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The Longer Way Around is Often the Funnest I have ridden before between Topeka, KS and Omaha, NE. It was a rather straight shot. This time we chose to go through Missouri and Iowa. Specifically, St. Joseph, MO and Council Bluffs, IA. |
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Northeastern Kansas I think this is the most beautiful part of the state of Kansas. It is lush, green, still cattle country, still a lot of grain, we are beginning to see corn fields, houses with very large (acres+) yards. Everywhere is the fresh, sweet smell of mown lawns and newly cut hay. |
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Atchison, Kansas Atchison lies about half way from Topeka, KS to St. Joseph, MO. A nice little town. We stopped for a bit and walked around the downtown area. |
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 We could not imagine what the stone castle was all about |
 Turns out it is a Post Office. |
 The building is too large, it must house other federal offices as well. |
 The Elks have a brass one. |
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 The downtown was full of empty store fronts. Very sad, we have seen this all over in our travels. |
 I think it is a law that every town must have a grain processing facility |
 The grain loading onto the train. |
 Crossing the Missouri River |
 The bridge is really old. A new one is being constructed to the right (south) here. You can see the cables criss-crossing one another |
 The Pony Express and the death of Jesse James are the main large claims to fame for St. Joseph |
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The Patee House Museum, St. Joseph, Missouri Carol did some homework and found the Patee House Museum in St Joseph, MO. Me, not being all that enthusiastic for a tour of a dusty, old collection of stuff, good naturedly agreed to stop there. WOW! It is fantastic! Located in a building with a rich past, they have stuff you would not believe. A fully restored stage coach, a 1860s steam locomotive, a train depot, a carousel, a perfect 1927 Studebaker, a grand ballroom the size of a basketball court, 40 or so authentic old pistols, it goes on and on. You can see some more of the photos we took by clicking here. |
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Through Missouri and Into Iowa We are sort of following the Missouri River. This portion of the route is marked by lots more corn. The little towns are much further apart and are built in higher ground. There are huge tracts of farm land in the rich, river flood plain. I assume they experience floods from time to time and so live on the higher ground. |
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 Just south of Council Bluffs is Loess Hills Harley-Davidson |
. This is the actual bike ridden by Mickey Rourke in the 1991 movie Harley-Davidson and the Marlboro Man. It bears his signature on the tank. |
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Topeka, KS to St. Joseph, MO to
Council Bluffs, IA to Omaha, NE |
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