Day 18: Plains KS to Stratford TX

I can't help but start this post with an almost identical photo to the end of the last post:

Kismet Kansas in the distance

This was the sight that met my eyes just after leaving the motel in the morning (actually I took the picture a bit later so you could see the distant grain elevator).  There is about 8 miles between where I was and what you are looking at (Kismet). I still find this pretty remarkable - though Oklahoma and Texas are equally so.

The rest of my post is mostly landmarks and curiosities. The day was grueling and got pretty hot (98) but tomorrow promises to be hotter.

I expected the western edge of Kansas to be dead flat, with a little upward slope. Boy was I wrong. The below picture shows Liberal Kansas in the distance. The broad valley has a (currently dry) river at the bottom and transitions to pure scrub on crossing.

Looking down on Liberal Kansas

From corn to scrubland

Really about the last thing I saw in Kansas was part of an aircraft:

The tail assembly for???

Not sure  what aircraft - looked pretty cool though. What's up with Kansas and Airplanes? The Wright brothers I guess.

Next up was Oklahoma:

They welcomed me with a tree, so of course I sat down under it for a snack.



I was traversing only the pan handle of Oklahoma - so it was pretty quick, but not without its oddities:

The Hooker Inn, Hooker Oklahoma

 The town is Hooker, so I guess it is an obvious name. Still.

Perhaps that is an alternate engine?

The horse was just strange - I really don't know what to make of it.

Golden Acres Casino

This one I though was a prison - Stalag 18 or something. But no a casino - in where? Someplace in Oklahoma. Does that work?

I spent a bunch of time trying to pictures of grasshoppers - both in Kansas and Oklahoma - on the road they look like gravel then scatter as I pass - on the shoulder they scatter as I move. So, so, many. But no good pictures.

And so:

Welcome to Texas

And even in Texas:

My first Texas tree

Actually it turns out there are quite  a few trees in Texas. We will see what tomorrow brings (hot hot).

July 15, 2019, Stratford Texas

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