09/27/01: Thursday 9/27/01
Woke, showered, and left the LaQuinta by 8:30. Found the US Mint downtown, and orbited it once before finding an all-day $4.50 shove-your-money-in-the-slot parking spot. We took the mint tour with a small group. The tour itself wasn't interesting compared to the documentaries I'd already seen. However, the displays of monetary history, old currencies, and common entertaining uses of coins were fun. After the tour, Karen got us in past security to see these static displays again. We also spent some time in the gift shop. It's amazing what money money can buy.
Last stop in Denver. Last picture.
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Then, east along Colfax, which becomes US 287, which becomes US 70, which eventually enters I-70. We left boring I-70 at Byers, to take US 36 across Colorado and Kansas and Missouri. The road is slightly slower, but much more interesting. Much less traffic is quite an attraction, as well.
We stopped for Gas in Norton, KS where Karen's father's mother (Helen Kenney) grew up.
We stopped for the night in Smith Center, KS, in a 45 year old motor court called the U.S. Center. Many towns we'd passed through have been mostly done in by the interstate. This one seems to be hanging on.
The memory card in my camera was full, and I didn't feel like buying yet another, so no more pictures.