Day 105
On the road to Glen Elder.
Today’s Walk:
D: Harlan, Kansas
A: Glen Elder, Kansas
31.7 miles
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Elevation:
↑348 • ↓499
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Conditions:
↓65° ↑89° 🌤️
Susan rode 33 miles, passing through the Kansas towns of Portis, Downs, Cawker City, and Glen Elder.
There are many small towns along this route. Restaurants are scarce. Lodging is scarce. But the area holds both current interest and historic significance.
We visited Cawker City’s claim to fame - the world’s largest ball of twine.
Waconda Lake State Park and the Waconda Visitor and Information Center described the Native American tribes who gathered near Waconda Springs, which were of spiritual significance and provided a peaceful meeting place for all Indians of the plains. The Springs were submerged by the damming of the rivers. Where the Springs once stood, Waconda Lake reservoir now stands, a source of water and recreation for the region.
Between 1872 and 1874, more than 6 million buffalo were killed in Kansas, exclusively for profit. Hunters targeted animals by the thousands. The near extinction of the species was tacitly encouraged by the U.S. military command under General Sheridan, under the theory that hungry Native Americans would be more easily controlled. By 1889, the North American population of buffalo had collapsed from tens of millions to 1,091. As of May 11, 2026, the Trump administration has moved to open more National Park land to hunting.
