Even before spring has sprung, while winter still keeps its stranglehold on the land, the question comes up - Where To?  What is the destination for this year's Big Trip?

Last fall Steve Coogan and I had the opportunity to do a little herping in Nebraska with our friend Jeff LeClere and some other folks.  We had a great time and we wanted to come back again some time.  Jeff was up for a return trip as well.  Negotiations and planning ensued - a combined Nebraska-Kansas trip was envisioned.  At the last minute we ended up deciding on strictly Kansas. 

So  we left central Illinois on a Sunday evening, bound for a rendezvous on the far side of Kansas City.  Five of us this time - Steve, Rick, Ken, Tracey and I, and we would be hooking up with Jeff and Jim Scharosch and Dav Kaufman.  Eight herpers; two vehicles.  This large group presented some challenges - keeping eight herpers moving along is like herding squirrels.  Fortunately Jim had experience herping in Kansas and took charge of our itinerary, for which I was very grateful.

So here are my accounts of a very successful trip.  Some days and details are a bit hazy - I threw my back out the first night, so for much of the trip I was in a fog of pain.  This was a big trip, with big results, so there are many journal pages within.  Jim Scharosch has a version of events posted at www.herpjournal.com, a great herp journal site maintained by Jim and Matt Ricklefs.  Tracey Mitchell and Rick Milas graciously lent me the use of some of their photos to help fill out the journals.