Colors of Topeka, Kansas

Topeka had some beautiful colors around the city. The very first stop I made was at the Equality House.

If you look closely, you can spot the Free Little Library to the left of the house. It is painted in rainbow colors, too.

What is the Equality House?

The Equality House is a symbol of compassion, peace, and positive change. The house, which is painted the colors of the Pride flag, serves as the resource center for all Planting Peace human rights initiatives and stands as a visual reminder of our commitment, as global citizens, to equality for all.

The house is located in Topeka, Kansas directly across from the Westboro Baptist Church hate group. The group is known for protesting soldiers funerals, being anti-semitic, and promoting the death penalty for gay Americans.

The Great Mural Wall of Topeka

The Great Mural Wall of Topeka honors the cultural history and ongoing spirit of Topekans and their neighborhoods. The mural adorns a wall surrounding a former water reservoir, a building owned by the Topeka Water Division.

The project was initiated in 2006 by the Chesney Park Neighborhood Improvement Association with a desire to instill community pride, beautify the neighborhood, and curtail graffiti. This vision became a reality in 2007, when the ideas of neighborhood residents brought this formerly “blank canvas” to life.

The Evel Knievel Museum, Topeka, Kansas

One of the first places I visited in Topeka, Kansas, was the Evel Knievel Museum.  I grew up knowing of Evel Knievel. I knew that he rode a motorcycle & was a daredevil, but not much more.

Ever wonder how he got the name Evel Knievel?  Here is the story. 

Evel Knievel joined US Army & after being discharged, he tried his hand at several jobs including:

  • Security service owner
  • Member & promoter of semi-pro hockey team
  • Hunting & fishing guide
  • Insurance sales

Then, he opened a Honda motorcycle dealership & began promoting motorcycle racing.  Soon after, he started his own motorcycle stunt show & called it “Evel Knievel & His Motorcycle Daredevils.”

In this show, he performed wheelies, crashed through plywood firewalls and jumped over two pick-up trucks. 

This first show was a huge success. More shows were scheduled and the jumps got bigger.

These pictures are of his motorcycles and the truck he used to haul all of his equipment.

In his 11-year motorcycle-jumping career in the 1960s and ’70s, Knievel attempted more than 75 jumps, becoming just as famous for the stunts he landed as those he didn’t. Knievel died in 2007 at the age of 69 from pulmonary fibrosis.

I enjoyed the museum but I still had one more thing to do before I left.  They offer a 4D jump where you can experience one of Evel Knievel’s jumps.  I wore a virtual reality headset & earphones while riding the motorcycle. The motorcycle leans into the turns and you feel butterflies when you “jump.” If you visit the museum, be sure to include a jump!

Weather in the Midwest

One of the big surprises for me has been the weather in Kansas & Nebraska. I am used to hurricane winds at the beach, but the winds here can be brutal.

The weather was all over the place yesterday. We started out with temps in the 50s and light rain. It cleared up and warmed up to 91 degrees! Then around 4:00 the winds started gusting up to 60 MPH, the temperature dropped and it rained & hailed. We lost electricity for a while, but luckily it came back on so I could turn on the fireplace.

Last night at my Harvest Host, Master’s Hand, in Tekamah. Nebraska.

The high yesterday was 91, the low 32. Almost a 60 degree change in 24 hours! This morning is calm & the birds are chirping. It will be windy the next few days, but hopefully nothing like last night.

Cappy does not like the wind or rain. Since he is blind, he is very sensitive to noise. When the weather is bad, he literally climbs onto my head when we are in bed. He shakes & pants. I have tried everything to calm him down, but haven’t found anything that works yet. The best thing I have found is just holding him tight & talking to him. Maybe a Thundershirt would help? If you have any suggestions or have experience with a Thundershirt, please let me know.

A windmill in action outside Omaha, Nebraska

I bought some gloves & toboggans in preparation for winter in Montana, but may need them this week. I am layering up today & heading west.

More from Wamego, Kansas

Wamego may be a small town, but it has plenty to see & do. The Oz Museum is the main draw and I want share some of the other highlights.

Wamego City Park

Schonhoff Dutch Mill

The Schonoff Dutch Mill, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was originally located 12 miles north of Wamego. Built in the 1870s, a young Dutch immigrant, John Schonoff, used it to grind grain until the 1880s. In 1924 the mill was dismantled, each stone was numbered & moved into town using 35 horse-drawn wagons, where it was reconstructed in City Park.

Wamego Historical Museum & Old Prairie Village

Unfortunately, the museum & village were closed while I was in town; however, I did get to walk around and explore. The village has authentic buildings from the 1800s including a one room school house, a log cabin built in 1840, the first jail in the county and a General Store & Telephone building.

For more information about the Wamego Historical Museum, click here.

Wamego Area Veterans Memorial

For more information about the Veterans Memorial, click here.

