Check this out: The Big Kansas Roadtrip features northwest corner of the state

By Lisa Mussman, Northwest Kansas Public Affairs Manager 

It’s time to hit the road to northwest Kansas for the Kansas Sampler Foundation’s second annual Big Kansas Road Trip the weekend of May 2-5.

Cheyenne, Wallace and Sherman counties are this year’s featured destinations for the event, which was created to be an active, fun way to bring people together to explore the state, and to make an economic and social difference in the showcase counties.

 Participants choose where to go and what they want to see over the course of the weekend, as there is no organized tour. The event serves as somewhat of an open house for each county to offer up what travelers can see, do, hear, taste, buy and learn in their communities.

Highlights of the weekend will include self-guided tours of the Arikaree Breaks in Cheyenne County, a lemonade contest and lawn croquet at the historic Ennis-Handy house in Goodland, Michael Martin Murphy performances at the Fort Wallace Museum in Wallace and a poker run through all three counties along the Land and Sky Scenic Byway. A complete list of events and attractions can be found on the Big Kansas Road Trip website at www.bigkansasroadtrip.com.

Some tips and reminders to keep in mind during this year’s road trip:

• Pack a lawn chair
• Restaurants will serve until the food is gone
• Grocery stores are located in each of the county seats (St. Francis, Goodland and Sharon Springs) and in Bird City.
• Not every town has gas stations, so gas up whenever you can
• When crossing cattle guards, keep an eye out for cattle on the roads - they have the right of way!
• It’s a courtesy to bring rolls of toilet paper and offer them to businesses that are opening their bathrooms.
• MT or MDT is Mountain or Mountain Daylight Time; CT or CDT is Central or Central Daylight Time.

 And lastly, don’t forget your camera! Be sure to use the hashtag #BKRT19 when sharing photos on your favorite social media sites. You can also share on the Big Kansas Road Trip Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages.

Motoring Mondays: Kansas Landscape Arboretum

The Kansas Landscape Arboretum can be found just south of Wakefield. Courtesy photo.

   The Kansas Landscape Arboretum can be found just south of Wakefield on the west side of Milford Reservoir. The 193 wooded acres feature more than 1,000 species of native and exotic woody plants adapted to the state’s environment.
   Although the area is managed for plant life, wildlife can also be seen such as deer, eastern bluebirds, northern cardinals, blue jays and several species of woodpeckers. The pond on the Bird Sanctuary Trails often times has wood ducks and green herons.
   The causeway at the north end of the reservoir is one of the best sites for wildlife viewing. In addition to numerous bald eagles, flocks of white pelicans, ducks, geese, grebes, gulls and shorebirds are abundant during migrations.
   Four short trails around the arboretum are available to walk along. For more information, go to https://www.travelks.com/listing/kansas-landscape-arboretum/462/.