To Newton
Cheryl Unruh
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
FOR WHATEVER ails you, this is the cure: a road trip.
Hitting the pavement is especially good for clearing out brain mold, a disorder that comes from thinking the same stale thoughts. A change of scenery refreshes the mind and spirit.
It works for me anyway. There’s just something invigorating about watching that straight line of asphalt roll beneath me, seeing those white stripes on the highway slip over my left shoulder, knowing I’m headed off on a new adventure.
Traveling gives a fresh perspective. Whatever is rumbling around in your head looks different after you’ve left the city limits, after you’ve noticed how the season sits on the Flint Hills, after you’ve eaten lunch in another town.
On a recent Saturday, with a self-diagnosed case of the aforementioned brain mold, I realized that I needed a trip, but Dave was working. I love traveling with Dave; he makes me laugh and is a great companion, however, I can also be happy driving alone.
All I had in mind when I left Emporia was a direction, southwest. I took the turnpike and planned to jump off at Cassoday.
Now this was not a pretty traveling day. Its saving grace was that the air was warm, about 65 degrees, but the winds snapped the flags at the Matfield Green service area. Dense gray-white clouds provided a dreary background and from time to time a few sprinkles hit my windshield.
The turnpike wound me through the Flint Hills. The land still wears the paleness of winter, no black from burning, no green from growing.
By the time I got to Cassoday, I had decided to take the straight shot west to Newton. From Cassoday there’s a paved county road which is about 38 miles long and delivers you into Newton on First Street.
One of the reasons I wanted to take this road is because many years ago, while on that stretch of pavement, I saw a road sign that said, “Protect your windshield.” The sign made curious as to how one would do that — but anyway, I wanted to photograph the sign if it was still there. (Nope, didn’t see it this time.)
On that road, I passed the Eden Mennonite Church, a sign of more to come. This area of Central Kansas is thick with Mennonites, my father’s people.
Near Newton, I came across Elbing, a little town in Butler County. The big business here seems to be education. Berean Academy, founded in 1946, provides Christian education for grades K-12.
A temporary sign stuck alongside the road advertised an event that morning, “Elbing Pride Pancake Feed.”
While driving on Main Street, I think I saw many of Elbing’s 208 residents. A couple, sitting on their front porch, waved as I drove by. Just outside the post office, a man walked down the street, reading his mail. Other residents were on bikes or walking dogs.
I entered Newton via a roundabout which, thanks to Emporia’s circles, I could navigate with confidence. Newton (pop. 18,229) is the county seat of Harvey County.
It was lunchtime and I chose a familiar café. Two years ago Dave and I had visited the Breadbasket Restaurant and Bakery during one of their German buffet nights. I knew where the place was, knew they’d have pie, so I drove to that downtown restaurant.
For lunch, their soup bar steams with about 10 varieties. There’s a salad bar option and a sandwich option. I had a salad and a bierock because when in Newton, one should eat what the Germans eat.
Now previously I’ve eaten only the straight bierock: ground beef, shredded cabbage, onions and black pepper baked inside a roll. But this one had a cheesy goodness and it was the best bierock imaginable.
George Eason, one of the Breadbasket’s owners, told me that they have three bakers. One makes the pies, another the breads and cookies, and the third comes in to bake the cinnamon rolls and Danish — the breakfast breads.
I chased my bierock with a piece of coconut cream pie topped with a 3-inch meringue — but that wasn’t an easy choice when a pecan pie is staring you down.
With a full and happy stomach, my brain mold began to dissolve and I was ready to see what I could find in Newton.
Cheryl Unruh can be reached at cheryl@flyoverpeople.net.
Comments
We allow registered users to post comments on this Web site. To learn more about our posting policies please read our User Poster Agreement Policy.
Posted by create (anonymous) on March 17, 2009 at 6:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Oh good grief! Must you twist everything and break it off just to bring up the smoking ban controversy, crack? Get off the bus already.
Posted by Bjnemp (anonymous) on March 18, 2009 at 1:25 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Good grief, Crack, give it a rest. Cheryl's story had nothing to do with a smoking ban. Besides, Emporia has had smoking ban regulations in force for decades. Get a clue, get a hobby, get a job, get a life.
Posted by neighbor (anonymous) on March 18, 2009 at 8:04 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Did Prairie View look the same? I believe we made that trip together at least once back in the days.
Posted by cheryl (anonymous) on March 18, 2009 at 4:39 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Thank you, everyone, for reading my column. And ....thanks for smoking. And for not smoking. (Is anyone else ready for this vote to be over?) :-)
Hey, neighbor - Yes, Prairie View looked the same, as much as I could tell just driving by. I recall one trip to Prairie View as being the L-O-N-G-E-S-T 75 minutes of my life. And I'll bet you remember that patient, too.
Post a comment
We allow registered users to post comments on this Web site. Our goal with this feature is to encourage thoughtful discussions about the news stories. Using the comment feature to make random attacks on people is not acceptable. Emporiagazette.com neither endorses nor guarantees the accuracy of any user contribution. Responsibility for what is posted or contributed to this site is the sole responsibility of each user. To learn more about our posting policies please read our User Poster Agreement Policy.
(Requires free registration.)