Cross-Country Road Trip: Day Four, 8/18/12

There are four recurring themes throughout the drive from Kansas to Colorado: windmills, fire caution signs, sunflower farms, and overly-bizarre points of interest.

Approaching Oakley, KS, we saw sign after sign for Prairie Dog Town: "5-legged steer," "Largest prairie dog in the world," "Russian Wild Boar," "Live rattle snakes." I had been to Prairie Dog Town on my first cross-country road trip. The largest prairie dog in the world? Two well-sculpted tons of cement. I remembered there being a small zoo comprising the strangest collection of animals. Rattle snakes, goats, wolverines, a miniature donkey, steer, raccoons, and, of course, prairie dogs. We didn't have enough cash on us to pay for the $8.75 tickets. Last time I was visited, I recall the tickets being significantly less, perhaps somewhere around $4. As we were leaving the parking lot, we understood why there was such a spike in ticket price: the zoo is being sold. Depressing, right?

A little farther on our drive, we noticed what could have been the minor makings for a tornado. Now, that would have been so (stereotypically) neat to see in Kansas. 

T.C. and I, in an effort to be a little more spontaneous, stopped at a tiny town/village on the side of the I-70 in Kansas to see what we could see. What did we see? Tornado shelters.

T.C. and I were instinctively curious when we saw a few signs on I-70 written "Point of Interest." What point and why should we be interested? We wanted answers.

At the end of a dirt road in Genoa, we saw the Wonder Tower--a place from which you can see six states, as confirmed by Ripley: Colorado, Nebraska, Kansas, Wyoming, new Mexico, and South Dakota.

$2 bought us two tickets to what may have been the most unusual tour I've ever taken. I describe it as a categorized hoarding. The wishing well adorned tables of sun-colored glass, petrified wood, rusted tools, and box after box of rocks.

The Wonder Tower itself resembled something from a horror film. Mannequins peered out of the windows of the leaning, faded building. Scarecrows were perched at the top.

There were approximately 12 rooms of variable collectables, such as arrowheads, spoons, coins, and the like.

One room contained a two-headed calf, a dusty-dry jar of an eight-footed pig, and leaky containers of formaldehyde holding I'm-not-sure-what. 

The walk up the tower is steep, narrow, and not for the fainthearted. Each staircase landing is attached to a small room encasing arrowheads, antique chairs, historical documents of the Tower, sun-colored glass, and rocks. The sign on the door at the base of the Tower reads: "Take your time. Elevation 5,751 ft.

The view at the top was gorgeous and well worth the climb. We were hoping that there was a guide for the direction of the different states, but I'm pretty certain we figured things out all right.

In Goodland, KS, near the Kansas-Colorado border, we stopped at a little restaurant called El Reynaldo's Real Mexican Food. After living in Pennsylvania, I'm admittedly skeptical of restaurant claims of authenticity, especially when it comes to one of my favorite cuisines--Mexican. I ordered a burrito and T.C. ordered the taquitos. Expecting ordinary fare, we were surprised that it tasted similar to meals we've had in California, not far from the border of Mexico. I mean, that is what a tortilla is supposed to taste like. Truly delicious, and exactly what we needed for our last push to Colorado.

Three-and-a-half hours later, we arrived in Lafayette, Colorado to meet my Aunt Sue and Uncle Rick, whom I hadn't seen in about 20 years. Yes, 20 (i.e., way too long). I was happy to introduce them to my fiance for the first time, exchange old stories, and learn more about their lives. I had no idea that Sue worked in public office for 10 years and acted as mayor for two. Both are truly amazing people. Not to mention, they make a mean brownie. After a couple hours and too many pastries later, we reluctantly packed up and hit the road.

We aimed for a mountain town called Black Hawk, just past Nederland, Colorado. The drive was strictly uphill through the Roosevelt National Forest. It was nearly pitch-black, but I could tell that the pine trees were monumental and the boulders even more so. We turned onto a long dirt road and pulled up to T.C.'s aunt and uncle's place nestled in the trees. The backyard hugs the National Forest; there's a tent for guests next to a large, cozy fire pit; and the deck hosts a very welcoming hot tub. It was just the type of destination we were hoping to settle into after days of long drives and nights of motel stays.

States:

• Kansas
• Colorado

Visits:

• Prairie Dog Town, Oakley, KS
• El Reynaldo's Real Mexican Food, Goodland, KS
• Wonder Tower, Genoa, CO
• Lafayette, CO
• Denver, CO
• Boulder, CO
• Nederland, CO
• Black Hawk, CO

Routes:

• I-70
• US-270
• US-287
• CO-119

Don't know much about Kansas? Neither had I. Here are some interesting, quirky facts about the state, if interested.

After visiting some ridiculously bizarre points of interest on this trip, we're curious to hear some of yours. Feel free to comment below.

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Posted in: Boulder,Colorado,Cross-country trip,Denver,food,Genoa,Goodland,Kansas,Lafayette,Oakley,points of interest,Prairie Dog Town,road trip,Wonder Tower