After a great night in Des Moines we had an easy ride down to Kansas City to visit old friends Steve and Nancee. They welcomed us in even though we were battling colds! It was a nice night to stay in and catch up, and share a few beers. They treated us to a perfect dinner and more conversation. After a super rest we were treated a a wonderful breakfast, how good is that! So then on the road from Kearny MO and head into Kansas. A long road across Kansas seeing lot’s of fields being harvested as we had in Wisconsin and Iowa. When we plan a trip we check on where the Love’s travel stops are on our way. Restrooms cleaned every hour and well taken care of is even better than the 10 cents off a gallon with the app. So west on I 70 for some hours then start heading south to Dodge City Kansas. Well, we are heading southwest so why not? For some of us of a certain age we saw plenty of Western movies and TV shows and Dodge City often played a part. Wyatt Earp, Bat Masterson and his brothers, Miss Kitty? We had planned on two nights so we could arrive after the drive and spend some time touring the next day. We arrived in town and decided on Dodge City Brewing for supper, good decision. Well done beers and good selection, and a very tasty thin crust pizza with personable bartenders. Welcome to town. I took a growler back to the room and we gave our colds a rest. Have to drink your fluids you know. We slept in the next morning and skipped the hotel free breakfast to walk to a local coffee shop that was another nice find. A good start to the day. A little rest and then walked to visitor center and to the boot hill museum. The museum is very well done and full of information. Did you know there were probably 30 million bison across the US before the Europeans started to slaughter them for the hides? The bison population was taken down to less than 1000. In the 1860’s and 1870’s bison hunters brought their many hides to Dodge City, as the cattle drives from the south came in to the rail lines. Most of the famous history came in a decade. The early 1870’s were crazy in Dodge City, by the end of the decade Texas cattle drives weren’t allowed in Kansas and Kansas was on the verge of declaring prohibition. Buffalo hunters were running out of targets and were picking up bones to send back East as uses were found for the skeletons covering the prairie. So many facts and things to learn about Dodge City and the people that formed it. It was an informative afternoon after which we took another break. By then the Boot Hill Distillery was open and time for a tasting! They need some more aging but are doing some nice things and cocktails that were worth the stop. Started by someone owning a large wheat farm 50 miles out of Dodge City who found a fun use for his home grown products. Straight down the hill (really straight down) was back to Dodge City Brewing for a taste and dinner for the night. The next morning we actually warmed up some pizza from the night before for breakfast. Then we were headed south on our way to Raton, New Mexico. A long way through Kansas agriculture, then praire land, and into Oklahoma then into New Mexico. A quiet but interesting drive. We landed in Raton before our room was ready and took in the Raton Museum. Then checked in and relaxed. A good Best Western with a bar and restaurant included. So a good night of rest before Sunday morning came. We took an easy ride south and stopped in the old plaza of Sante Fe. Very busy but we had a nice walk through the plaza and talked with some of the Native American artisans. Around the old plaza in Sante Fe and Albuquerque are areas set of for the local artisans to sell their crafts and jewelry. A nice coffee on a nice cool morning around the square and then back on the road again. An hour further south to Albuquerque and to see Marie. So we are here now. Good to be back in New Mexico. The colorful mountains after the plains of Kansas. We have been to a couple of local breweries and walked Old Town plaza in Albuquerque. So a few more nights and then start heading East.

Doc Holiday welcomes you in

Matt Dillon

James Arness was a big guy!

Those wagons were big!

And this wagon was not the big one to cross the prairie

Thanks to the Longhorns, seven million who came to town

Museum street

Had a beer at the Longbranch Saloon

A well done distillery and locally grown

Old Town in Albuquerque

Story of the church on the plaza

Sisters shopping

Sunset and rain on the Mesa