Favorite Landmark on the Plains while Chasing?

[Dan Robinson]

One of the things I miss is the old Kansas state line signs with the angled support posts. I'm not sure when those changed, but all of the ones at my usual crossings into Kansas are gone.

 

[Jon Strebler]

A few others here have said it, but Iowa 80 is a landmark to me because it tells me that I'm going chasing. Also, it's not exactly a landmark, but Des Moines is almost always where I stop for the night on my way out. I work somewhat late and head out at night for most chase trips so I stop in Des Moines to get a few hours of sleep and then usually decide to head west on I-80 or drop south on I-35. It's just one of those mental checkpoints that I always look forward to.

 

[Paul Knightley]

For me, a very exciting one is the big glass structure-sculpture-whatever thing along the road in DFW airport. Sitting on the bus going to the car hire place at the start of the annual trip is great, and passing that makes me really feel I'm back!

Out on the Plains, we often stop at the Belle Plaine area on I-35 in KS.

Hays has become my Mecca, I think! After an amazing few days there around May 22nd 2008 I always love getting back, and there is a view from the road heading north of town, looking back down across the town in the mid-evening time, when all the lights are coming on, which is great!

The World's Largest Prairie Dog signs along I-70 are also great!

 

[Rick Schmidt]

How about the 'Cathedral of the Plains' church at Victoria, Ks., near Hays? It is south of I-70 by a couple of miles. Also, it's off the main highway, but the chalk formations known as Castle Rock, and Monument Rocks, south of Quinter, all in Gove County. This area of the state has a magical quality to it. When you are at these sites, you feel as though you are way back in time, and it is so peaceful.

 

[Joe Pudlik]

The Wichita Mountains area is one of my favorite "landmarks". Whether it be the drive on I-44 in the Elgin/Lawton area with them in view, or driving the highways and side-roads through the mountains and refuge area. Simply the best.

 

[Jeff Hawkins]

Quite a few excellent places to see, I see. this topic is kicking my SDS up a notch...I'm also coming from Chicago, and usually run either I-80 out or I-55 or I-94/90 depending on the target. Most often it's been I-80 the past few times I've been out to the plains, and passing through St. Joseph MO into Kansas on Highway 36 (Pony Express) is one of my mental markers. Beyond that I've made stopping in Joplin a 'requirement' at some point if doing I-44 into Oklahoma...I like to go any of the restaurants on Range Line Road, and do some research while grabbing a bite. It's also encouraging and sobering to see how Joplin has/hasn't recovered from the 2011 tornado each year.

 

[Bryan Stokes]

This thread has been a great read and I look forward to reading more contributions in the future! I have so many great memories, but one thing that stands out to me is the really small towns I see along the way. Whether I'm casually passing through and stay for awhile, or passing through as I'm in pursuit of a storm, I love to try and study the town and its character. I know it's impossible to tell what a town is really like unless you live there, but I like to pick up on what I can. In fact, I like it so much that I'm considering doing a photographic documentary on some really small towns during down time when a ridge of high pressure builds in.

As for specific landmarks, I have many. But into this coming chase season and the next, I'm sure I'll develop even more as I commute to the Great Plains from my new location in northern California. Yea, it's going to be a long commute. But at least there are a lot of places to see and photograph between here and there. And that part of the journey can be nearly as fun as chasing too. Well, almost as fun...

Bryan

 

[davecarlsen]

Well, since I'm a bit out of the region of most here, I'll give a Winnipeg perspective. Like most others here, there are many landmarks. For me, there are these:
Taking highway 3 southwest of Winnipeg, about half an hour out of town you pass a big concrete grain elevator, one I've passed many times, one that signifies the start of a local chase to me.
Leaving south for a longer trip on I-29, it's the casino at the ND/SD border that I look forward to; not for gambling or the awesome smoke smell inside, but again it gives me a sense of embarking on a trip.
When I'm chasing based out of Chicago, I look forward to the world's largest truck stop (already mentioned by a few people) on I-80. It speaks of the possibilities yet to come.
And finally, the Scotts Bluff National Monument is a sight to behold. Most of the time I only get to see it for a few minutes in the morning leaving BFF, having gotten into town after dark the night before, but I relish those minutes.

 

[Chris Frost]

These are just a few of my fave's off the top of my head.

KS Hwy 177 just off I-70 is the Konza Prairie Natural Area.
US-81 Pretty much between Texas and Nebraska. There's almost always a storm somewhere off 81.
U.S 36 Between St. Joseph and Concordia. May 29th, 2004 sold me on that one.
OK Hwy 58 W. of I-35. Nice and Flat.

