On the Road Again!!!!!!

Guthrie, Oklahoma - 67º and rain very near.

 We pulled out of Clarinda, with our travel trailer, around noon on Sunday the 19th of October, heading for our winter home in La Feria, Texas.  Stopped in Maryville, MO and ate a sandwich at Jimmy Johns.  Arrived at farm home of Harold and LaRhoda Neher just east of Hiawatha, KS a little after 2 pm.  I have these photos a little out of order.  On Monday morning I went with Harold and rode with him in the combine as he ran some soybeans.  Here he is riding up the lift he had a blacksmith make for him so he could make it up to the cab.

With his leg health problems, this 87 year old man can still make it in to the combine cab and once there the controls for everything, while he is seated, keeps things running.

His right hand on the joy stick with numerous controls on it, and a pad immediately to his right keeps everything where he wants it.  The computer screen to his right monitors just about everything--conditions of everything about the engine, the moisture of the beans running through, the approximate bushels per acre, the amount of beans in the bin, and on, and on.

 In this photo Harold's son Tim was driving the tractor pulling the grain cart.  It is unbelievable, but this cart holds enough to fill an entire semi-truck.

On Sunday evening we went with Harold and LaRhoda to their church for a fish fry-pot luck supper celebrating successful fundraiser just put on and also was an appreciation supper for their pastor and his wife. 

 Back at the Neher's we worked on several games of Pegs & Jokers.

Monday morning LaRhoda insisted on feeding us a "thresher-man's breakfast.

One final photo of the entire combine that Harold and Tim work with.

We made it back to Harold's in time for lunch and Burl and Donna Penny from nearby Troy, Kansas were there and had brought with them Beverly and Gordon Mayer from Reno, Nevada.  Bev & Gordy had just arrived in the motor home at the Penny's.  All of these people spend their winters in the RV Parks in the Rio Grande Valley in Texas.  Burl is the shiny-headed guy to the left with LaRhoda and Beverly

 From left to right -- Beverly Mayor, Gordon Mayer and Donna Penny.

Harold is seated, ready to eat!

The Pegs & Jokers were out again and we went at it.

We all helped clean up, a little, one of the apple trees for the Nehers.

Tuesday morning we pulled out - Harold, LaRhoda and Rocky (the dog) watch us leave.

We got to the State Capitol in Topeka in time to take the 11 am guided tour.  They just recently finished a $325 Million renovation of the capitol.

Think this was over a 13 year period.  It is amazing the work they did.  All the inside copper was polished -- it was black and most people assumed it was painted wood.

Click here for details on renovation

Dome from 1st floor.

One of the many murals.  My understanding is many of the murals and all the patterns on ceilings and walls were painted over many years ago.  There were as many as 6 coats of paint removed from many murals and decorative patterns and put back as original.  You have to see them all to appreciate them.

After the Capitol tour we ate in a Gaelic Pub near the Capitol and then drove to near Tescott, Kansas to farm home of Bill and Kathy Connally.  Leonard and Noni Lund had just arrived in their brand new 5th wheel from near Sioux City, Iowa.  Connally's have been in our Kenwood RV Park for several years and Lunds were several years ago.  Lunds were going to be at Connally's most of this week.  Leonard and I road with Bill in his 4-wheeler to check his fall calving cows.  I am not getting the pictures where I can upload them right now.  After a great quickly-put-together supper we sat down for 5 or 6 games of Pegs & Jokers while keeping an eye on the World Series game where KC

lost 7-1.

We are now near Guthrie, Oklahoma in a commercial RV Park (where have good WIFI) and watching the 2nd game of World Series.  Light rain started outside.

More later as I get a chance.

Lynn