And so it begins.

As we started this adventure we did so with the attitude: problems will arise but we can handle them. And so they have begun.


Having read David McCullough's biography of Harry S. Truman twice, ABN  (Anyone But Navigator)
has been looking forward to visiting the Truman Library. She was not disappointed. Yesterday we spent 2-3 hours exploring a very important part of our country's history and the life of a president that was thrust into leading this country to the end of a world war. Not having been kept informed by President Roosevelt, he had to learn quickly and make monumental decisions like dropping the atomic bomb. Was it necessary? The answer depends on the scholar you ask.

We learned more than history during this visit. The temperatures in museums and presidential libraries are kept very cool cold, so dress accordingly.

Doing the routine check before leaving Independence, Missouri this morning we discovered the turn signals on the tow vehicle were not working. Captain ran through all the possible reasons to no avail. After a Google search and a couple of phone calls, we located a shop that could take a  look at it. It was determined there was a short in the RV connection for the electrical cable. While he did the repair, the technician suggested we get a bite to eat and recommended a cafe just down the street.



Since one of our goals for this adventure is to eat at local establishments instead of chain restaurants, this would be just fine. However this particular time there was a bit of a conflict with our mantra of
preferring quality food over quantity. Fortunately we elected to split the salmon patty special. Let's just say, it wasn't ABN's mama's salmon patties. But the sweet tea was good. And obviously it is a favorite spot for the local lunch crowd.







Not having heard from the repair shop and being only 10-minutes from the World War I memorial and museum, we decided "Why not?" What a serendipitous turn of events! The architecture alone is worth the price of admission. One enters the museum by crossing over a glass bridge. Beneath the
bridge are 9000 red, silk poppies, one for 1000 combatant deaths during World War I, which totaled 9 million. We were surprised to hear a person (and she wasn't that young) ask the significance or the poppies.

View from the top of the WWI Memorial

While at the museum we got the call that the RV was ready. We headed back, hooked up the tow, did another check and headed to Wilson, Kansas.







The plan was to stop at the Eisenhower Museum in Abilene today but with the unscheduled delay, we could not make it before it closed. So, on to Wilson where we will be for the next three nights. What's in Wilson, you say? Check back in a few days and we will tell you.