Route 66 to Kansas and back - Part 2

Route 66 to Kansas and back - Part 1

Texas

In part 1 we ended with our visit to Tucumcari, NM before heading into the top part of Texas. We immediately noticed the change in landscape as we crossed the state border. We were certainly in cattle country as the land became flat and scrub brushes more abundant.

There wasn't much to see, other than the appearance of giant windmills, until just west of Groom, TX we began to see the giant 190 foot cross in the distance.  It is part of The Cross of Our Lord Jesus Christ Ministries.

We didn't stop, but it was a sight to behold and received over 500 likes when I posted the photo of it on Facebook.

The 19-story cross in Groom, TX.

Midpoint Cafe in Adrian, TX was on our list of stops because we'd read they have a great pie selection. Unfortunately, the day we arrived was the one day of the week they're closed. Fortunately, Brenda, the owner, was there, took pity on us and sold us a couple slices of her apple pie before heading out to see her husband who had had an operation recently. We quickly paid for the pie, gave her a hug, and said our goodbyes. We have heard about Texas hospitality. Now we’ve experienced it.

The next few days was for traveling purposes in order to get to our friends as scheduled. During this time we just made stops at RV Parks in Amarillo, TX and Oklahoma City.

Kansas

As we finally worked our way into Kansas, we had our first stay at an RV Overnights (more on that below) location in Haysville. RV Overnights is a membership affiliation of wineries, museums, farms, and more that let you stay overnight for free, though it is highly recommended that you make a purchase of some kind.

Our stay was actually at Dog Inn Dog Out, a kennel set in the country. We had a sound nights sleep, which was good because the RV Park that we had stayed at in Oklahoma City was right next to Highway 40.

The two of us with the owner's dogs at "Dog Inn Dog Out."

One of the "guests" at Dog Inn Dog Out." It was right next to our trailer.

Topeka

The next day we finally made it to Topeka, where we set up base-camp at the Lake Shawnee Campgrounds. A nice lake with fishing, boating, a golf course and disc-golf course. Our site was newly renovated with a level concrete slab and full hook ups right near the park's entrance/exit. The campground was recommended by our friends, Terry and Alice. Terry retired as the city's Parks Director a few years before. After retiring, he decided he still wanted to work, so he applied for a supervisor position with the California State Parks Service and ended up as a Supervisor on the Northern California coast. He retired in 2023 and returned to his family in Kansas.

After catching up, Alice and Terry took us on a tour of Topeka, the state's capitol city. The capitol building was recently renovated, so we had to visit it, along with the city's fabulous library building, and, of course, some of the city parks.

Oklahoma

After spending several days with our friends it was time to return home. We made it as far as Tonkawa, OK on our first day, where we spent the night at the Tonkawa Indian Casino Campground. Although it was located behind the Casino's gas station, the set up was very nice with a large, level concrete slab and full hook ups.

The next day, we visited the National Route 66 Museum in Elk City, OK, but the real treasure for us was the old town museum buildings located at the museum complex. 

Although our campground in Elk City was fine, we liked the retro feel of their recreational building.

While heading back through Tucumcari, NM, we were able have an early dinner at the La Cita Mexican restaurant where many Route 66 travelers over the years got their first taste of Mexican cuisine. The sombrero over the entrance was added in 1961. After several weeks away from home, the rest of our trip was pretty much just driving and one-night stops for sleeping.

In all, our Route 66 experience took us one month of travel time. We tried to keep our daily drive to around 300-miles. Several of our stops were for only a few minutes, but most were for a few hours with time to explore and just enjoy the surroundings.

We're sure pulling a travel trailer behind you is a completely different experience than traveling in a car and staying in the many hotels still available from the 1950s and 60s era. If we were in a car we would have spent more time on the original highway without the worry of being able to turn around if necessary.

Thank you for reading about our journey. Be sure to visit us in the future and feel free to share your thoughts in the comments.