Day 54 - Thursday, July 15

After an awesome night in Buckner and getting to bed after 10pm, I felt like I had been partying all night when I woke up at 3:30am. But it was worth it!

I got underway before sunrise on a gray, humid morning that would eventually becoming heavy rain around 9am and then persist for the entire day.

Moving along route 24 a red pick up truck pulled over to the side of the road near a stream and a gentleman waved to me. I walked over and he asked chuckling, “would you like a raccoon?” I told him they were cute but didn’t have any place to carry them with me and I asked him what he was doing with trapped raccoons. He told me that they get into his barn and rather than shoot them like everyone else does, he traps them and then sets them free in the spot where there is water. Lucky was super charged about the release but lost interest once they hit the high grass. I asked him where he was headed and he told me he is a truck driver doing a route halfway to Denver to swap loads with another driver and then returns the 600 miles. This is a 730 to 7 o’clock daily routine for him and while it’s lonely and long hours, he gets to come home to his 15 acres and the small town he calls home that makes him happy.

Moving further along Route 24 towards Independence Missouri I came upon a young man walking with a gun holstered on his hip. As I came up to him ahem’d so he would not be surprised by Lucky or I and we walked and chatted a bit. Alex is 23 years old, engaged indefinitely and looking for gainful employment. I asked if he had ever used the gun before and he told me just once - when he was working security when they had riots someone had a gun on the property and he was authorized to shoot the man which he did in the leg - the police then disarmed the man.

Coming into the square at Independence was really great - this was where the Oregon and California Trails start up for immigrants coming from St. Louis by steamer. As luck would have it, I ran into Nikki from last night in her pick up truck with her mother in law Janet! Nikki dropped off a care package of beef, corn and some garden vegetables as promised to Chris at 7:30am - thank you!!

I visited my first Presidential Library and while I couldn’t get a ticket to get in, I was allowed into the lobby where I got a quick picture and then had the pleasure of hearing some great stories about the library from Larry - the video is worth watching…

.I closed out the day on the late side - 4pm with pouring rain. After a nice hot shower now that the hot water is fixed, I ate some KC bbq and then had company - Erin Boddie was next door neighbor and best friend with my niece Rachel. A decade ago I took them out to climb Mt. Kisco in search of Chief Kisco’s grave…which doesn’t exist but they had a blast and never forgot it. She got to see inside her first RV and we caught up on all the great things she is doing - after swimming 4 years at division I NCAA program, she is now doing Jesuit volunteer work with immigrant workers in the same towns we just ran through - Waverly, Lexington, etc. It made me so happy to hear her view on the world - especially the United States and if the next generation is anything like Erin, I say with total conviction we are headed in the right direction.

All for now - thank you for your support.

Cheers,

David.

Alex on Route 24 packing heat

The famous courthouse at Independence Square - statue of Harry Truman

Independence Missouri, as seen by Herman J. Meyer in 1853. The main street, with its steepled brick courthouse also had stores and shops where emigrants could purchase supplies

The country that lay ahead of the pioneers contained no towns or settlements. For weeks emigrants crossed vast grassland which was hot by day and cold at night. Often violent thunderstorms swept down on the hapless travelers. Eventually, they crossed the snow-capped Rocky Mountains. Beyond the mountains lay a vast wilderness of scrubby desert sagebrush, canyons and forests.

The trail began at the old Independence Landing north of Independence, Missouri. Here emigrants left steamboats after a five or six day journey from St. Louis. The center of activity in the small town of Independence was the bustling square. Most of the new pioneers camped a mile or two from the square and were busily purchasing supplies needed for their four to five month trek. Those with horses or mules left first so they could feed upon the shorter grasses. The majority with powerful and durable oxen left two weeks later because cattle have a different dentition than horses.

The plaque commemorating the Oregon Trail

And the Santa Fe Trail which I have been on

I ran into Nikki and her mother in law Janet - what are the odds!

Heading onto the California & Oregon Trails

My first Presidential Library

With Harry Truman, kind of. Highlight was meeting a volunteer named Larry who I could have listened to for hours as he has met so many of the relatives of Presidents and had wonderful stories.

View of KC from North side of town

Trying to avoid the highway bridge into Kansas I was forced to figure out this crossing which in the pouring rain got very messy

And that is the sign “Welcome to Kansas”!!!

End of a rainy day

We had a great visit with Erin - not sure why I look like I’ve gained 100 pounds…