Hello from close to Salina, KS
Monday Afternoon – August 1, 2016 (First post of this travelogue)
We are in a beautiful Bureau of Reclamation Campground about 30 miles from Salina (Google map link) – see photo.
{google_map}38.610883 -97.956144{/google_map}
This is our second trip in the bus this year. We still have a couple of more planned. It feels good to use our fun “toy”.
We made this trip so that I could attend the KKOA Leadsleds (link to KKOA). I have been attending this event off and on for over 30 years. Indeed, we first drove the 56 Chevy to the 1987 event (and I had attended quite a few before that).
With our senior discount, this is a very low cost “place to stay”. The hotels tend to jack their prices up for the event. Also, most of the good hotels book up quickly. Cost wise, the extra fuel cost plus the cost of driving to Salina three days probably makes the cost a wash, but this is more convenient and relaxing.
There were well over 1200 cars registered for the event. Some, like me, probably register but don’t bring their cars. The park is huge, but almost all of the participant parking areas in the park (many on the grass) were filled up on Saturday. The quality of the cars varies quite a bit. Many, like the 56 Chevy, are not show cars, but hold their own with a lot of the cars. Some of the cars are true masterpieces or “works of art”. No matter, they are all fun to see. I have included a few pictures that illustrate the types of cars at this event.
I have started to get the 56 back into a condition that will allow us to drive across country so that I can attend with it next year. Over the years, I did a lot of patching of systems to keep it going, but that catches up with you and I really need to do quite a bit of work to get it ready to attend its 30th anniversary event. Last summer I did quite a bit of work on the paint and body work. The paint was in terrible condition. It now looks “OK” with a red primer covered with clear coat. Some day, maybe I will find the time and money to apply the finish paint.
We are staying over an extra day to relax and enjoy the campground. On our way here we stayed overnight at the Walmart in Goodland and will probably stop there on the way home. It is well over 400 miles each way and we try not to drive more than 300 miles if we have a choice.
That is all of this blog.