Kansas – Here We Come

What’s the Matter with Kansas?

I really didn’t know much about Kansas – other than the Wizard of Oz farm, that my cousins and aunt and uncle once lived there, and that there was a book published in the early 2000s called What’s the Matter with Kansas?. Oh! And Kansas was also featured on the HBO series Somebody Somewhere, which I highly recommend.

I did know that I had a co-worker who lived in Topeka and who recently got married, and I thought it was a perfect stop for our first overnight on the way to our first destination after MN.

So, we set off on Tuesday, December 12, to find out if there was anything the matter with Kansas after all – at least in Topeka. It was a relatively uneventful trip with our new tires and heading south into warmer temperatures. By the time we made it to Topeka, it was almost 60 degrees, which felt amazing after MN’s teen temps.

One of the things that I was very conscious of was being safe when staying overnight as I travel. I had read numerous posts in online groups of solo travelers, sharing about uncomfortable situations when overnighting at big gas stations like Love’s or Walmart parking lots or outside of Cracker Barrels. While it’s generous of these establishments to offer the space, the idea of them was not super comfortable, so I sought alternative options and came across Boondockers Welcome / Harvest Hosts. One of the great things about Boondockers Welcome is that some of the places offer hook-ups, and since the night’s were chilly, it also felt comforting to know that we could have electricity.

So, outside of Topeka, we went to our first Boondockers Welcome host’s home. It was off the beaten path, and we were hosted by a lovely couple who greeted us and made sure we were all connected to power and safe. It was the perfect first experience. Because every host is different, it’s hard to know what to expect, but we couldn’t have asked for a better first place.

Once we were all settled in, my co-worker and his lovely bride stopped by and picked me up. We headed into downtown Topeka for dinner and ended up at a Mediterranean restaurant called Olive Cafe on Kansas Avenue. Dinner was tasty – especially the baklava. We also went for chocolates at Hazel Hill Chocolate – this place was divine. We each got our own boxes of chocolates, and the young man who was helping us told me he made the toffee I picked himself. They also had a huge selection of chocolate- and caramel-covered apples that would’ve been a meal within itself, but I didn’t indulge this time.

Because my co-worker and his wife know that I’m on a search for my unicorn, forever city, they made a solid pitch for Topeka. We drove through some neighborhoods and went to the Topeka Public Library, which was amazing. While we walked around the library, we talked about Kansas and the different political climates, the housing prices, the beautiful sunsets, and the general feel of the state. Because they had both lived in other places, they had great perspectives on the area in contrast to other places they’d lived. It definitely rates a trip back and a longer stay.

A Hallmark of My Journey

Over time, the idea of this journey seemed like it could be more than just finding our forever home / city / state. I thought it could be a chance to reconnect with family and friends. So, when I posted about our blog on Facebook and Instagram, my intention was to try to connect with as many people that I could – face-to-face – wherever I went. I think, as a someone who works remotely, I feel connection with my co-workers, but I do recognize that it’s different than being in an office space where you might walk to lunch together or go out for a happy hour.

On the way to Kansas, I stopped in Worthington to have a quick visit with a high school friend who I haven’t seen in years. She’s one of those friends with whom you can just pick up from where you are today because you’ve endured so much together that nothing is harder than where you’ve been. That sunny, cold Tuesday was no different. She took time out of her day, and we talked for an hour about as much as we could and as fast as we could. It was rejuvenating just to be the two of us again, but now as adults – no longer the kids we were when we were trying to navigate adult things back in the day.

I was lucky enough to have a similar experience when I was in MN in May of 2023 with another high school friend. The three of us used to run cross country and track together, and there’s something about running with people, especially long distances that changes you over runs, seasons, injuries, successes, and failures. I don’t know if I can explain it, but you can go to deep places quickly and recover just as quickly. It’s an honor to know these women in adulthood, and I keep them close to my heart even if we’re always hundreds or thousands of miles apart.

Mishaps

Despite the ominous title of that book, we didn’t find anything the matter with Kansas, and I avoided any major injuries as well. It’s nice to have a leg of the trip where we were just enjoying the open road. But don’t worry, I’m writing about the past, and I can promise there will be mishaps in future blog posts.