Day Six, Paxico Kansas
You might think of Kansas as being nothing but flat turf, but it’s not so. The central portion at least is green, rolling hills perfect for grazing. I could have sworn I saw a promotional sign for Russell County offering free residential and business land, but I’m not able to find anything related on the Internet. It was west of Lincoln County, anyhow. Not a lot of people or towns in the western section of the state – many of the exits off I-70 are to access ranches and such in the area.
It was an uneventful day, with orderly driving and lunch at an Ihop after an attempt to get to The Cozy Inn failed. Although they promised to have the very best burger in the state, it took a two-mile drive into Salina (sah-LIE-na, according to the radio announcer) through an interesting
industrial area to get to its downtown site. Tiny place, no street parking long enough, and no lots. Oh, well. The Ihop offered a Philly Cheese Steak sandwich with onion rings. The onion rings were superb. The sandwich was a good sandwich that I enjoyed, and in a couple of ways it resembled a Philly Cheese Steak sandwich. But it wasn’t one.
I-70 splits wide apart at this rest area just east of Paxico, and the view out my door is magnifico.
The rest stop building, a sort of semi-circle.
Another shot of the same hill, on which cattle are grazing, by the way.
A historical info board declaring how Kansas came into the union as a slave state, thanks to President Pierce who threatened to send Federal troops to Topeka to do bad things to the breakaway legislature.
Thar she be, oh beautious Defiant.
Built when rest stops were viewed as points of pride to build tourism, Kansas pulled out all the stops on some of theirs. Exceptionally nice and usable shaded picnic table areas, with drinking water fountain.
A driveway connects the east and westbound lanes of I-70, and along the way, a secluded double picnic area with more grills beckons. Nope, no way to stuff the Defiant in there, and two aged flower children and their dog and Jeep had already claimed it anyway. Nice that it was discovered and used, because I’m sure 95% of the people stopping in never notice it.
Don’t forget the several drive border areas that are signed as containing wildflowers.
And the rest area overall – at least the eastbound-related part. The westbound equivalent is way down a hill.
Strolling Amok 
Always nice to see someone like Kansas. Its my home state. I almost hyperventilate with happiness when I feel the wind in my hair and look over those rolling Flint Hills of my childhood.