If I had it my way
John E. Peterson, Special to the Gazette
Thursday, February 5, 2009
SEVERAL people have been telling me that I have not been writing often about luncheon trips. I used to write about them a lot, they say. One man said this to me: If I had my way, you would write about lunch trips lots more often.
True, indeed, few of these recent columns have been about luncheon trips. Why? Because we have not been having many. Old age and winter weather have both taken their toll. Merle and I just cannot meander off 50-to-a-100 miles the way we used to do.
Many of you have told me, over the years, that you like the “trip part” of my stories as much as my words about lunch. Consequently, I am moved to tell you a bit about such trips. I would do that, if I had my way.
My stimulus for all of this just now is that the four of us did take a luncheon trip. I have told you many times who “the four of us” are. It was only to Americus, to the New Breck Cafe, but here I go with the story.
Everybody knows the trip to Americus. You just get on the Americus Road via US-50, 18th Avenue or 30th Avenue. But there is one more way to get on Americus Road, a more exciting drive.
That is to go out Graphic Arts Road to its end. The only possibility then is to turn left onto the gravel road. It is beautiful. Full of hills and curves and trees. I have seen deer a couple of times. Beautiful homes. I call it my health care drive because I pass the homes of my ophthalmologist, my regular doctor and my dentist. Graphic Arts and Road 200, indeed, make a beautiful drive to the Americus Road.
I should mention one other thing before we get to Americus. Go up Road 210 to the top of the hill. Beautiful views! You can see Americus, Emporia and lots of country. You would go up that hill, sit there and look, if I had my way.
On to Americus and the New Breck Cafe. It has been remodeled nicely, the food and service are good and it is a fine, close-by place for lunch. I must make one special comment about it. There is a beautiful, little sign above the urinal in the Men’s Restroom. It says, “My aim is to keep this bathroom clean. Your aim will help.” A fun, laughable sign!
After lunch, we took Road 240 out of Americus, got onto 99 and continued east to Road N. We took that down to the Burlingame road and then home. So we made a nice round trip to lunch at Americus. Do it. It will be fun.
I am stimulated to write about luncheon trips to Council Grove. It has been a long time since we have been there, but we used to go often. Lunch at the Hays House or the Terwilliger House was always great. We had lunch at a couple of other places in Council Grove, too. And just exploring Council Grove, its lakes and its buildings is always a fun adventure.
Up the Americus Road to US-56 and east on it is the usual, expedient drive. It is a beautiful drive and one can even turn into Bushong and have a look at it. There are other fine possibilities, too, but I shall treat them as after-lunch drives home.
So! After lunch in Council Grove, we head for home. Going down K-177 right out of Council Grove is a logical first choice. A beautiful, beautiful drive! It is now a Kansas Scenic Byway, something I suggested in one of these columns years ago. I doubt, however, that my suggestion had anything to do with it. Rather than take US-50 home, we often went on down 177 to Cottonwood Falls, turned off by the park and took that gravel road home. A fun drive.
Another way out of Council Grove is the Diamond Creek Road. How do we get to it? Go west on 56 a few miles to the turn-off to Wilsey. South out of there and we are on it. Though gravel, it is a stunning drive. And there are some old stone buildings and a beautiful stone bridge to see. There is even a sign by a farm which says that the town of Hymer used to be there.
Middle Creek Road, a bit further west, is another possibility, but it is hard to find as a route home. Better to use it as a drive to Council Grove. It goes off of US-50 right near Elmdale and up to the Elmdale Cemetery. All gravel, but a great drive to amble up to 56 and into Council Grove.
For a long, but marvelous, drive home from Council Grove, we could stay on 56 to Herington. There we join US-77 and head south to K-150. Then, a beautiful drive on it to US-50 and Elmdale.
Since I have mentioned Elmdale, I should tell you to have a look at it. And to go out to Camp Wood for a look at it. And that there is a beautiful road just behind Elmdale which goes to Cottonwood Falls. All blacktop and fine drive. More fun than 50.
So! I have tried to tell you a bit about a lunch and some luncheon drives. Not great, I admit. I did not even tell you that you could come home from Council Grove on a blacktop out of the southeast corner and go to Dunlap. Ah, well! You would often have luncheon drives somewhere, if I had my way.
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Posted by Observer (anonymous) on February 5, 2009 at 3:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Dear Dr. Peterson;
Your stories are such a pleasure and the tales of lunches eaten, and drives taken will continue, if I had my way.
The local 4-H club is sponsoring the annual "Groundhog Dinner", in the Dunlap Gym, Saturday the 7th of February, with serving beginning at 4:30 PM. The pancakes and sausage,(ground hog), are superb and it is like a family reunion with so many with Dunlap roots gathering at this annual event.
The gym was one of the largest in the region when it was built, and hosted many an important basketball tournament. The Dunlap Fire Department owns the building, and it has undergone an extensive remodel under Chief Allen. The gym has a beautiful new kitchen, new restrooms, a new ceiling in the gym, with a new basketball goal, and a huge amount of paint, sweat, and TLC.
Its going to be a lovely day for a short drive to have pancakes and conversation in Dunlap, and perhaps the opportunity to visit with those who have been a part of this community's history. One would take this time and opportunity if "I had my way".
God bless.
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