June 11 - Carnival

After one last delicious dinner at El Charro in Iola, we went to the carnival - a first for Shep.  He wasn't too sure about the rides at first, but it didn't take him long to decide they were fun.

Galen was careful about bumping into other cars too much at first because he wasn't sure how his passenger would react, but the more Galen bumped into the other cars the more Shep laughed.

I think his favorite ride was the motorcycle.  He went on this one twice.

June 10 - Band Concert

They have been having band concerts in Iola, KS for more than 100 years and one of the members of the band has been a member for 40 years.  It was a pleasant night for the hour long concert and the band played a nice mix of music. There is a farmer's market before the concert and on July 10, they will be having their annual CHARLIE MELVIN, MAD BOMBER RUN FOR YOUR LIFE 5k run and 3k walk.
     Iola was a raucous boom town 105 years ago with factories, smelters, brick and cement plants, and a bunch of illegal saloons.  Charley stole 1500 pounds of dynamite and blew up three of the saloons at 12:26 a.m..  No one was killed but many windows, brick walls, and bottles of liquor were lost in the blast.
     The run/walk starts at 12:26 a.m. on West Street in downtown Iola - the scene of the crime - and ends at the jail where Charlie was briefly held.  Folks are advised to come early to see the "Drag Race" - mostly dignified businessmen dressed as women.  It sounds like the evening will be a blast.  :-)

June 10 - Do not pass Gas

We did not pass Gas, KS twice today.  Once to get our fridge looked at because it wouldn't run on LP.  Turns out there was probably just a bubble in the gas line because it worked fine in Gas.  We stopped in Gas the second time to have lunch at Bonnie's.

June 9 - Playground

  Shep so not having fun and mom trying to convince him he is.

  Shep still not having fun.  We went home shortly after this.

June 9 - Giraffes

The giraffe sculptures stand in front of the museum/library.  Aren't they cute? Shep is too!

June 9 - Saturday afternoon continued

The former railroad depot, once home to a large Harvey Girls restaurant, now houses the Chanute Public library on one side and the Safari Museum on the other side.

This sculpture was given to the City of Chanute by a high school class in the 1940s.  The plane part of the sculpture actually turns in the wind.  Chanute is named for Octave Chanute, the man who convinced the powers that be to have the railroad come through town.  Octave was also a mentor to the Wright Brothers, hence the airplane.

We checked out the caboose and engine after lunch.  The engine was used for the Monarch Cement Company which is still in business.  One of Jason's relatives came to Chanute over 100 years ago to work at Monarch Cement.

June 9 - Saturday afternoon

Shep, Val and I went to the Safari Museum in Chanute.  A Chanute couple born in the 1800s made a number of trips to Africa where they filmed the natives and wildlife.  There is an especially interesting collection of masks in the museum.