793 miles in two days, top speed 56.4...M1008

[91W350]

We needed a pickup for a trip to the Lake of the Ozarks and because my Dodge now has no paint on it, my M1008 got the call. My wife just would not get out of bed, saying she did not feel good and did not want to get to her mother's too early....so we got a late start. That cut into a lot of my photo time, but I still grabbed a few!

We jumped in the M1008 and hit the road, I tried to keep it just over 50 mph, faster than I really like to run by about 4 to 6 miles per hour, but I let it get away from me rolling down a hill in Greenwood County Kansas. My GPS computer tagged me at 56.4 mph for a top speed when we got back home yesterday.

The truck was perfect, never missed a lick or did a thing wrong.


My mother in law is a widow and has been having a tough time finding a small friendly, gentle dog for her retirement community. I went to our local shelter and found a black with white chest small terrier mix that seemed to be about 2-3 years old by looking at his teeth. He was very calm for a small dog, very friendly, and had a short coat. Standing on short, but powerful legs and having bulging should and hip muscles, I grabbed him out of the kennel and we went out to investigate the world.

In about an hour he was exposed to cats, dogs, squirrels, horses, kids, adults, and went for a ride in my M1009 around town. A very well rounded and friendly boy. I took him back, did the adoption papers and then picked him up at the vet's office Thursday. What a little sweetheart! Anyway, in two short days, I had a hard time letting this little guy go.

The Vet wanted to know what his name was and I told them today his name must be Thor. The receptionist said Thor was a strange name for a dog so small. I told her after what they had done to him, he was going to be "Thor" today. I then explained he was for my mother in law in Missouri.

Glen

 

[Midnight Rider]

Nice lookin pup and good job on saving him from the pound.

 

[91W350]

Fort Scott, Kansas

We made a few stops along the way, one of which was the beautiful old military Fort Scott, in Fort Scott, Kansas. This Frontier Fort was built in the early 1840's as part of the Wetern Frontier. Following a series of peace treaties, the US military ran the Native Americans west to their reservations in Oklahoma and Kansas. A string of Forts was built North to South as "peacekeeping" and protection for the settlers.

The Fort would later be used in the Civil War, although no battles were fought here. The Battle of Mine Creek about 20 miles north and the Battle of DryWood about 10 miles east were about as close to the Fort as the Civil War skirmishes came.

Should you ever pass through this area, this is worth a stop. The old City Buildings just west of the Fort are fantastic. The Fort has over 20 original buildings, plan to burn three or four hours here.

 

[91W350]

National Cemetery #1

Nice lookin pup and good job on saving him from the pound.

Thanks! He is beyond sweet! He never stepped back from my Shepherds and never cowered. He never barked and never growled, he has a wonderful personality. I am quite sure he will be spoiled rotten.

We stopped by the National Cemetery at Fort Scott, it is both south and east of the Fort by a couple of miles. As one would expect, it is very well kept and clean. The tombstones here are not nearly as uniform as they are at Fort Riley. The effect is the same though as you look down the rows and rows of fine young men and women that gave all they had for this great nation of ours. It is a place that commands respect and a sense of admiration for the sacrifices these soldiers have made.

We did find a curiously worded marker on top of the hill and had to wonder how long ago those words were transcribed. Glen

 

[91W350]

Woodson County Courthouse and War Memorial

In Yates Center, Kansas resides a beauty of an old courthouse. We went down and attended their centennial celebration a few years ago. The building stands testament to the decisions made over 100 year ago. It can be found just north of US 54 in Yates Center.

 

[91W350]

M817!!

We were screaming along at about 45mph through a small town in Missouri, much later than I wanted to be running and what do I pass??? A M817 on a trailer in a small lot off the highway. A quick stabbing of the brakes and a U-turn made the wifey ask what I saw... It did not take long for her to see the monster... I grabbed some night photos..

Thankfully it was still there on the way home. I was kind of surprised at how short the truck was. Those 18.00x20s are a tight fit on the tandems, my billfold would not pass through the gap. I wish it was headed to my house, maybe one day...

 

[91W350]

Bushwhackers Museum, Nevada Missouri

We stopped by here and will have to return when it is open. The museum appears like it would be wonderful! I found a marker here that had George W. Bush on it... a little ahead of his time though.

The museum also referred to the Battle of Drycreek, only from the Missourian's side. Sometimes you feel like the Civil War is not over, at least not in this area.
I snapped a photo of the dying church across the street. Something tells me that this may not be the best part of town. There was some gang signs present. That will not stop me though, I love this kind of history and will be back to visit. Glen

 

[91W350]

Ooopppppss forgot the Drywood monument.....

Sorry about the empty post, I forgot the Drywood Battle sign....

We passed by many, many salvage yards that I would have loved to stop and visit. It is amazing what you can see looking through the leafless trees in the Ozarks while running 50mph... So many potential adventures arise from a trip like this. I also passed several dying horse barns. It is sad to see these standing monuments to the horse culture of the late 1800s and early 1900s collapsing. I did see a lot of horsedrawn agriculture equipment. It too is disappearing fast. I see it being fed to the crusher all the time.

Last week a trailer load of of steel and cast iron implement seats went to the recycler. That would have been a multi thousand dollar sale on Ebay.... history is dying all around me, but I cannot afford to save it either. Glen

 

[GoldComet6]

Nice pictures...thanks for posting Glen. Looks like a fun trip!

If you can't buy all of it, why not keep taking lots of pictures and create a book on Kansas history? You will have at least preserved an image for future generations to see once it's all gone.

 

[91W350]

That actually is not a bad plan. I should go out and grab the dying railroad depots, rural churches, old barns, stone houses, horse drawn equipment.... and assemble a tourism book. If I ever do, I will have to send you a copy!