Providence is the word Christians use to refer to God's sovereign working of all things according to his will. It's the opposite of the popular notion of "luck," although the two words are virtually synonymously used. It is a matter of your point of reference.
Your point of reference makes all the difference!
As Providence had it, I was in southeast Kansas for work on Wednesday, enjoying the break down of that nasty high pressure weather system that kept the lower Midwest in triple digits for weeks on end. Rather than 108, the day's high was in the 80's, with persistent cloud cover and thunderstorms. Very rare August climes, and especially refreshing after the troublesome heat we've had.
As if that weren't happy enough, Providence also led me to discover a hiking trail that had heretofore escaped my notice: Table Mound trail at Elk City Lake. And I agree with those who say this is the finest hiking trail in Kansas (or in a tie with Kanopolis' Red Rock Canyon!).
I only had an hour after the day's work, but this was a free hour well lived. I stopped by the State Park office to inquire about the trail, but didn't find anyone in the office. So I kept motoring up the road, and found the free access point at the Monument Overlook. This is the north trailhead for Table Mound trail. I hope someday to bag the whole Elk River Trail, a 15 mile stretch along the lake.
The views of the lake are sweeping and beautiful, but more striking are the limestone and other rock formations along the base of the bluff. Scramblers, start your engines. A climber could have a good afternoon pulling himself up the crags, cracks, and boulders. There are a few narrow trail passages that make a chunker like me think twice before squeezing through.
Hope the photos whet your appetite to visit this Midwest gem (click on photos to view at Picasa). I'm really stoked to return someday and spend some time. Elk City Lake is just outside Independence, Kansas, about 3.5 hours south and east of Kansas City. Also near Independence is a Laura Ingalls Wilder historic site and museum (www.littlehouseontheprairiemuseum.com) that I'll be taking the Wife to someday. And since you're not far, the restaurant at the Copan Truck Stop makes perfect hashbrowns and very good biscuits (HT: Josh S.). It's right on US-75, about 5 miles south of the KS/OK state line.
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