Before leaving Wichita, I filled up with diesel. I’ve noticed that prices are a little higher ($2.09) than they were when we were heading west in January (below $2). Not complaining, just an observation!
Instead of taking the Kansas Turnpike (Toll) we continued on highway 54 east, a two lane as-straight-as-far-as-the-eye-can-see road. It was a good 150 mile trip with hardly any traffic. Nothing but farm land!
Kansas City is in hype mode with baseball opener this weekend. I was hoping that we could make a game but being world champs last year, it was sold out. We decided to try some of KC famous BBQ, visit some local wineries and go to an unique museum.
KC BBQ at Q39
Steamboat Arabia Museum
We saw a write up for a museum on a river steamboat. This was something that we never visited before and thought it would be interesting. We took the guided tour that lasted over an hour and learned that Steamboat Arabia sank in the Missouri River in 1856 with a full load of supplies for the new frontier General Store’s. The river banks at that time moved around based on river level. Since then the corp of engineers have made a permanent channel. The boat was quickly covered with sand which preserved the cargo. It was found in a corn field half a mile away from the existing channel and the cargo was in the same condition when it was buried. All the cargo was put on display and none of it was sold. I thought that was very interesting that the salvagers were more interested in preserving than making a fortune.
About:
In the year 1856, over 200 tons of winters supplies was loaded aboard the Arabia for delivery to the western frontier, nearly 1,000 dangerous miles up the mighty Missouri River. Pushing off from the dock in St. Louis, the Arabia carried supplies for 16 town located far up the Missouri River. In addition to its 200-ton cargo, there were about 130 passengers aboard bound for a new life on the frontier. One week later disaster struck, the steamboat breeched the hull with an underwater tree stump. Concealed for 132 years the resting place of the Steamboat Arabia was discovered in July 1987. Using a metal detector, weathered maps, and old newspaper clippings to guide the search, the Arabia was discovered 45 feet underground and a half-mile from the present channel of the Missouri River.
As the excavation team became increasingly aware of their priceless discovery, the decision was made to display the treasures rather than simply sell them. By now, the recovery and preservation expenses had topped one million dollars. With little option but to borrow more money for a museum space, the work began restoring a nearly run-down produce wholesale building that would eventually house this enormous collection. Three years later in November, 1991 the Arabia Steamboat Museum opened its doors to the public.
Wineries
We visited wineries in Kansas and Missouri. Just like most wineries that we visited, they are popular destination for weekenders. The wineries have small vineyards. We found that the wine in Kansas were sweeter than what we like. Missouri wine was much better tasting for us.
We stayed at:
Longview Lake Campground in Lee’s Summit, MO. This is a city public RV park. We paid $30/night included 50amp electrical, water and sewer. The parks is very nice and quite. We would stay here again.
