Hotter than h…. in Kansas!

 

(Caution…this post may jump in time and space!)

We are feeling fortunate to be sitting in the cool of the Dorothy Bramlage Public Library in Junction City, KS as the temperature climbs toward 102 degrees outside!  Very fortunate!

Yesterday at this time we were baking on the shore of the beautiful Wilson Lake, about one hundred miles west of here where we landed last Monday.   But let me back up even more!

One week ago today, after leaving Glenda and Jeff, we are relocating to ….

Where we find the unknown berries that are a welcome addition to our morning oatmeal.

After one night and a little rain we are heading to Englewood, CO (really it’s Denver) to visit with our former neighbor, good friend, Chris who moved away 4 years ago.

Enjoying her company in her back yard oasis, we meet one of the neighbors’ cats. 

Chris,a hiker, backpacker and bicyclist, is recently started her own business.   You can learn more about being healthy here.

Our time in Denver is short.  Slept comfortably in the Casita on the street in front of her house.  (Never ceases to amaze me….all the spots we can find to sleep!)  The next morning we attended a farmers’ market  where I purchased a clay cooking pot from Columbia.  These amazing little pots can be used in the oven, on the grill or in the microwave.  My oatmeal is being cooked, for a change, inside the Casita on the propane grill!

 

Due to the morning at the market, we are heading toward Kansas in the heat of the day.  Barely made it across the state line before stopping at the High Plains RV Park.   The winds are howling, gusting around 30 miles per hour!  David’s frustrated as everything he lays down is instantly blown away.  Arriving just before dark, we see our first Kansas sunset.

 

The problem of camping on Labor Day had been bothering me.  While in Poudre Canyon there was no phone and the Reserve website wasn’t working on my computer.  While at Chris’ house, we were just too busy to look!  Finally scored one of the two last electric sites at a COE on Lake Wilson…right on our path to the Farnum Creek rally!  I prayed for a shaded site with a good solid cell phone connection.

Arriving on Monday afternoon before the holiday, we are almost alone as it’s mostly empty.  Searching the huge 7 loops of Minooka Park campground, four or five sites had afternoon shade.  We picked D-9 as it had two trees and a beautiful view of the lake.  And a solid 4G with 4 bars!

The first night is spent exploring and taking sunset pictures.

We are on the eastern side of the peninsula so it was no problem to get a few sunrise pictures.

 

It’s hot, we need ice and decide to explore the closest little town of Wilson.  After eight miles of rolling hills we find the town’s only store/ gas station closed.  Five PM closing time!  Well, surely there’s something else?  Sure, we were told, if we want to head back west on the interstate 26 miles!

Already I am wondering if this pretty spot with the perfect internet connection is doable for 7 nights.  The heat is getting more intense.  Then a water main breaks, the shower house closes and we are advised to disconnect our water as maintenance is turning it off and on.  The second day of no water begins and I am holing up inside the Casita.  The reflectix is back on the windows in attempts to keep the A/C inside.  I am dreading the weekend when we must move to our previously reserved site with no shade on the western side of the hill.

Full of indecision and drained from the heat, I email Tom, one of the hosts of the Farnum Creek rally, telling him of my misery mentioning that if our A/C quits, we would be heading home if we were not in the hospital!  And, bless him, he immediately jumps into action and finds us a site on Milford Lake.  We call back and forth, my calls constantly getting dropped, until we can make the 90 mile trip to the West Rolling Hills camp.  Drove much faster than normal due to concern over him sitting in the heat saving our site.

So last night was great! Ate hamburgers at the marina and had a shower.  All good except when my laptop electric cord shorted and threw the Casita into darkness.  After momentarily sitting in shock, we got everything unplugged and explored the converter.

I found a switched that had been thrown and we were back into the light.  This morning discovered the cord no longer worked, had one of the wires burnt.  Found a great little repair shop and he put me back into the blogging world in a few short minutes.  Wizard Electronics performed magic!

If you are wondering why I am writing so much, it’s 4 Pm and 101.  Think we will stay here until closing time!

Few more thoughts…..This coming week will be our last on the road.  The rally starts (officially) midweek and then we will be heading to Chattanooga.  It will be great to be home after 3 1/2 months …….but what will I write about?

More of Wilson Lake