First Vintage Camper Related Travel!

We aren't yet ready to head down the road in our 1961 Mobile Scout, but that didn't stop us from heading out in search of inspiration. Today's journey took us to the very southeast corner of Kansas and the town of Galena.

US400 Foggy Sunrise

After a harrowing journey through dense fog in the Flint Hills, we arrived in that charming burg.

Right on Historic Route 66, Galena hosted a Vintage Camper Show as part of their celebration of the 75th anniversary of the Mother Road. Eight exceptional camping trailers pulled in to be oohed and ahhed over (and judged for trophies!)

We met plenty of kind and helpful folks who love to share the stories of their vintage camper rebuilds, and we also took lots of pics of important things like trailer hitches, equalizers and paint jobs.

Lucky for you, faithful readers, we also took lots of photos of lovely vintage campers. We were especially thrilled to meet a few of the many "Sisters on the Fly", a group for women only who meets all over the US to camp, fish, relax and maybe even get in some shopping at nearby towns.

Oh, and as you're drooling over these vintage 'canned hams', I'll share a few more tidbits about Galena. Did you know that this little hamlet was the very first mining town in Southeast Kansas? 

 

It's also home to one of the coolest ice cream parlors I've visited thus far.  Eye Scream Labs is a hoot! These folks serve up their amazingly flavored ice cream that's flash frozen with liquid nitrogen (seriously, look at this picture) while wearing white lab coats. There's also a gallery of blackboards with colorful 'scientific messages' about the menu, and they do demos complete with samples. 

One more spot that charmed us in Galena was Cars on the Route, where the inspiration for Tow Mator in the Pixar movie Cars resides. Definitely stop to hear fast-talking Melba tell the story!

All in all, a delightful day in Galena. Strolling up and down Route 66, talking to vintage camper

owners and falling in love with their antique trailers, was just what we needed to keep us going through our own rebuild. Can't wait to meet them again at a campground!

Because you've so patiently waded through this post, as a bonus I'll throw in a photo of my favorite Southeast Kansas attraction. After all, what's a trip past West Mineral, Kansas without a stop at BIG BRUTUS? 

And just in case you're wondering where to get a good steak after you've made the trip to Galena, I'll end with a quick plug for a Fredonia, Kansas treasure. The Stockyards Restaurant, on the grounds of the Fredonia Livestock Auction, serves up scrumptious steaks, hamburgers and other cafe favorites with a smile.

Thanks for reading about our travels...we'll post more on Sweet Melissa's makeover this week!