May 28, 2021
Today was a day to play tourist, since there were several things I wanted to see, including Manhattan and Lawrence, home of K-State and KU respectively. There is something fun about college towns, and each of them has a slightly different flair. But I get ahead of myself. Here are some highlights from the day:
· Up early and departed Hays around 7:30AM
· First stop was the Dwight D. Eisenhower Museum and Library in Abilene, KS. The only building currently open is the museum, but it was certainly well worth the time.
· Next it was off to Manhattan, which turned out to be a bit smaller than I thought I would be. The K-State campus is quite striking with numerous stone buildings. Went by the sports complex which was also fun. I didn’t stop anywhere, but it seems like a vibrant college town.
· From there it was off to Wamego, home of the “Oz Museum”, a tribute to the book and film filled with more than 2,000 articles. It was fun and campy – I especially liked the statues of Toto placed around downtown.
· Headed back to I-70 and went to the next stop: Topeka. Visited two things there: the state capitol (impressive building but currently closed to the public) and a series of murals painted on the walls surrounding the water distribution center in South Topeka. The murals are part of a neighborhood improvement project, and I have to say they have created some striking murals. The Brown v. Board of Education sites remain closed, so I was disappointed not to see that.
· From Topeka it was off to Lawrence, where the first stop was the KU campus and getting to see Allen Fieldhouse (where the basketball team plays) and the Booth Hall of Fame. Unfortunately, you cannot see the inside of the arena, but it was still fun. My next stop in Lawrence was a downtown restaurant a friend recommended.
· The last stretch of the day was 90 miles from Lawrence through the southern part of Kansas City metro and finally landing in Warrensburg.
All in all, it was an extremely satisfying day, even though I'm not in Kansas anymore....
Mileage update:
Miles driven from Hays, KS to Warrensburg, MO: 351.3
Total so far: 3,490.6 miles
Photo gallery:
Top row (L to R): Toto statue in Wamego; Eisenhower boyhood home; Oz Museum
2nd row (L to R): Eisenhower statue; Oz Museum; K-State stadium
3rd row (L to R): Sign in Abilene; Yellow Brick Road in Wamego; Lawrence
4th row (L to R): Capitol; Booth Hall of Fame in Lawrence; Grand Mural in Topeka
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