Thursday, September 5, 2013

Into Colorado

 We got as far as Pueblo tonight.... basically taking hwy 50 all the way to Lake Tahoe, NV from Wichita, KS... and we have had the road pretty much to ourselves the whole time and NO construction.... BUT there are few State Parks and hardly any RV parks!!!  Have kept an eye out.... only came across 2 rest stops in that whole space, had to use gas stations for relief....

 Went on a trolley ride in Dodge City, and it went to Fort Dodge, past many feed lots.. and processing plants, big business here... stock sales and all.  There are 1500 trucks A DAY depositing cattle and the lots can handle over 1,000,000 head prior to processing, yes that is a million!!!! There aren't that many there now,  and you will notice lots of empty space in the lots, but they could if needed....  BUT it almost tips me over the edge to being a vegetarian.. the poor things, no shade or grass....

 LOTS of flies!!!  We have been fighting flies all day!!!

 This was taken on the fly,  can you see it good enough, took us forever and the use of the I-pad to figure that this is sorghum!!!  There is LOTS of it growing in Kansas!!!!  Looks like little cornstalks,  with a BIG seed head.... likes the heat & is drought resistant, used for cattle feed, sorghum molasses, has a high sugar content & used as forage, silage and in syrup production.... yields same amount of ethanol per bushel as corn
Most of these fields were green as opposed to the corn which was very dry in lots of places...
Grain sorghum is the 3rd most important cereal crop in the US and 5th in the world
ALSO Lakefront Brewery in 2006 in Milwaukee, WI was the 1st brewery to launch its new  "grist" beer brewed with sorghum & rice to be gluten free!!!!

 There are lots of these too in Kansas, a railroad runs parallel to hwy 50 and these are right smack next to the tracks...  many, many of them and they are HUGE

 This is behind the bar at the Long Branch Saloon near Boot Hill, not tin ceiling.... this is not the original salon, all was burnt in fires in late 1880's twice.....  there were many artifacts and LOVED seeing them all, but can't show it all on the blog, would be way too long,  the internet here is not as fast as last night.....  but they had a school, that smelled like a school, you know that school smell :)  and house with all the fixings inside.  Boot Hill itself was a joke really, not anything like the great cemetery in Tombstone!!!! or even ones you can stop by, by the side of the road

 Also stopped at the Santa Fe Trail Ruts (made by the cattle trails )  about 9 miles West of Dodge City, but I honestly could not see them... the sign said the light had to be just right to see the depressions... and I am too much of a weenie to go walking around out there looking for ruts in the earth, as am afraid of running into snakes.. it was enough for me to be walking out there on the paved and  trex decking paths!!!!
BUT I saw these beautiful flowers.. and stepped off the path after looking really close and for some time that I was not stepping on something I was NOT supposed to be stepping on...

Look into the distance.. the 1st mountains we saw today coming upon Pueblo, CO..  Carol got tears, she was so excited and moved....
Take Care All & God Bless

Oh... had to add about the 'calf fries'  or Rocky Mtn Oysters they are called in Montana.  Know what they are now???? It is the balls... yes,  the poor little things are castrated to make steers, they can't all be bulls, don't you know.  AND the meat is better not as tough, anyway never heard of eating a bull, don't think it is done..... (and my uncle had a cow/calf operation, also SIL so I have somewhat of  a working knowledge.. BUT had never heard them called 'calf fries' before, think they were trying to be delicate  :)

6 comments:

  1. WoW! What a fun vacation you're having. Love following this...

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  2. Keep an eye out for welcoming centers when you cross borders into states, they are rest stops. Lots to look at in the welcome centers, usually a lot of history of the area.

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  3. I would definitely become a vegetarian if I had to eat meat from one of those huge cattle lots and processing plants. Thank God there are some (mostly organic) cattle ranches that treat and slaughter their animals humanely.

    I once saw some ruts in Kansas from the pioneer days, but you really don't miss much if you can't tell where they are.

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  4. Tell Carol I know that overwhelming feeling when you see mountains again. Chokes you right up and sings to your heart for the home left behind.

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  5. If the feed lots will almost make you a vegetarian, the processing plant will seal the deal. So horribly inhumane is the way we treat our cattle and pigs. Intersting that we don't call it cow when we eat it or pig. I guess that's so we won't realize what we are doing. Glad you are having such a good trip. Your route sounds so nice. Wish there were more campgrounds.

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  6. Looks like a nice "drive" home! Hi to Carol!

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