Day 3 of the travel madness! If you ever want to drive on the "Lonesome Highway," then drive on Highway 36 in Northern Kansas. The more you head West, the more desolate the landscape becomes. This highway travels along the former Pony Express Trail. Marysville, Kansas has a Pony Express Museum and the most incredible old Courthouse you have ever seen. It has been turned into a museum.
Most of the wheat has been planted and is already 6 inches high. I am not sure what prompted me to stop in Montrose, Kansas? But, it turned out to be a very pleasant surprise. It had some buildings from the turn of the century. The small bank building was just classic. The old school, see photo, had clover growing in the front lawn. A beautiful contrast to the blue sky and the rustic patina of the building.
As the sun started to drop I stopped and found the a location for the classic windmill photo I wanted. This windmill was still running and the fan blades were spinning at high-speed. Actually it is surprising this turned out because the wind was howling. There is a reason they call this the Windy High Plains! The planned sunset landscape photos I was hoping for didn't materialize because the sun dropped behind a cloud deck just before sunset. Sorry, no drama shots for YOU... this time anyway.
Just as I got dark I was running low on fuel and I was praying the next town had gas. For the last 2 hours I hadn't encountered any vehicles on old Hwy 36. It wouldn't be a stretch at all to call it, " Desolation Highway." Upon arriving in Atwood, the man in the gas station said, "if you thought it was lonely so far, just wait. It will get a lot more LONELY the farther you head west!" With that declaration from a local, I headed 35 miles south to the 70 Freeway to find a hotel.
Finally, the Highway Desperado had enough of that "Lonely Highway." I stopped in Colby, Kansas about 10:30pm and found a Super 8 Motel.
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