Travel University, October 8-9, 2020

Under sunny skies, we continued across Kansas on Thursday. We motored past Russell, home of Bob Dole, Fort Riley, which I learned was originally established in 1853 as a military post to protect the movement of people and trade over the Oregon, California, and Santa Fe trails. The fort stores hundreds of military vehicles and equipment visible from I70. 

We noted many depictions of Jesus on I70. What was that about? I did  some digging and found that they were built by 4 men who are parishoners of Catholic churches in Gove County, KS. The billboards show the image of Divine Mercy, Jesus. The whole story about these signs is here:  https://www.emissourian.com/features_people/senior_lifetimes/seniors-distribute-1-000-divine-mercy-signs-throughout-state/article_cf9a73a7-0761-5e13-880b-5ab1498a4a8f.html

Our drive took us through the wonderful Flint Hills, an area that has densest coverage of intact tallgrass prairie in North America. It is all beautiful rolling hills where the land  meets the sky. The hills are best appreciated away from the highway. There's an incredible peace here. 

Through Kansas City and into Missouri, we passed many giant fields of sorghum, wheat and corn. In Missouri, we noted the increasing number of trees. 

About 60 miles west of St. Louis, we took a 70 mile detour off the Interstate to explore back roads of Missouri. As it follows the Missouri River, the road was narrow and winding, but had been newly paved for 30 miles of it. We passed farms, and  wineries and fields on the hills and valleys we rose and descended. We passed Dutzow, MO, the first German emigrant settlement in Missouri, and many entrances to the Katy Trail, the USA's longest recreational rail trail. That trail runs 240 miles along the Missouri. 

We are staying at a campground in Fenton, MO, and from here will visit the Missouri Botanic Gardens on Friday.

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Another warm and sunny day in the 70s greeted us as we headed of to the botanic garden on Friday. Missouri Botanic Gardens is internationally known for its plant study materials, second only to the New York Botanical Garden. MBG takes its mission to inform and educate seriously. Most plants and trees are labeled, and many have additional information to give you an appreciation of the uniqueness of the specimen you're looking at.

We saw a tree whose fruit grows directly from the trunk, ferns that looked like caterpillars, flowers that

felt like wax, and a tree with a symbiotic relationship with a wasp. Highlights for me were the many mature trees with unusual and strikingly beautiful bark. We particularly enjoyed strolling in the Japanese Garden, the largest in North America, and anchored by a 4 acre lake. The serenity of the scene was heightened by the fall colors of the bushes and trees, and it was easy to enjoy with the many benches along the walking paths.

We saw Osage orange trees that were planted in

Osage orange

1860 and that were at least 60 feet tall. A sign nearby advised visitors to watch out for the 3-4" fruit falling from the trees. We had never seen what walnuts looked like on the tree until yesterday. There was a similar warning sign for falling fruit from the black walnut trees. No wonder!

Sadly, several large areas of the gardens were closed due to COVID. It's really worth a return visit.