Escape to Kansas!

Looking for a lazy way to spend a Sunday afternoon? Labor Day 2010 found us in Great Bend KS, and after a leisurely breakfast at a Perkins near our motel, we took a short jaunt up to Hoisington where the parade was lining up. Of course our interest was the classic cars.

After a short stay there we returned to Great Bend and stopped at their ZOO. Yes, Great Bend has a zoo, and we had been there over 30 years ago with our then small children. It proved to be a welcome stopping point on a trip from Iowa to Oklahoma. Of course as with all things, it didn't seem the same as it was, but we did enjoy seeing the big cats.

This big guy wasn't bothered at all by people checking him out.

Give him some shade and he's a happy camper!

these two were pretty amazing to watch as well.

Great Bend Kansas is located on Highway 281 about center Kansas.

While I don't generally recommend chain restaurants, the Perkins here is an exception to that rule. We had evening, breakfast and lunch there and enjoyed each meal. The service was way, way above average, and be sure to check out their dessert selections!

Home Town Pride

Most of the time I think I have to travel somewhere to find interesting and cool things to see. This time I stayed right at home in Waynoka and watched a community really come together to get ready for company.

Every five years Waynoka hosts an all school alumni reunion. 2010 is the year everyone comes home. Our local chamber took a look around and tried to see the town through the eyes of a visitor. We needed some pizzaz! All of the light poles in the downtown area were in sad need of some paint, so we started with a paint the pole party. No theme, no assigned design or even pole, though downtown businesses were given the opportunity to adopt the pole nearest their business. We thought we would have a hard time getting the downtown square done before the reunion on Labor Day weekend. Artists came from everywhere to share their talents, some didn't even live "in town" but in the larger farming community we share. NO two poles are alike, everyone brought their own ideas to the pole.

What an awesome sight, Tuesday night when I locked up the liquor store to go home at 9 p.m. there were people everywhere still painting on their poles! We ran out of downtown poles to adopt, so we are reaching further out in the community. I got some pictures of the poles and in a few instances the people painting.

Our little town will have something new and creative to see, both for the returning alumni and for our tourists who will be starting the fall season at Little Sahara.

GOOD JOB WAYNOKA!