OOIDA tour trailer heads to Beto Junction, Kan.

On a short, late-summer exploration of Kansas, Marty Ellis next takes the OOIDA tour trailer to Beto Junction.

Ellis and the Spirit of the American Trucker tour trailer are scheduled Sept 28-29 to be at the TA Travel Center in Beto Junction. That is at the junction of I-35 and U.S. 75, Exit 155 from the interstate.

There is parking for 226 tractor-trailers at the Beto Junction TA. There is a Country Pride restaurant there and a Wendy’s.

Beto Junction is about an hour southwest of Overland Park, Kan., in the Kansas City metropolitan area.

“Beto” in Beto Junction is an acronym for the larger communities nearby: Burlington to the south, Emporia to the west, Topeka to the north, and Ottawa to the northeast.

I-35 runs along the route of U.S. 50, and Beto Junction came into being at the junction of U.S. 50 and U.S. 75.

This short history at Route56.com has a few images of the original Beto Junction gas station.

Mittens TA in Oakley, Kan.

The stop just before Beto Junction, in Oakley, Kan., was great for multiple reasons.

One of them was that Joshua Niswander joined OOIDA. Glad to have him onboard.

Another reason to stop is the excellent display of stuffed and preserved animals there. The Western Kansas Wildlife Travel Center includes dozens of animals, including Rocky Mountain elk, mule deer, whitetail deer, moose, bear, geese and pheasants. Plus, the amenities are good and there is even an urgent care facility there.

Here are some photos Ellis snapped of the wildlife displays and trucks at the Mittens TA in Oakley.

Stop by when you see The Spirit

After Beto Junction, Ellis is scheduled to have the OOIDA tour in Edgerton, Kan., on Oct. 1-2. He is scheduled to be in Kingdom City, Mo., on Oct. 4-5.

If you see the OOIDA tour trailer, stop by and say hello. Ellis looks forward to visiting about the Association’s activities and current issues. There are copies of Land Line Magazine to pick up there. You can join or renew your membership for $10 off the regular price at The Spirit. Face masks are available at The Spirit for anyone with a commercial driver’s license.

Here is the schedule for The Spirit. LL