9AM, June 5, 2009 - A visit by Kansas Explorer #4419, David Readio, on the birthday of Captain Eight prompts a need to traipse across Kansas in celebration.
The original idea was to go on a flying jaunt from Osborne to Elkhart, Kansas, and back as part of our ongoing Explorer #Dare To Do Air" Quest across the Sunflower State. Unfortunately, ol' #4419 has a bad foot, which ruled out proper operation of an airplane at this time. So being good Explorers we segued the trip from flying to driving - but where to, who knew?
Captain 8 has his8 Wonders of Kansas shirt on and is ready to go Exploring.
Our first stop ended up at the Kansas Originals Market, located at the Wilson exit on Interstate 70. KE #4419 and Cap 8 happen to be the owners of Ad Astra Publishing LLC, and here we dropped off new several copies of Ad Astra books being sold at this great gift shop. For 20 years Marge Lawson & Company have been doing Kansas a great service here, bringing Kansas products directly to thousands of travelers over the years.
Then we decided that we might be a little hungry later, and so why not head for one of the current finalists for the 8 Wonders of Kansas Cuisine, Carolyn's Essenhaus in Arlington, Kansas? With that destination in mind, we traveled south on scenic Kansas Hwy. 14. Here in Ellsworth you can see that we were stopped by a train loaded with still-unusual-to-see cargo: wind generator blades!
Each blade is 150 foot long, and this parade of blades made for a great display as it sped through town.
We hastened south through Lyons and Sterling and then at last to the Kansas community of Arlington. As you can see, the front of Carolyn's Essenhaus is modest, but don't let that fool you. Inside is one of the great Mennonite food experiences you will ever have!
It was KE #4419's first time here and my second. He ordered Olley's Plate - barbecued beef with two sides - and I asked for the Friday verenika special. After devouring those tasty meals the sight of seeing no less than 16 pies on the list boded well for dessert. But nothing prepared us for that first taste of Carolyn's 3-Berry Pie, which we both ordered. It was so good that . . . I need a moment.
Just the memory of that incredible first taste was a life altering experience.
Wow.
It was that good.
All I can say is come and try Carolyn's food for yourself, and then be sure to vote for her in the current 8 Wonders of Kansas Cuisine contest sponsored by the Kansas Sampler Foundation. What a great representative of Kansas cuisine!
After lunch our new mission in the Arlington area was to find Jay Yoder's Tag Tree. Jay, a legendary Kansas Explorer and promoter, lives somewhere in the Arlington-Partridge area. To find him, we used the Explorer's Friend - the postmistress in Partridge. She was a great help and showed us on a map where to find Jay's farm, cautioning us that there were "three miles of gravel road" that we would have to cover. To us Kansas Explorers that was like ringing the dinner bell! After buying a book of stamps we set off once more with renewed enthusiasm.
There just east of the intersection of Centennial & Lake Cable Roads was the fabled Yoder farm. We knocked and hollered and created general mayhem but no one seemed at home. Then we sent about the property learning all of Jay's secrets and seeking the hallowed Tag Tree, but to no avail.
Finally we started to head back to Partridge and seek further information on the tree's whereabouts, when Lo! There at the northwest corner of Jay's property was the Tree. In our haste to get onto his farm we both missed it coming in! As the photo shows, tags from all over already decorated the Tree.
It was time for us to put our tag up on the tree and complete the ritual as loyal Kansas Explorers. Then we opened the nearby mailbox, which we suspected held a notebook or such for Tree visitors to sign.
The notebook was in there, along with a Jay Surprise: a nest of ants taking care of a nest of eggs!
KE #4419 is shown here braving nature's obstacles to retrieve the notebook, which he did without incident or even a nibble on his delicate digits. We dutifully signed our names, dates, and inscriptions and bid adieu to the Tag Tree.
On Saturday night Kansas Explorer #4419 and Cap 8 found ourselves hangin' out at DaddyO's Diner in Osborne for supper. Why, you might ask?
2:20PM, June 5, 2009 - After leaving Partridge, Kansas KE #4419 and myself venture northeast into Hutchinson, where we take part in a guided tour of the official 8 Wonders of Kansas, the Kansas Underground Salt Museum. The only one of its kind in the Western Hemisphere, this tour takes you 650 feet below the ground into 67 miles of tunnels and storage sites of this still-active salt mine.
An exhibit of a wooden rail car holding explosives used in the mine's early days.
A shot of polyhalite, a red salt seen occasionally throughout the mine.
Our tour guide gave our group time to look over a pile of salt and take a souvenir piece home - as long as it was "palm-sized" or less.
Here KE #4419 stands next to a huge block of salt crystal that is 98% pure. The tour is well worth the experience!
Upon leaving the Kansas Underground Salt museum we headed on back roads north through Buhler and to the The Barn, the headquarters of the Kansas Sampler Foundation. KE #4419 had never been here before. We were a bit surprised to find the inside decorated for a wedding rehearsal, featuring 80 guests! There were actually two extra chairs, but for some reason we were encouraged to continue on our journey. Sigh. Always the bridesmaids . . . . 
We then headed east on backroads through Moundridge and then north on Kansas Hwy. 15, where we came upon the historic Alexanderwohl Mennonite Church. Then we turned east on US Hwy. 56 and then State Hwy. 150 into the Flint Hills. In Chase County we turned north onto State Hwy. 177 and the Flint Hills Scenic Byway toward our destination of Council Grove, where we anticipated an excellent supper at the iconic Hays House Restaurant. 
Downtown Council Grove consists of several architectural gems that at another time would entice us to explore a bit, but right now we had a single thought on our minds: FOOD!
At last! We spied the Hays House Restaurant, still located in its original site since 1857. It is the oldest restaurant in the United States west of the Mississippi River. A cavalcade of cars and motorcycles form other customers on this busy Friday night made it a bit tough to find a parking space, but we made it.
Inside my "8 Wonders of Kansas" T-Shirt drew instant attention by our waitress, as the Hays House is one of the current finalists for the 8 Wonders of Kansas Cuisine contest. I also mentioned that it was KE #4419 who sent in the actual nomination of the Hays House for the contest, and that was all it took for us to get free desserts! Sometimes there are perks to being an Explorer.
The notebook was in there, along with a Jay Surprise: a nest of ants taking care of a nest of eggs! 
