Today I had to make a fast trip to Lincoln, Kansas, to meet my sister and retrieve my camera, which somehow found its way into her car over the Memorial Day weekend. My sister lives in Salina, Kansas, and as Lincoln is roughly halfway between Osborne and Salina the Hungry Hunter Restaurant is an ideal place at which to meet for lunch.
The hodgepodge inside of the Hungry Hunter of antiques, stuffed game, art deco lighting, and ornate tin ceiling makes for a great atmosphere in which to eat. And the food is not bad either! Generous portions at generous prices. I opted for a simple Old English Burger with fries, and still had no room for dessert.
So we were sitting there eating and talking, when this man approached our table. "Do either of you own the Crown Victoria parked out front ?"he asked.
My heart sank. I've been run into, I thought. "Er, yes," I replied.
But no, there's a happy ending to this story.
"I'm Jim Williams, the photographer for the Lincoln Sentinel (the local newspaper). Well, I noticed that you are missing one of your hubcaps. I used to own a Crown Victoria," the man explained, "and I lost one of the hubcaps too. Found out that they would cost a lot to replace - well over $100 - so instead I took off all of my hubcaps. I've got the three in sacks on my porch for sale. You can have them for, say, five bucks each. I won't be home, but you can go by and get them."
He gave me his address and left, leaving my sister and I looked at each other in pleasant shock. We finished eating and went by the man's house and, sure enough, on the porch were the hubcaps. I left the money for two and left with another great story to tell about my fellow rural Kansans. And The Gold Standard has four hubcaps again! Thanks, Jim.
So we were sitting there eating and talking, when this man approached our table. "Do either of you own the Crown Victoria parked out front ?"he asked.
My heart sank. I've been run into, I thought. "Er, yes," I replied.
But no, there's a happy ending to this story.
"I'm Jim Williams, the photographer for the Lincoln Sentinel (the local newspaper). Well, I noticed that you are missing one of your hubcaps. I used to own a Crown Victoria," the man explained, "and I lost one of the hubcaps too. Found out that they would cost a lot to replace - well over $100 - so instead I took off all of my hubcaps. I've got the three in sacks on my porch for sale. You can have them for, say, five bucks each. I won't be home, but you can go by and get them."
He gave me his address and left, leaving my sister and I looked at each other in pleasant shock. We finished eating and went by the man's house and, sure enough, on the porch were the hubcaps. I left the money for two and left with another great story to tell about my fellow rural Kansans. And The Gold Standard has four hubcaps again! Thanks, Jim.
After lunch we went back our separate ways, and instead of taking State Highway 18 west out of town I decided as a proper Kansas Explorer that it was time to Dare to Do Dirt. So I turned onto Lincoln's North Street and headed west out of town, where the street suddenly turns into a classic Kansas dirt road.
Just a few miles west of Lincoln the road runs back into Highway 18, but not before you get to cross this historic trestle bridge. Fewer and fewer of these kinds of bridges are being maintained in Kansas each year.
Just west of Vesper on Highway 18 there is a roadcut that exposes the local clay deposits, including this rare purple layer.
Further along on Highway 18, a couple of miles west or so of Lucas, can be seen one of the last ceramic tile grain silos still standing with enough of its wooden roof to be able to understand this classic architectural style. Across the road to the south you can also see a native stone one-room schoolhouse still being preserved. 
1 comment:
I loved your post. I grew up in Vesper & especially the picture of the bridge caught my eye. I traveled over that bridge many times.
the school you mentioned is probably the one where my Dad, John W. Manners Jr. taught at least one or two terms back in the 20s. My grandparents house is still standing (barely) in the middle of a field on the opposite side of the highway (west of Lucas) My grandfather, John W. Manners Sr. was a circuit riding Methodist preacher who went to KS from N.J. before the turn of the century. He wrote MANY articles which were printed in the Lucas newspaper.
Clarence Kirby (a cousin) was a teacher in Osborne in the 40s - but your pic looks too young for you to have known him.
I could go on about things I remember from this part of the world. Have lived in TX for the past 57 years. Still miss KS but not the harsh winters.
Post a Comment