Those are just a few but for me those places just take me somewhere. In a word: magical.

Someone said Castle Rock out by Quinter and though I've never "chased" there, I took my Jeep through there and it's simply stunning terrain.

 

[Michael King]

both a sight and a sound for me - kicking back as the plane reaches cruising altitude on the way from Australia to LAX, at the start of the journey for the chasecation, & the drinks trolley starts to wend its way down the ailse.

 

[Marcus Diaz]

I have a few for this thread. Traveling NE out of AMA, north of Pampa on hwy 70, you pass Mesa Vista Ranch, home to T. Boone Pickens. You drive into the river valley where he's made man-made steam and ponds to attract wildlife for hunting. Passing by that tells me we're definitely on our way to chase north.

Heading east on I-40 and I always pass the largest cross in the northern hemisphere in Groom. And of course the beauty off dropping off the Caprock.

If I ever chase near Lawton I always try to go finish with a meal in Meers, OK. If you've never heard of it, I suggest looking it up and thanking me later.

Other than that, its the open road and stopping at Love's a lot. They carry great mixed nuts for a cheap price.

 

[Dan Robinson]

A few that come to mind tonight:

- The small-town dusty mom-and-pop stores at gas stations that are straight out of the 1950s-1960s-1970s. No modern fixtures, display cases, seats, and counters. Many dated appliances and furniture. Some have small delis where you can get a sandwich or slice of pizza. And since many are the only public place within dozens of miles that you can sit down at a table, there are usually locals sitting and socializing.

- The flashing lights on center pivot irrigation systems at night after a chase.

- The red mesas at Mooreland, OK heading west toward Woodward.

- The Texola exit heading west on I-40 that heralds a chase into the Texas panhandle.

- Crossing the Cimarron River.

- Short-line grain trains on rickety tracks.

 

[John Farley]

Marcus, although they SAY that cross in Groom is the largest in the Western Hemisphere, it is actually the second-largest. The one near Effingham, IL, linked below, is larger. Still, the one in Groom is one of my favorite chase-country landmarks, along with the nearby tippy water tower.




Since I've moved out west, I don't see the Effingham one much any more, but it used to be a definite landmark on my Illinois chases.

Another landmark I would add is Dorothy's House in Liberal, KS.

 

[Stephen Levine]

Driving from the Dallas area there are a few: Driving NW on TX 287, passing the first big travel stop, (Loves I believe) just before Wichita Falls. Or, going north on I-35, having passed Pauls Valley OK and fast approaching OKC with the wide open spaces beyond. Driving NW on TX 287 and reaching Vernon, TX is an important landmark when I am gearing to play in the Panhandle.

While on the road, and I don't know if they still exist, for years a must stop was Smyrka's Diner in Medford OK. The owner, a fascinating elderly woman will share many stories of her days growing up in the Prairies, including riding in an airplane with her father and watching a hailstorm complete with hail visibly spinning up and down through the clouds. In addition, she submitted her chickens for the movie "Twister" and had many interesting tales about their filming - including when an actual tornado was sited a few miles from the set and "all those Californians freaked out". She once gave me a wonderful photo of her chickens with the "Twister" movie photo in their background. During my tours, she charmed all of us.

I don't remember where it's located, but on two separate journeys I passed "Twin Buttes". You can see them for miles and miles, a very intriguing site rising above the high plains.

I always laugh when approaching the sign for Hooker, OK.

Near "Dorothy's House", the wonderful Liberal KS landmark already mentioned, there used to be an awesome pancake house where they boasted at least 15 varieties of pancakes. This was a must each morning before departing Liberal for the next day's chase. It was locally owned; the managers very nice. I don't know if it's still there.

 

[Bob Schafer]

I don't remember where it's located, but on two separate journeys I passed "Twin Buttes". You can see them for miles and miles, a very intriguing site rising above the high plains.

Two Buttes is a few miles NE of Springfield CO. I live near Granada CO, and when returning from Denver, heading south on 385 near the Prowers county line, north of Granada and Bristol and at the top of the ridge that looks down on the Arkansas River valley, one can see the Two Buttes to the SSW. That is a distance of about 50 miles.

That's no big deal, though. There are places where you can simultaneously see Pikes Peak and Longs Peak, which are approximately 100 miles apart. There was one clear day when I stepped outside my house and saw one supercell to my south and one to my north, so when I went back inside I had a look at the vis sat image and discovered the sup to the south was in Texas and the one to the north was in Nebraska, and now I am veering way OT.