GreatPlains2012

Same scenery, different day.

This feed lot was, like, a mile long. Smelled great.

It says a lot that the most interesting historic site of the day was for Santa Fe Trail wagon ruts. It is kind of neat that you can still see the ruts after all these years...if you use your imagination.

I think the ruts are right there behind the marker.

The wagons traveled four abreast, so the tracks are spread out. It's hard to see them from ground level, but you can actually see them from Google Earth:

Another Santa Fe Trail marker. This was a place where travelers cached their stuff underground.
I guess now if somebody wanted to cache stuff here they'd have to call Miss Utility.

I can understand a Teachers' Hall of Fame--but a Wax Museum? All those excellent teachers
in action captured in wax. How inspiring that must be.
Turns out the wax museum is about gunfighters.

On the edge of town: a historical marker talking about how bad-ass this town used to be.

Now it looks like this. That Arby's is seriously bad-ass.

El Capitain. They love their cattle 'round these parts.

This bizarre monument says "My Trails Have Become Your Highways."
Has the feel of a misfit monument that they stuck in a corner.

The rustic Boot Hill Historic District. Notice there's an Applebee's in there--where
Wyatt Earp used to break up gunfights...or something.

There's Wyatt now! The main drag is called Wyatt Earp Blvd. There is also a Gunsmoke Street.
I'm sure everyone knows that Gunsmoke was set in Dodge City.

There is a Dodge City Trail of Fame. Anyone half-way famous who ever had anything whatsoever to do with Dodge City
qualifies--even if you just played a character in Gunsmoke.

And it was hot.

This is the fake old west town that you can visit if you pay money. I went to Applebee's and
had an early dinner.

Tomorrow I have a very long ride to Great Bend. I've been promised a wicked tailwind. Looking forward to it.