Thursday, Oct. 10 - Two themes for this posting. One has to do with contrast, which I may have hit on before. The second has to do with rising from obscurity to international renown. Got your interest? Hope so.

Contrast - The western side of Colorado is mountains, highs and lows, extreme altitude, perilous drops down dark canyons, exciting views of high peaks, snow-capped ranges, varying vegetation, sometimes ending with nothing above a tree line that you drive through when climbing inside of the Rocky Mountain National Park. Then you leave Denver, and suddenly you're in open flat country, parched, hardly able to support anything but range grasses, open skylines, occasional hills, the mountains a distant memory as you look in your rear view mirror. Hard to believe you're in the same state. Why didn't they divide it into two separate jurisdictions?

As you continue on into Kansas, the parallel continues. Add in wind, and you have the contrast exaggerated, because not only is the land devoted to range and agriculture, the wind blows unceasingly. Once when driving back from Spain, when we were living in Germany, we drove through the south of France, and encountered the Mistral, a wind that blows much like the one we encountered in Kansas. On the way back from Spain, it felt like out VW campervan was literally picked up and moved over about 3 to 5 feet. Two of our colleagues had their trailers blown over as they drove down the highway. It felt like that in Kansas. I fought the wheel the entire time, all the way to Missouri. Not a minute when you could relax, for fear of being blown over into the passing lane.

Interesting, however, is the number of windmills to be seen. Kansas has the second highest potential for wind power in the States, next only to Texas. And they seem to be taking full advantage, as nearly one-third of their electrical production is wind-powered. Who says the Americans aren't moving in the right direction (in some places). Meantime, we blew all over the road, careful not to let it happen when a transport was roaring past on the left lane.

Another discovery. We had noticed fields of a relatively short grass, about two feet tall, topped by red floral growths. Hadn't seen anything like it before. Stopped for gas, and asked the clerk. She said it was sorghum. Turns out that Kansas is the largest producer of this plant in the U.S. The plant has various uses, including animal fodder, production of alcoholic beverages, cereals, and gluten-free products. It grows all over the world, especially in Asia and Africa. We saw it growing in Nepal, but it didn't look like this. Seems to be an emerging crop in dry regions, perfect for Kansas.

The third thing about Kansas is the attitude towards alcohol. We stopped in Abilene in the Covered Wagon R.V. park. The owner told us there was only one pub in town he could think of, 21 blocks from where we were set up. So we walked the 21 blocks, only to find the place was closed. Back w went, stopping at a gas station convenience store, where all they sold was lite beer. The clerk looked up another pub, which was run by three lonely ladies, no clients in sight. All they sold on tap was lite beer. So we gave up. Seems that Kansas has a history of being one of the strictest states with respect to prohibition, and the ideology continues. A very quiet little town...no wonder.

But it is home to the Eisenhower Museum, as Ike came from this little town. Which leads us to our second theme. Ike came up from a very poor family, but his parents instilled in him the basic values of hard work, loyalty, drive and self-improvement. We went through the center, which is excellent, and couldn't help but marvel at his rise, within the military, and then within the political spectrum. When we consider his accomplishments, and compare his values and standards with the current President, we can't help but wish there might be a return to the type of leadership Ike provided. It was a most interesting tour, and has motivated me to learn more about this man.

Add to that the visit we had today at the Mark Twain center in Hannibal, Missouri. He also came from most humble circumstances, and we know where he ended up. He had to go to work as a printer's apprentice at age 14, went on to become a river pilot, and eventually started to write for newspapers, finally producing novels that are still held high in American literature. All from a most humble beginning, his father a failure at most of the things he tried, but his mother a stalwart of values and motherhood.

Tomorrow, we will visit the Lincoln Museum here in Springfield, and will learn more about an individual who also came from humble beginnings. Sounds like the American dream, I guess. But the dream isn't restricted to the U.S. It happens all over the world, which gives us hope that future leaders and people of prominence can come from not just the rich and privileged families, but from the most underprivileged and poor.

We shall proceed tomorrow toward Fort Wayne, Indiana, and then to visit with old friends Penny and Jimmy in Kinsville, Ontario. Almost home. Should be back by Monday. That's it for now. More later, for a wrap-up of this 68 day trip. Stay tuned.