DUST BOWL TOUR – DAY 4 (MONDAY, JULY 20)

When vacationing, most people plan a travel route to include points of spectacular beauty and entertainment value. Mike and I planned ours to take us through the Dust Bowl of 1930's fame. Our interest in this historical phenomenon was sparked last November when I recorded a documentary entitled "Black Blizzard," based on the book, "The Worst Hard Time," by Timothy Egan. I was interested enough to buy the book, and Mike and I both read it. When Mike heard about the Troop 220 (Moss Point, MS) reunion, he immediately began planning an itinerary that would take us through the Dust Bowl. As someone commented, "So you've already seen all the beautiful places?"

We left Denver at 5:30 a.m. MDT with Joey and Harley wagging us off. We had said our good-byes to the family the night before. I hope the Mile-Highers are enjoying the prunes I left behind. Traffic was heavier than we anticipated but it seemed to dissipate at the airport turn-off. We headed southeast through Colorado as the sun was rising, then crossed into Kansas. It was already a hot day by 9:00 a.m. Our first geocache was found near a fencepost on a hot, dusty farm road. While finding a cache in the Outdoor Learning Area at the high school in Johnson City, we heard the noon whistle and realized we were in central time.

The Dust Bowl takes in southeastern Colorado, western Kansas, the Oklahoma panhandle ("no man's land"), most of the Texas panhandle, and western New Mexico. The dust phenomenon was caused when the grasslands of the Great Plains were plowed under for agricultural use, then complicated by drought conditions. Without the grass to hold the topsoil, wind erosion occurred. Apparently we can't say no one knew. Even in President Andrew Jackson's day, experts warned against the devastation that could occur with widespread plowing of the Great Plains. Without the grass, they warned, there would be nothing to stop the wind from eroding the land. The eventual devastation that occurred during the decade of the 1930s was such that much of this region has never recovered. "I want to see this country," commented Mike as he finished the book.

Our route took us right through Boise City, OK (pronounced "Boy City"), a focal point of the book. An old farm hub, bigger than I expected, with no appearance of prosperity was my immediate assessment. That's where we got gas. I told Mike I didn't think we should buy subs at that Subway, but he decided to give it a try anyway. He said the gal made him wait while she washed her hands, but she knew nothing about the Subway rewards card and wouldn't honor it. We ate at a picnic table in an RV park bereft of campers. Chattering, raucous birds and insects kept us company; the day took on an ominous feel. Then we drove to the cemetery to pick up a cache.

We knew this would be our longest day of travel, so we had to do some serious driving to do. At about 8:00 p.m. we stopped in Vernon, TX, so that Mike could find a cache at the Red River Valley Museum. We were glad for this pet-friendly location that included extensive grounds. Nellie and I stayed to exercise while Mike went for barbecued chicken sandwiches from Kentucky Fried. We didn't arrive at the pet-friendly Days Inn Motel at Decatur, TX, until 10:30. We had a little trouble finding it. Unfortunately, someone there feeds feral cats, and observing these, Nellie didn't want to settle down – kept whining to go out and play. We were firm and she finally relaxed. KW