Abilene, KS to Topeka, KS, To Independence, M0-then Kansas City, KS – 5/3/2017

May 3, 2017 (Wednesday)

Woke up to grey skies and more rain. It’s supposed to clear up later but we’ll see. Looks pretty thick in places. We left our home after eating a very small breakfast in the lobby (not much to choose from). The first part of the drive today was from Abilene, Kansas to Topeka, Kansas – almost 100 miles on toll roads and highways. The road was especially lovely because it’s so green and lush here, and a bonus is that the wild flowers alongside the roads are starting to really pop out.

We got into Topeka and found a parking spot at a meter in front of the Kansas State Capitol. It only allowed an hour and we were a little worried but wasn’t sure where else to park. We went inside the Capitol and through security to discover the Capitol is huge and would take quite a bit longer than an hour due to the fact the part of the tour we wanted most didn’t even start until 11:15 AM, just a few minutes before our meter ran out. I told Michael I would meet him at the starting point for the dome tour and I went to move the car while he continued taking pictures. (Lots of high school age kids in the Capitol today.) I found a spot near the entrance to the Capitol that already had time on it. Score. When I went up to the 5^th floor to meet up with Michael, he was no where to be found and I ended up going up on the tour and didn’t see him again for awhile.

At the top, a hanging chandelier hides the decorative copper clad metal work.

Copper clad banisters and balustrades, all the way up to the fifth floor.

I’ve joined the dome tour, not sure where Pretty Woman was. Top most interior dome.

The backs are unpainted and many have left their mark.

Very nice murals below the top rim of the dome.

The holes in the bricks are from the scaffolding and were left on purpose.

Midway up the stairs, the blurry arm waving on the left, that is Pretty woman headed up.

Pretty woman went in the group before me. Since she went all the way to the top, and we still have a library to do today, and since I walked up the five flights to get to the starting point, and much further still to get to this point, I decided not to go the last bit. Hear Edie tell it you’d think I was on a cruise while she climbed Everest!

Coming down alongside the inner dome outside wall.

The trip up to the dome was amazing and tortuous. The last little bit is very steep and it took me a few minutes to get my breath back at the top, but then when I walked outside and saw the view, my breath was taken away again. So beautiful. What an adventure and an experience to see a 360 degree view of the area around the Capitol and miles and miles around. So glad I did it but my legs were shaky. Worth it. (I think I made things worse on myself because I was the first one behind the tour guide and then all the young students behind me. I didn’t want them to know I was old so I had to keep up with the tour guide. Almost killed me but I did it!)

Edie’s view from the very very top outside.

Michael was at the level below the top and when I came back down, we walked back down together and then explored the rest of the Capitol. We got to see the House, the Senate, the Old Supreme Court, and the Library.

The Supreme Court moved years ago, the room is now a committee meeting room and kept in its historical configuration.

Speakers Chair. I always thought it was not proper to have such high desks, it has to go to one’s head.

State seal. “Through hardship to the stars.”

Great open elevator, as well as several closed ones.

All states show pride in Presidents that hail from that state.

Over the top wood trim around all the doors.

We met the Sergeant of Arms for the Capitol, Foster Chisholm. What a neat man. Could have talked to him all day. Fun.

Foster Chisholm, Sergeant at Arms with Pretty Woman.

The Capitol is lovely. It has murals, statues, stone, brass – and my favorite; COPPER. Lots of copper. Loved it. So beautiful. They were having some “to do” in regards to foster children day and they were setting up for a catered luncheon and people speaking at the podium.

We really like the Indian on the top of the dome.

The basement is huge and has several dedicated displays.

Many photographic displays in the massive basement area.

There are several murals, statues and time capsules in and on the walls of the rotunda.

Several huge murals on the side hallways off the rotunda.

We left the Capitol and headed to our next destination – Independence, Missouri – about 80 miles, to the Harry Truman Library, our last one. (We stopped at a Taco Bell before we got there as I was getting a little hangry and knew I couldn’t last for at least two more hours.) The whole drive was rain and yuck but the facility is beautiful.

Independence is just over the state line from Kansas City.

When we got to the lobby to pay (old people discount – $7.00 per person), I casually mentioned this was my last one in my Presidential Library passport book. The man behind the counter said we get a special stamp and a gift, to leave the passport and pick it up when we finished touring the museum. We did the museum and really enjoyed it. I never realized just how soon after he assumed the Presidency after Roosevelt died that everything happened. Wow. It was a very well thought out and presented museum. Everything was easy to read, the movie you see before you go into the museum gives you so much information going in, and then it’s repeated in spots. Lots and lots to take in.

A very nice summarizing film at the start of the tour of the Museum.

A series of front pages gives us an impression of the pace of important events rolling with great momentum.

The Presidency was fired at point blank range at Truman.

He had a lot to deal with on many fronts. His foreign policy is an excellent one.

Everyone was tired of war. Containment was a step on the cautious side of war.

A hail Mary move to save an election. He traveled more than Edie and I.

Way down in the polls he shot for the impossible.

The family discussions inspired a Norman Rockwell cover on Post.

Won the popular vote and barely won the electoral college.

Iconic photo, several newspapers got it wrong or several hours.

We got to see where Truman, his wife, his daughter and her husband, were buried on grounds. We saw the library across the courtyard from the museum, the reproduced Oval Office, cars he owned, so much. Once again, brain overload but we loved it because it was easy to read, easy to understand, and nice following the time line of how everything happened. There was a section on the complete remodel of the White House. It’s one of those museums that has so much information that you can take as little or as much time as you want. A person could probably spend a month there and not read everything they have.

The good, bad and ugly are freely on display at the library.

I didn’t know the history, for a while I was afraid she would never marry.

Seems a happy guy. Interesting, wearing a suit for a walk in Key West.

When we left and went to get my passport, the nice man behind the counter called for the Marketing and Sales Manager, Donna Denslow. When she came out she also had the Director of the museum, Kurt Graham. They talked with us for awhile and then walked us over to the Truman statue to present us with a beautiful paper weight that had an eagle with shield symbol in it, along with “Presidential Libraries” etched. They took our picture for their Facebook page. We felt like such celebrities! We were shocked. How fun. We took their pictures too for our blog. They also said we’ll be getting a letter. Nice.

L-R Director Kurt Graham, Truman Statue, Pretty woman and Donna Denslow.

The drive to our hotel was about 20 miles (Extended Stay America, Priceline, about $50.00). The room is nice, has a full kitchen, is clean and modern. Downside is the bed is barely a queen (seems small but it could be the beds are getting smaller because we’re getting bigger – too much Cheesecake Factory?).

It is spacious and comfortable, except for the bed.

That was our day. Hope yours was great!