Post by markland on Mar 6, 2006 10:47:40 GMT -5
On my leisurely drive down to New Mexico Friday, I took the opportunity to drive the "Blue Highways." My first stop was a Ft. Riley, KS where I saw the Custer House and went through the Cavalry Museum. That is well worth while going through. Strangely enough, they did not have much in the way of books but they did have the two volume history of the U.S. Army's Medical Corps by Gillette <sp>. Leaving Riley, I fortunately (or unfortunately if you have to pay the credit card balance) took US 56 from I-70 through Ellsworth, where I was unable to take a lot of time to find the site of Ft. Harker, and then on down to Ft. Larned. It is now a National Historic place and well worth visiting. I arrived at 4:20 on Friday, just a few minutes before closing yet park ranger/historian George Seymore was kind enough to keep the bookstore open (and they have one very nice bookstore!) as well as answer many of my questions. Note to all, if you have any questions about the Kansas portion of Hancock's War, he is the man to go to! Leaving Larned, I was able to ride directly in front of Ft. Dodge before "dodging" southward on 183 to pick up US 54 to get to Tucumcari, NM. A very easy drive for those so inclined.
An added benefit of the company's stinginess was that I was using a Suburu <sp> Forester which is pretty low to the ground. Therefore I got a much better appreciation for the terrain the western soldiers/Indians/settlers/hunters/adventurers went over on horseback or in or following a wagon. I also was able to experience one heck of a plains thunderstorm while in the panhandle of Oklahoma heading to Texas. Man, oh man, was there some serious lightening, sometimes three thick bolts simultaneously from the same spot straight to ground...and rain, buckets of it. Yet five miles south of the storm, the road was absolutely dry!
As I read them, I will add books on the soutwest to the books section since I was unfortunately fortunate to be able to go to the Silver City, NM museum on Sunday. Plus they have Western New Mexico University here which had loads of microfilm of Army posts which are unavailable (without purchasing) in Kansas. By the way, one strange thing to me was that of all Federal agencies, the Bureau of Land Management owns and maintains the site of Ft. Craig, NM. They have done a wonderful job of providing an interpretive walk through the area and have a small bookstore (bring cash!). Across the Rio Grande river from Craig about 5-7 miles as the crow flies is where the battle of Valverde during the Civil War took place.
Elisabeth, hopefully on the drive back I will be able to stop at Ft. Wallace but I found out at the last minute from she who must usually be obeyed that I have to be home Thursday and the cut-over here at work was pushed out one day till Tuesday so my travel time was compressed to two days from three.
Best of wishes,
Billy
An added benefit of the company's stinginess was that I was using a Suburu <sp> Forester which is pretty low to the ground. Therefore I got a much better appreciation for the terrain the western soldiers/Indians/settlers/hunters/adventurers went over on horseback or in or following a wagon. I also was able to experience one heck of a plains thunderstorm while in the panhandle of Oklahoma heading to Texas. Man, oh man, was there some serious lightening, sometimes three thick bolts simultaneously from the same spot straight to ground...and rain, buckets of it. Yet five miles south of the storm, the road was absolutely dry!
As I read them, I will add books on the soutwest to the books section since I was unfortunately fortunate to be able to go to the Silver City, NM museum on Sunday. Plus they have Western New Mexico University here which had loads of microfilm of Army posts which are unavailable (without purchasing) in Kansas. By the way, one strange thing to me was that of all Federal agencies, the Bureau of Land Management owns and maintains the site of Ft. Craig, NM. They have done a wonderful job of providing an interpretive walk through the area and have a small bookstore (bring cash!). Across the Rio Grande river from Craig about 5-7 miles as the crow flies is where the battle of Valverde during the Civil War took place.
Elisabeth, hopefully on the drive back I will be able to stop at Ft. Wallace but I found out at the last minute from she who must usually be obeyed that I have to be home Thursday and the cut-over here at work was pushed out one day till Tuesday so my travel time was compressed to two days from three.
Best of wishes,
Billy
