(C) Daily Kos This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . The High Plains of Eastern Colorado and Kansas; A Colorado State Open Thread, June 24, 2024 [1] ['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.'] Date: 2024-06-24 I will be stopping periodically to take photos of my journey back using I-70, from Eastern Kansas on up to Estes Park. Last Friday I went east, using US Highway 36 for most of the way, just to see a different area of Colorado and Kansas. A couple of years ago, I took Highway 34 along northern Kansas west to Colorado, became lost around the intersection of Kansas, Nebraska and Colorado, and detoured north of my planned route, to finally go through Greeley and up through Loveland. That was an interesting route, with some large lakes, the largest ball of twine, a museum of “oddities” where they were also selling some movie prop items (and some worthy of being used in Sci-Fi B movies) and some nice landscapes. I can’t find the photos on this laptop, but once I get home I’ll see if I can upload them. I do have to say that Highway 36 is not interesting. The only interesting thing along Highway 36 is this location I passed miles of flat, boring landscape that sometimes had the beginnings of crops. There weren’t many towns, places of interest markers, and I think, for the most part, it really is empty of much to recommend it. I would guess the few people living out that way like it like that. It takes a special person to enjoy the solitude that occurs out there. Those of you who may be thinking I’m some city yokel who must have Starbucks within easy reach or other signs of civilization should know I grew up in Kansas and I love the prairie to the point of advocating for the Buffalo Commons idea to be implemented. My wife would sarcastically point when she saw a tree (there are a number of them, but she’d say “there’s a tree” or “there’s a cow”). She was originally from Queens, NY and other than a short spell when she was young, she’s lived in cities. I find I-70 to be a pretty highway, winding through the Flint Hills on the eastern side of the state and then past Manhattan and Junction City, it runs through some rolling hills, some streams and a number of small towns while the windmills are turning slowly, providing Kansas and Colorado with power from nature’s unimpeded flowing wind. Even the windmills were distant from highway 36, but not from I-70. Maybe it’s because there are occasional towns along I-70 I like it more, or because I have several familiar landmarks that I look forward to seeing, marking my progress. I will be taking I-70 back to Estes on Monday because it’s a wider highway and I hope the trailer that I’m taking will be able to travel easier. If I break down, I will likely also have a better chance of getting assistance from AAA or some other service. I am going to be limited to 55 mph, so it will take me a long time to get home. At this point I would like to remind you that I started a DailyKos group for Eastern Colorado and the High Plains so that all of Colorado would now have groups covering it. I also saw a need to cover a large part of the country that hasn’t been covered by Daily Kos, especially once Chris Reeves moved on from Daily Kos. If there’s anyone who lives in the area, or has an interest in the area (I mean to cover western — Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, South and North Dakota, plus eastern — Montana, Wyoming, Colorado and New Mexico), please join the group by sending me a Kos email and if you have any desire to write about the area, or subjects you’d like me to cover, please put that in your email. Now, onto another very important topic — the primary election is tomorrow and if you haven’t yet voted, please, please get those ballots in to the election drop boxes or to the polling places nearest you so that your vote counts. I think we’ll be using the Daily Kos live blogs for election tracking, but if you want to do your own, please go for it. Don’t forget July 20th, 4PM, for a Meetup at the Wild Animal Sanctuary in Keenesburg. It isn’t strictly limited to people who are members of DKos; you’re welcome to bring any Kos-Kurious friends you might have. Until I get home, you folks will be on your own for comments to the diary. Play nice, because the floor is yours... [END] --- [1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2024/6/24/2248264/-The-High-Plains-of-Eastern-Colorado-and-Kansas-A-Colorado-State-Open-Thread-June-24-2024?pm_campaign=front_page&pm_source=more_community&pm_medium=web Published and (C) by Daily Kos Content appears here under this condition or license: Site content may be used for any purpose without permission unless otherwise specified. via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds: gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/dailykos/