Sheltering from the Heat in Kansas

On another Army Corp of Engineers Lake

We stayed at Lake Kanopolis State Park, near Marquette, Kansas, where it was/is seriously HOT. It was ~105^o when we arrived about 2:00 on Sunday and hit 109^o before heading back down. Monday & Tuesday topped out at 106^o and 104^o.

Upon arrival, setting up electric was a top priority. We have 50 amp service, so we can run both A/C Units at once, something we rarely do, but have been doing it here, a lot! Sunday, once set up, we just hunkered down in Lizzy. And we were very happy to have pre-prepped a cold dinner!

Staying “Cool” for 2 days

We spent mornings and late evenings outside and the afternoons through dinner in Lizzy. Early morning it’s gotten down to ~80^o and it’s breezy off the lake, so it’s pleasant having coffee outside with a view. We’ve gone in about noon/95^o and come out again about 8:00/95^o.

Monday morning we just hung out in camp. Tuesday morning we went to Ellsworth to fuel up and get a few groceries and stopped enroute to visit the smallest Kansas State Park, only 5 acres.

Mushroom Rock State Park

The Dakota formations of Mushroom Rock State Park are the remains of beach sands and sediments of the Cretaceous Period, the interval of geologic time from about 144 to 66 million years ago. Sandstone and sedimentary rock is held together by natural cement. The concretions that make up Mushroom Rocks are cemented calcium carbonate.

One Mushroom Rock
Devils Bake Oven
The Mushroom Rock and Devils Bake Oven together
Another Mushroom Rock

**Off for Fort Larned with Lizzy in Tow**

We had planned to stop at Fort Larned enroute all along, but have modified those plans to leaving REALLY EARLY. Aiming to arrive when they open at 8:30, when it’s predicted to be ~82^o, so we can hopefully be done before noon, when it’s predicted to be 98^o.