WHAT A JOURNEY!

To all who attended the sixth annual BKRT in Ellsworth and Lincoln counties + community of Lucas, thank you. You made a lot of magic happen and you did it with fun and by being yourselves.

WE'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU

BKRTers, we know you took some fabulous photos. Would you be willing to share your cell phone photos so that Ellsworth and Lincoln counties + Lucas might use them for future promotion, for relocation guides, for tourism, and social media? They would be glad to give you photo credit. Send photos by June 1 to this Google Drive link.

Senders will need to sign in to upload photos to this BKRT24_Guest Photos folder. If you do not have a Gmail account or don't wish to create one, you can email photos (up to 15MB total) to wendee@kansassampler.org.

If you attended, we'd love to hear your highlights, what ooh and aahed you, what was fun, who was friendly, where you spent money, and we're always open to suggestions. Reply to this

e-blast or send to marci@kansassampler.org. We'll pass on the compliments!

THE WRAP UP

In this wrap-up we'll share some comments and statistics we've heard and some pictures we found on the #BKRT2024 Facebook page. In the end, it's not really about numbers but rather about experiences had by both visitors and locals. Each visit added up for a cumulative impact. If you were one of those visitors, just know your presence made a difference.

• One local exclaimed, "This BKRT definitely reiterated that my move back to Kansas was the best decision ever!!" Thanks to you for making her feel this way!

• The missile silos in Ellsworth counties each reported having over 200 visitors take a tour.

• The "free house" in Lincoln County had over 500 people tour and view the hard work that the Flores family put into preserving the historic home.

• The World's Largest Things Roadside Sideshow Expo in Lucas reported more than 400 visitors.

Thanks to many Explorers who bought stamps, like KE# 7293, Bethanie, and KE #5715, Ronna.

Only a few Explorers got lucky enough to win a round of bingo in Holyrood and Vesper, but they all had fun!

Explorers learned about Old Fort Ellsworth from historian KE #15 Jim Gray.

Many tried the turtle pancake at K-18 Cafe in Lucas - shhh, don't ruin the surprise!

Switchgrass in Lucas had a great weekend. The art coop made enough sales to meet their monthly goal. This group sat on the sidewalk outside to enjoy homemade pie.

KE #7768, Kyra, and Andrew got engaged outside of the Garden of Eden. Cheers to more exploring together!

Tracy shared about the Wolf Creek Four Arch Limestone Bridge outside of Sylvan Grove - it is something to behold!

Susie, KE #27, got to visit with one of the residents at Oak Creek Mini Jerseys near Ellsworth.

Aebleskiver demonstrations in Denmark were a popular stop.

This group made sure to take time while exploring to call home from a phone booth in Wilson.

Limestone quarry demonstrations at the Vonada quarry drew crowds of over 100 people both days. It was neat to see this tradition being passed on to the next generation.

Crispin's Drug Store Museum in Lincoln was fascinating, however, Explorers reported the "shock box" was for viewing only!

Pickin' & Pie at the Depot in Holyrood had elements of fun for everyone.

Christine Slechta gave a Czech egg painting demonstration in Wilson.

We loved seeing the ways that people were using Kansas and its communities as a playground!

KE's #6795, Glen & Marty, rested a foot on the brass rail at Brant's Meat Market in downtown Lucas.

Explorers of all ages got a chuckle at different parts of the World's Largest Roadside Sideshow Expo in Lucas.

Sugar Shack in Ellsworth served up cool treats, like the Tumbleweed, which was ice cream covered in caramel and pretzels.

KE #1800 Katie and KE #6442 Cheryl compared maps at the Garden of Eden.

Many visitors made keychains in support of the Lucas Public Library.

The Evangelical Lutheran School in Sylvan Grove served peach cobbler and ice cream to around 250 people.

Nearly 90 Explorers made their way to Barnard to visit The Cookbook House.

The Explorer Club meeting moved inside to the Finch Theatre in Lincoln on Sunday. Favorite moments and encounters were shared that highlighted all eight of the rural cultural elements.

KE #7246 Marie Lamb used her creative abilities to make these coin purses, luggage tags and more from Big Kansas Road Trip fabric. You can buy one from her Etsy shop to make sure you're ready for the next BKRT.

KE #6802 Kathleen Norman had these commemorative ornaments for sale at the Stump. If you missed out on this year's or want one from past BKRT's - grab one from her Etsy shop through the end of May.