S2E20: We’re not in Kansas anymore.

Day 20: Sept 29, 2023
Lee’s Summit, MO →
Comanche National Grassland, CO
Miles: 557

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Alyssa and Craig take us to Post Coffee for a farewell coffee and tea. I try to pay, but Craig literally holds me in place while Alyssa sneaks in with a credit card. We linger in the sun over drinks, and like most departures, say goodbye with the hopes of reuniting over outdoor adventures.

Our goal is a moving target. A return to Wilson State Park is the original intention, but we quickly discover our old enemy about two hours into the three-and-a-half-hour journey: The wind is back with a vengeance. Apple Weather shows nothing but the wind icon, which you know means serious business. We pivot our plans — Colorado is on the mind.

Kansas has girth; it’s a wide state. We have to put down serious miles and time to reach the neighboring state.

The gusts are relentless. Holding the rig steady is difficult and fatiguing, so Jen and I switch up to give each other a break. A Chipotle stop for lunch. Research on possible hotels near the KS–CO border comes up short, so we decide five hours in to keep hustling. We settle into four more hours behind the wheel.

We break a cardinal rule: Don’t arrive to camp in the dark. But with some intel on a campsite, we trust that raising the tent and hitting the sack soon after should be fine. We desperately want to part ways with Kansas and its wind.

As the sun sets, the Harvest Moon rises. It illuminates everything. Highways transition into county roads that turn into gravel roads that degrade into double track. We repeatedly slow for lazily grazing cows, their expressions questioning our presence. We reach a cattle gate. “No camping or fires within 100 feet of the canyon rim.” I open the gate, hoping our all-day expedition pays off.

We pass one camper along the way and soon find an empty spot farther down. I make out the canyon’s edge and note the “No motor vehicles beyond this point” sign. The moon guides us as we position our truck next to the fire ring. It’s still warm out, so setting up our sleeping arrangement is easy.

We lay our heads down, eager to view the morning scene.