The Beecher Bible & Rifle Museum

The Kansas-Nebraska Bill passed in 1854, allowing Kansans the choice of entering the Union as a free or slave state. Many came to Kansas to influence that decision. The Connecticut-Kansas colonists arrived with Sharps rifles provided with the help of Henry Ward Beecher. Along with early settlers, they founded the Beecher Bible & Rifle Church. Sunday services are still held here.

Food & Drink

Dinner from Barleycorn’s Downtown Deli. A Meat & Potato with Smoked Beans. The potato is Meat & Potatoh has slow-smoked pork, butter, sour cream, Cheddar cheese & KC style BBQ sauce. The Mad Bark Hard Apple Cider is infused with cinnamon & was so smooth. A delicious meal!
Tuna Melt & salad with housemade dressing from Friendship House

Off to See the Wizard in Wamego, Kansas

My next stop was in Kansas was Wamego. One of my favorite authors, Sue Ann Jaffarian, lives and travels in a Winnebago Travato. She gave me a great list of places she had visited while traveling in Kansas which included the Oz Museum. It was on my way to Topeka and I was really looking forward visiting.

A lot of you know me from my time in Charlotte or Myrtle Beach. I spent over 25 years in the Carolinas and enjoyed it immensely. One place I visited several times was Beech Mountain, NC. It is the home to the Land of Oz, a former theme park. It opened in the 1970s and I first remember going there in its heyday as a child. Now, the park is open each fall for Autumn at Oz. You can find more information about it here.

Even the water tower in Wamego has brick-road yellows, ruby reds and Emerald City greens to show their Oz pride.

Bartlesville, OK had buffalo around town, Lindsborg, KS had Dala horses, Wamego. KS had Totos!
The museum is a standout as you drive through town.

The Oz Museum has over 2,000 items on exhibit and is considered one of the broadest in existence. It begins with First Edition L. Frank Baum books, which I appreciate as a book lover & librarian.

Enjoy some of the highlights from my visit!

An original movie poster
Even the COVID signs were Oz themed!

Another Oz sight in Wamego is the muraled alley of The Yellow Brick Road. Local artists have chronicled the story in beautiful handpainted murals.

Abilene, Kansas

Traveling from Wichita, I stopped for breakfast in Abilene, Kansas.

Joe Snuffy’s Old Fashioned Grill

After checking with Yelp, the highest rated restaurant in Abilene was a local favorite, Joe Snuffy’s Old Fashioned Grill. I cook most of the time but on travel days it’s easier to stop and have a meal. It supports local businesses and is one of the best ways to learn about a place.

Most all towns have hidden gem restaurants that locals frequent. The parking lot here was full and there was a steady flow of people in & out of Joe Snuffy’s. I had a bacon, onion & Swiss cheese omelet, hashbrowns, toast & fresh, hot coffee. Everything was delicious & the service couldn’t be beat.

While waiting for my meal, I checked to see what there was to do in Abilene. It was a Sunday morning & I was surprised to see that the Greyhound Hall of Fame Museum was open and near the restaurant, so I was off to my next destination.

Greyhound Hall of Fame Museum

I knew absolutely nothing about Greyhounds or Greyhound racing until then but that was going to change. One of my mottos is “Just say yes” and I have done that while traveling. Some places I am more excited to go than others. Some have surprised me and make me glad that I visited. Keeping an open mind is key when traveling!

There is no charge for visiting the museum but donations are welcome. As you enter the museum, a short film describes the history of greyhounds and Greyhound racing. Did you know that Greyhounds are one of the fastest animals on the planet? Check out the video below to learn more.

As Europeans immigrated to the United States, they brought their Greyhounds with them. The Midwest, with its open prairies overrun with jackrabbits, became the ideal place for Greyhounds, for Greyhound coursing, and, ultimately, for Greyhound racing.

Identification

Racing greyhounds born in the United States are registered with the National Greyhound Association (NGA) in Abilene. For positive identification, they are tattooed in both ears when they are about 2 months old.

I met two Greyhounds when I visited the museum. I was impressed by how friendly and affectionate they were. They live at the museum full-time. Inside they have a room of their own with beds & toys. Outside they have a large fenced area where they can stretch their legs & run.

One of the resident dogs greeted me when I entered.

Greyhound Trivia

  • The Greyhound is the only breed of dog mentioned in the Bible (Proverbs 30: 29-31).
  • The first dog mentioned in literature, in 800 B.C., was the Greyhound in Homer’s Odyssey.
  • In both Greek and Roman mythology, gods and goddesses were often portrayed with Greyhounds.
  • In the 14th century, in Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales, the Greyhound was the first breed to be written about in English.
  • Shakespeare mentioned Greyhounds in Henry V.
  • During the Renaissance, the most famous artists of the era – Veronese, Pisanello, and Uccello – captured the elegant lines of the Greyhound in art.

The effects of COVID are easy to spot when traveling. Many of the places I visit have reduced hours or are only open a few days each week. One of the places in Abilene I wanted to see was the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library & Museum; however, it is only open Wednesday – Saturday each week. Maybe next time!