Goodland, KS to Salina, KS
We left Goodland, KS, around 9 a.m. CST, traveling 235 miles along I-70 to Salina. The drive transitioned from the dry, elevated High Plains to the greener Central Plains, with the scenic Smoky Hills and vast agricultural fields dotted with wind farms and small towns.
After stopping at Love’s, we reached Salina at 1 p.m. Before heading to the KOA Holiday campground, we waited an hour to clean the truck and trailer at Blue Beacon Truck Wash. We were at the campground by 2 p.m.
Salina KOA Holiday
The campground was awesome, with plenty of big trees providing shade, and we landed a nice pull-through spot. We had full hookups, which made things easy. The dump stations were located in the middle and back of the site, which was handy since I had two dump connections.
After we got the camper set up, we cruised into town. First, we popped into an auto parts store to grab some spray wax for the trailer. We then headed over to check out the old downtown area and take a stroll through the Sculpture Walk.
Sculpture Walk
The sculpture showcases a rotating collection of sculptures created by regional, national, and international artists. Every year, new sculptures are placed along Santa Fe Avenue over six blocks in the city’s downtown area. The sculptures cover a variety of artistic styles and materials, and the subjects range from abstract forms to realistic figures. Viewers can participate by voting for the People’s Choice Award, where the winner receives recognition, and the winning piece is often purchased and permanently installed in Salina. The other sculptures are either sold or returned to the artists, and a new collection takes their place the following year.
We enjoyed the sculptures, murals, and architecture of the downtown buildings. After visiting all the sculptures, we decided to try the Blue Skye Brewery, which was located on the same street.
Blue Skye Brewery
The Blue Skye Brewery is a popular microbrewery and restaurant in the downtown area. It was known for its craft beers and wood-fired pizza. We got a nice table near the window and ordered a Hot Honey Pizza and a couple of beers: Lisa got the Firehouse Red, and I got the Oktoberfest Marzen. We also got some pretzels and cheese made from their beer. Everything was excellent.
After we got back to the camper, I put some spray wax on the camper and truck. Since our next stop was home, we also started packing and sorting to unload it the next day.