If you ever find yourself in Wamego Kansas you may want to go to the park and have your picture taken with Johnny Kaw, the city claims he is bigger and better than Paul Bunyon. I guess that is for the scholars to argue. However, if Johnny Kaw is not your style while in Wamego you can go to the Oz Museum. Everything Wizardly. Before going in you may want to stop next door at Toto’s Taco for a bite to eat. The museum is really neat with all kinds of Oz memorabilia and has a continuous showing of the movie. Just an FYI it was here I found out my husband has never see the movie the Wizard of Oz. A must do when we get home!

Topeka is the capital of Kansas and was filled with sights. You have of course the world’s largest wren, another mom-ument and of course the Evel Knievel Museum. Not sure why the wren was built but it kind of sits in the middle of an intersection in the middle of Topeka. I would not make a special trip to see the wren if there weren’t other attractions. The mom-ument is in the middle of the capital park. Unlike all the other mom-uments this is just for the women of Kansas. All the other mom-uments are dedicated to all pioneer women. Last but not least is the Evel Knievel museum. We did not tour the museum. We arrived on the day of the Grand Opening. Go figure it, here is Fred and Geri and a thousand bikers. Again, can only happen when we are on the road less traveled.

From Topeka we headed into Kansas City, Missouri. While there we were able to see the large button and needle, buffalo skeleton and of course the man with a shoe in his mouth. I am not certain why any of these statues exist since there is no sign or verbiage to identify what they are. The button and needle was on a small street not near a tailor shop. The buffalo skeleton was on a main thoroughfare with no description and not near a stockyard. The man with a shoe in his mouth is the only one that makes any sense. The statue was by the courthouse, he was standing on a briefcase with his tie blowing in the wind and a shoe in his mouth. It had to be related to an attorney because of the courthouse.

Vandalia Illinois is the home to the Kaskaskia Dragon. This is a dragon that actually blows a flame. You need to buy a token from the liquor store across the street. We were there on Sunday before 11 AM so the liquor store was closed but a nice looking dragon nonetheless.

The journey continues through Illinois, Indiana and onto Ohio