2011 Kansas Reunion Trip #3

Oh, give me a home where the buffalo roam,

Where the deer and the antelope play,

Where seldom is heard a discouraging word

And the skies are not cloudy all day.

     Chorus

        Home, home on the range,

        Where the deer and the antelope play;

        Where seldom is heard a discouraging word

        And the skies are not cloudy all day.

"Home on the Range" is the state song of Kansas. Dr. Brewster M. Higley (1823-1911) originally wrote the words in a poem called "My Western Home" in the early 1870s in Smith County, Kansas [that's the county just east of Phillips county, where our hometown of Phillipsburg is]. The poem was first published in a December 1873 issue of the Smith County Pioneer under the title "Oh, Give Me a Home Where the Buffalo Roam." The music was written by a friend of Higley's named Daniel E. Kelley. Higley's original words are similar to those of the song today but not identical. The song was adopted by settlers, cowboys, and others and spread across the USA in various forms. During the early 20th century, it was arranged by Texas composer David Guion (1892-1981) who is often credited as the composer. It was officially adopted as the state song of Kansas on June 30, 1947, and is commonly regarded as the unofficial anthem of the American West.

Well children, that's today's history lesson.  The test will follow...

We've been home for 8 days now, and have seen highs in the mid-90's (last weekend), and highs in the mid-50's (today & tomorrow).  Even had some rain a few days ago.  Rain here, as opposed to the Mississippi river valley, is needed.  The wheat looks good to Rita and me, but according to the locals it will all depend on how much moisture we get.  Apparently, the wheat south of Kansas was being written off a while back, but now it looks like it will be worth cutting (harvesting).

I was trying to get some of the local farm reports.  You know futures for lean hogs, frozen pork bellies, feeder cattle and live cattle, wheat, soybeans, oats, barley & corn, but I can't figure out how to read them.  You know you're in the midwest when the local news report goes to reading all that stuff.

We have been able to ride our bikes quite a bit this last week.  We both got about 160 miles in this week.  The highlight was Thursday when we rode to Smith Center and back (about 62 miles) - the longest ride we've ever had.  Was a bit windy, and it took us a bit longer on the way back.  So we didn't ride on Friday and then rode to Kensington & back today with my brother's wife (about 32 miles) and that was a real treat!  High of 55 degrees (thought we were back in Oregon - but it wasn't raining), but the worst was the wind.  Don't have the numbers, but it had to be blowing 25 mph with gusts to 35.  Going out was not so bad since the wind was out of the NNW, so we got a bit of a push from it.  Took us an hour and 16 minutes to do 16.5 miles (about 13.25 mph).  Coming back we got the benefit of a headwind and it took us an hour and 40 minutes (just over 10 mph).  Never thought we'd get back.  Don't want to do that again any time soon.  But, we could have been riding north - right into the teeth of the wind.  Might still be out there trying to get home!

We've been mostly riding east & west.  Most of the wind this week has been out of the north or south, and that's kept us from riding north & south where the bigger hills are.  Monday looks promising as the weather report is suggesting winds only at about 11 mph.  Early in the day will be less than 10.  That would be a walk in the park compared to today.  By Tuesday it will be up to 15+ and stay up there the rest of the week.

When we ride across Kansas in June, my brother will drive our motor home from town to town.  He's a bit nervous since he hasn't done that before, so we are thinking we'll go the the local high school parking lot tomorrow afternoon and let him have a try at doing some maneuvering there.  Another time we will drive on some roads out of town.  I don't think he will have too many problems, you just have to have time in the driver's seat.  Hopefully, when we go to the starting town for the ride (about 200 miles) he will drive at least half of the way.

Tomorrow morning I will make Aebelskivers for breakfast.  Got my pan from mom last year.  Had to promise to bring it back this year.  If you don't know what aebelskivers are, they are Danish pancake balls.  The pan used has 7 half sphere in it where you put the batter.  You use something sharp and narrow (I use a wire cake tester) "stick" to turn the pancake a little bit at a time so the end result is a round ball pancake.  You can use syrup or powdered sugar with them, but the tradition is to break them open and put some kind of jam/jelly/preserve in the middle, put it back together and then eat them.  Very good.

Well, that's about it for now.  We're having a good time.

  rod, rita & lucy