Wednesday, April 16 - Saturday, April 27, 2024
We did go and see Marrs Mercantile in Centerville, AR. It's a small store with things for sale that are hand crafted in the area. I bought an olive wood spoon/spatula. When Dave and Jennie Marrs renovated the old bank building they also added a bathroom with this colorful tile and used the old bank vault door for the bathroom door. It was fun to see the building after watching it on TV.
From Horseshoe Bend park we went to My Green Country RV in Bartlesville OK for one night (site #13). They had full hookups for $31.65 per night. It looked like there were a lot of permanent people there but the park was pretty well maintained. I forgot to take any pictures.
On Friday, April 19 we drove to Coon Creek Cove Campground, a CoE park near Newkirk OK (site #36) for 3 nights. They had 30 amp electric, water, and a dump station for $11 per night with our senior pass. We didn't go anywhere while we were there. However, we did replace the awning as it was showing wear. No pictures of this, but think of two old people trying to replace an awning. You get the picture. :-) It was pretty windy while we were there.
On Monday, April 22 we went to 4 Mile Creek Resort and Campground in Augusta KS for 3 nights. We were in lower level site #20. We had 50 amp electric, water, and dump station at $33.70 per night. We thought being down lower the wind wouldn't be so bad but not so much. I also didn't know when I booked it that we had to go a couple of miles on a dirt road. In this picture the truck has just the dust from our trip to the campground. After a few trips in and out it was even worse. John did pressure wash both the truck and 5th wheel, and when we left he drove reeeally slow.
While we were there we went to the Old Cowtown Museum in Wichita. It's a frontier town where they have moved old buildings from other locations and set it up to really resemble an old town. One of the houses was used in the film "Sarah, Plain and Tall".
Anyone need a new carriage?
Friday we went to Strataca, an underground salt mine. They've been mining there since the 1920s. The mine goes down 650 feet underground, it's a constant 68 degrees, and there are 150 miles of tunnels. They say the salt area goes from about Kansas City to Colorado, then from Texas to Nebraska, so they have enough salt to last for generations. They use the salt from this mine as road salt. We went down the hoist that took us the 650 feet down to the mine. The area they have set up as the museum was mined out 20 years and before, so there's no active mining in that area. First you go through the museum area, which is quite large. In order to get anything down into the mine it has to go down on the hoist. That means anything large has to be taken apart, sent down, and then reassembled. Anything that goes into the mine stays there. If it breaks and can't be fixed they take it to a finished part of the mine and leave it there.
We went on the Salt Mine Express, and 'train' tour through part of the mined out area. This is how they used to move the salt through the mine. The equipment they use is for coal mining.
Like I said, what goes in the mine stays in the mine. They've uncovered trash from the 1950s. You don't see Lily cups anymore! (You'll have to click on the picture to make in larger).
After the train tour you go on The Dark Ride, a tram tour. They take you through more mined out areas, and then turn off all the lights. It is DARK! After they turn the lights back on you go to a big pile of salt and you can take some home. Of course the last stop is what must be the world's deepest gift shop! It took us a little over two hours and was worth it. We would recommend if you're going to be even close to the area.
"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth".
Genesis 1:1
We loved that salt mine tour. Nothing like we expected it to be.
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