You’ve probably heard of storm chasers, well, I have been a storm runner for the past few days. I had heard the storm warnings for the Midwestern plain states, and as that was to be my area of travel I began to fret over how I would maneuver yet still stay on course. Upon leaving the Eisenhower Center and taking inspiration from the General, I decided to outflank the storm. Rather than head south towards Wichita, I went east to Topeka for the evening. The drive from Abilene to Topeka was windy and dusty, past Fort Riley and through the Flint Hills. The sky was shades of blue, the earth was shades of brown. After settling at the hotel, I had a great meal at a local restaurant called The Blue Moose Bar and Grill. A petite filet, whipped cauliflower, zucchini and a spinach salad sated my appetite and lifted my mood. The storm, with threats of hail, tornado and dangerous wind, was not to arrive until the following afternoon when I would be well on my way to Oklahoma City.