Kansas Spring Meet in the Flint Hills 4/7/07

We went for a test drive and scouting today in preparation for our meet. We will meet and greet at the Tallgrass Prairie Bottomland walking trail at 11:00 am, Saturday April 7th for lunch and final planning. See the map below for the location. It is just North and to the East of the junction of US 50 Highway and K-177 Highway, just East of St. Andrews Cemetery on the E-W County Road. Lat. N.38°24'08.3" Long. W.096°33'06.2"

My wife, Sharol, and I will provide the barbeque, beans and potato salad. Please bring your own lawn chairs, place settings and beverages. An accurate head count is requested. I will post other maps over the next few days that show proposed Ridge Run Routes.

Depending on the weather and the wishes of those in attendance, we could do the walking trail, visit Tall Grass Prairie, the Old School House and the historic Chase County Courthouse in Cottonwood Falls. The Chase County State Fishing Lake is nearby and has covered shelters if rain should be an issue.

If the group wishes, we could drive on backroads thru some of the most beautiful area of the Flint Hills. Views such the one below of a lone Sycamore tree in the midst of truly open prairie can be found throughout the area. The prairie is rapidly greening and will be even better in a few weeks. Please join us then!!!
Link to Tallgrass Prairie Home Page: http://www.nps.gov/archive/tapr/home.htm (http://www.nps.gov/archive/tapr/home.htm)

Steve and Sharol

Sounds good, is there an actual address for the meeting place I can put into Mapquest (for an ETA) and my Magellan GPS? Will it be beef or pork served?

Sounds good, is there an actual address for the meeting place I can put into Mapquest (for an ETA) and my Magellan GPS? Will it be beef or pork served?
We plan on serving both! Do have a request? No problem.

No actual address, but I hope you can create a waypoint from the lat/long in the opening post. Or maybe you could pick Strong City 66869 A truck stop is near by at 500 E. 7th, Strong City on US 50 hwy.

Thanks, I put in Strong City into MapQuest last night and it said just over 2hrs quickest route. As for food; bbq beef will be fine.

Oh, what info should I tell my Honda guy to put in the mailing? I'll be going into town tomorrow so I can give him the lowdown. Post here or pm me if you have an idea of what should be said.

I am unable to attend. I didn't know it was Easter weekend and my wife has made numerous family plans. Sounds like it is going to be a great drive.

I am unable to attend. I didn't know it was Easter weekend and my wife has made numerous family plans. Sounds like it is going to be a great drive.
We'll try it again sometime, maybe this fall? Thanks for letting me know.

We're still having it in a week and a half aren't we? Just took the info to my Honda guy to spread around to their Ridgeline owners. I agree we should try to do something more than once a year.

We're still having it in a week and a half aren't we? Just took the info to my Honda guy to spread around to their Ridgeline owners. I agree we should try to do something more than once a year.
Yes indeed. 4/7/07

Here is a link to a web page I set up for information on the meet:
http://www.geotechinc.net/ridge.htm
Click for information and maps.

I've posted a map of the proposed Ridge Run thru the Flint Hills this Saturday. Check it out at the link above! Late comers welcome! Other Staters also Welcome!! Email me from the above, only a few days left. BBQ on me!
"The Hills are alive with the sound of V-6's" ;)

Sorry I can't be there this weekend. You all have a great time. See you next time around.

Manonkind

It sounds like a great time but with it being Easter, I will not be able to attend.
Thanks

This Saturday should be clear and cool. Nothing that Heartland folks can't handle. If you have some time, swing on by. It'll be a good time. We hope to see you there!

Just three trucks showed up but was an interesting (and quite cold) meet and drive but sure saw some neat things and places.

One more of the natural stream bed/crossing. This reminded me of those scens from the Dukes of Hazzard tv show where you see the General Lee driving effortsly in the shallow water. Never knew places like this existed in Kansas. My fiance' who was with us took some more pics I'll post later when she gets here for Easter lunch. The steel blue was the first blue Ridgeline I had ever actually seen except in pictures. Not as bad as I used to think, but still would prefer a truer blue.

Saturday brought a small but very pleasant meet in the Heart of the fabulous Flint Hills. With temperatures 20 degrees below normal and a snow storm just two days before, our prospects were not good. However, we are, after all, Kansan! :p
Patty & John, Cathy & Bill and Sharol & Steve when driving back roads in the Hills after a great lunch. Spring is burning season in the Tallgrass Prairie. We spent most of the drive in open range prairie, driving over cattle guards that mark ownership. Lots of cattle to see, like the angus seen in the distance.
The photo of the turkeys shows the seemingly scarred earth from the recent burn. Rest assured that the Tallgrass will come back stronger and weed free. Turkeys have spread into the Flint Hills only in last several years where they seem to grow bigger than in the woodlands. :eek:
Bill’s ’07 Steel Blue shows the beauty of the metal flake in the paint, along with the navy glittering pin stripe he added.
New friends, new places. Great day! :)

Here's more...

Looks like a great place to go. How did you guys keep your Ridgelines so clean. Lets see some muddyed-up Ridgeline pictures. I like Bill's pin stripe on his steele blue rig.

Steele blue is the best color.

manonkind

Well it was a good thing we didn't schedule for the 4-14-07! This is what it looked like in the Hills on 4-13-07 at dusk: