October 2 - Dodge City, Here We Come

We awoke to a beautiful sun shiny day, that is, until we stepped outside. Boy, was it windy! Time to bring out the jackets. The plan was to leave the RV at the campground and do our 2 stops, then come back, have lunch and head to Dodge City. We managed to pretty much stick with the plan today.

Sod house at Sante Fe Trails Center

First stop was the Santa Fe Trails Center just a couple of miles up the road from Camp Pawnee. They have a display on the trail, how people got started, what they did along the way, and the types of homes they would have once they settled. The story of the hardships along the way. Outside the building were a sod house like what families would have built to live in until a permanent structure could be built. The windmill shows how they could get water. They were in the process of building an underground house that they would build into a hill and have dirt piled up along the sides, then could use the dirt wall inside as walls.

Only a few miles further down the road was Fort Larned National Historic Site. The fort was built to ensure the safety of the mail carriers and commerce along the Santa Fe Trail. The soldiers would also escort wagon trains if they would wait until they were leaving to escort the mail carriers. This type of fort didn’t have a stockade, it was just buildings in a square with whatever out buildings were needed for supplies, horses, etc. They had a soldier interpreter in the barracks who explained what daily life was like for the soldiers. There was also a blacksmith making the items needed in the fort. He was making chain links while we watched and gave us one as a souvenir.

It was noon when we left the fort so we had a quick lunch, then loaded up the pets to head out. Bill checked the tires and one on the RV was 30 pounds low so he got out our little pump and it takes a while but it works. We stopped in Larned to have the tires checked at a tire place and it was fine. Then it was about 90 minutes to Dodge City. We’re staying at Gunsmoke Trav-L-Park. It’s a pretty nice park. We feel much more secure here with lots of neighbors. The campground is just a few miles down the road from the historic Dodge City area.

Entry to Boot Hill Complex

Once we got parked and set up Bill was anxious to check out the town. We drove in along what was historic Front Street where the original town was. They have a museum complex called Boot Hill. We took a few photos there and went in but it was 4:30 and they said it takes about an hour and a half to see the video, Boot Hill Cemetery, go through the museum and then the replicas of the businesses along Front street. We didn’t have time to do that before closing but drove down to the statue of Wyatt Earp who at one time was a deputy sheriff and later the sheriff here. Other than the Boot Hill Complex, there isn’t much to see. Bill was rather bummed after all the westerns he’s read about Dodge City, he just thought there would be more to see. So we went to Wal-mart for a few groceries. It was still chilly out and I brought my wind suit but failed to bring any of the long sleeve tops I have to go with it, so picked up a couple of THIN tops there and also an inexpensive lined fleece jacket. I really am worried I won’t have the right clothes and it might be cold out.

So I did my first load of wash. We won’t be able to do laundry for 6 nights after we leave here so I want to have it all done up to last. Be evening it was sunny out and the wind had died down so it was pretty nice out. I made chorizo tacos for dinner and took the leftover brown rice and stirred in some salsa and made Spanish rice to go with the tacos. I had bought a nice crisp jicima that we had also. Bill said it was really a good dinner, just a bit spicy. I have to agree it was, but I do love chorizo sausage.

For some reason we could not get the cable to work. I tried every connection, even tried using the outside connection of the site next to us but it would not get any channels. I called the office and he said there were guests in our spot last night and it worked fine and should be. He said it must be our equipment. So we gave up on the TV for the night. Kam had sent a mail packet with the rest of our credit and debit cards and several sport magazines for Bill so he had something to keep him busy for the night and I caught up on my journal and downloading photos.