracks.
This was another train that came in - it was a bit eerie - are there animals in there, or people?
Okay - I'm having a contest. E-mail or Facebook me a private message of what you think this says. There will be a prize for the best guess!
Wheat fields that separate the KOA from the trains!
Do you see it, the egret? Thom took this fabulous shot!
A house built in the ground - take 1.
A house built in the ground - take 2, on "Meridian" Road. What happens when it rains like it has? It must be pretty cold in there, and by the way the weather has been chilly, in the 60s for the highs. We have put our heat on the past two mornings.
This area produces a lot of wheat and this is just one of the grain mills. It is referred to as the Wheat Capital of the World.
Pretty Purple Weeds
Weeds (?) - different but interesting to look at, growing on the side of the road.
Instead of wildlife, I am becoming a bird watcher. I didn't know what this was, but I was hoping it was a falcon or a hawk.
Look carefully and you might see a "praying mantis" tree!
Wellington KOA - Lot 24
Did this red robin follow us to Kansas from Arkansas? Hmmm.
Of note, I did a search of Wellington, Kansas and this is what I found on Wikipedia (copied): "In 1887, the Chicago, Kansas and Nebraska Railway built a branch line north-south from Herington through Wellington to Caldwell.[10] It foreclosed in 1891 and was taken over by Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railway, which shut down in 1980 and reorganized as Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas Railroad, merged in 1988 with Missouri Pacific Railroad, merged in 1997 with Union Pacific Railroad. Most locals still refer to this railroad as the "Rock Island".
Notable people:
- Mardie Cornejo, major league baseball player for NY Mets
- Nate Cornejo, major league baseball player for Detroit Tigers, selected in first round.
- Neil Frank, meteorologist and former director of the National Hurricane Center
- David L. Payne, American solider and pioneer.
Until next blog ...
Mardie who??!!
ReplyDelete