I saw the sun rise over the plains of Colorado on my way to completing a secret goal. This past June, I drove from Denver to the California Coast. In September, I drove from Fayetteville, Arkansas out to the Carolina Coast. The only missing piece to this great American road trip, truly going from coast to coast in a year, was the lonely, often forgotten stretch from Denver down to Arkansas. And so when the opportunity presents itself, I joined an impromptu ride from Denver to Fayetteville and saw the sunrise, something I hadn’t seen in years.
While I could say this completion of driving coast to coast in America was a boring, flat drive, there are towns along the way that convince the doubters otherwise. One of those towns is Goodland, Kansas. A little groggy from rising at 5AM, I set out to find the home of the World’s Largest Easel. Just a few miles from the Colorado state line, I arrived in Goodland to see this giant roadside attraction.
Measuring 80 feet tall, weighing 45,000 pounds and holding up a reproduction of one of Van Gogh’s Sunflower paintings, the easel is appropriately positioned in the Sunflower State and in the town claiming to be the center of the local sunflower industry. This is no accident. Canadian artist Cameron Cross set out to create all seven of Van Gogh’s sunflower paintings around the globe, placing one in Goodland.
As I ham it up, pretending to be Van Gogh, I can’t help but be impressed by an otherwise nothing town for many. While I know that was Goodland’s intention, attract people who can’t resist an oversized attraction, I’m glad Goodland aided me in achieving the missing link to my coast-to-coast drive.
There is always something to see on nothing stretches, giant easels and all. The tumbleweeds and I might be the only ones appreciating this quirky attraction, but this moment is iconic America. Roadside fixtures like this easel are a taste of this country you only see thanks to a little bit of luck, careful research and an open road. In the meanwhile, I will get back to creating my masterpiece. Van Gogh was a redhead after all.
What is your favorite oversized attraction that you have seen on your travels? Have you seen Goodland’s World’s Largest Easel?
Beautiful sunrise shot–someone’s getting iPhone savvy! Get to Australia for “big” things…they’re obsessed. I saw the Big Gallah and Big Kangaroo while driving across the Nullarbor–but apparently there’s also a Big Crab, Big Pineapple, Big Lobster…you name it, they’ve got a big one!
Thanks for sharing – there really are some spectacular little towns all across Kansas that many people would be quick to dismiss. For me, my favorite ‘World’s Largest _____’ in Kansas is found in Oakley – the World’s Largest Prairie Dog: http://www.worldslargestthings.com/kansas/prairiedog.htm
John’s link takes you to Erika Nelson’s site. She is just amazing. And so is the town she lives in, Lucas, Kansas. If you are into Largest things, when you go across I-70, turn up and go to Lucas. Whether she is in town or not, there are some amazing things to see.
While there, visit The Grassroots Art Center, The Deeble House, The Garden of Eden, and The Flying Pig.
John gave you the link to the World’s Smallest Version of the World’s Largest Things. Ericka makes little models of the World’s largest things.
Here is a link to The Grassroots art center:
http://grassrootsart.net/default.html
(Hey, if you do a search for me, Janet Fish, you’ll see a bit of my older work.)
Here’s a link on that site to the Deeble house:
http://www.grassrootsart.net/Art/GardenOfIsisArt.html
Here’s the Flying Pig. that’s Eric in the picture:
http://ericabraham.net/
Here is the Garden of Eden, one amazingly interesting place. To add a bit of weirdness, the man who built this amazing place is buried in a mausoleum on the grounds, and his burial place has a glass lid so you can see him, if you want to. You don’t have to! This was his wish, his choice.
http://www.garden-of-eden-lucas-kansas.com/
The structures there have recently been refurbished. I recommend seeing everything in Lucas that you can. Find out when everything is open, and go then.
Isn’t it awesome?? Living in Goodland, we take it for granted, but it sure is cool!! Thanks for the great blog entry and great pictures!! Red-headed Van Gogh, I think so!
Great picture especially the first one. Good for you for taking the time to investigate Kansas. All I’ve ever done is drive the interstate.
I took off on a one day road trip in the fall with the intent of biking but found the World’s Largest Dinosaur in Drumheller, Alberta. The town actually has a world class dinosaur museum too. Here’s the link to the photo of the dinosaur – though feel free to remove if not appropriate in the comments section: http://hikebiketravel.com/12514/travel-photo-thursday-9/
Thank you for this post and great perspective shot of you as Van Gogh! I was born in Goodland and mom’s family was some of first to settle there… When they first put this Van Gogh up it was so changing of my “normal” view I couldn’t appreciate it… It grew on me as did appreciation for art…as well as the pleasant memory of those real sunflowers and how they actually do point facing the sun from sun up to sun down…a sight taken for granted! Your photo and comments of our hometown just make me cherish even more that I’m a “Goodland girl!” Next time I’m there, I want to be the artist Van Gogh!