Trans-Am Five - 5.3 - Admire to Herrington, Kansas

 5.3 - Saturday July 10, 2021, 49 miles - Total so far: 168 miles

"Everybody talks about the Santa Fe Trail.  They know it was an important part of history.  But only 1% can find it on a map or knows about it in person."  --  Dennis Latta (writer for various New Mexico newspapers).

My best or REM sleep comes in the early hours right before I wake up in the morning.  So, after a rather unsettled night of weather, in the form of a good old fashioned Kansas thunderstorm, I had finally settled into a good snooze when a truly irritating sound jolted me awake.  At first, I thought it was a person mimicking a really bad version of a bird call.  The sound was repeated over and over until going back to sleep was no longer an option.  The "voice" even became hoarse at one point, so I was convinced it was a park neighbor intent on driving us campers out.  However, the sound turned out to be the call of the Eurasian Collared Dove. It would follow me all the way to the Rockies.  Chuck was quite amused by all of this and a few of my other camping issues.  He said I should go with the flow and enjoy these sounds but I'll let you see what you think after listening to a You Tube video and audio of these creatures.  Although the dove might have some vital role in the ecosystem, it tends to start making a really irritating noise during the time when my best sleep occurs... or didn't occur in this case.  If the dove happened to suddenly disappear from the face of the earth, I can't say I'd be too choked-up.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lzk91e4WkTs

We were all up at this point and began preparing for another day on the road. The clouds from the storm were still around and everything was very wet beyond the pavilion.  We had seen the surfaces of Flint Hills Nature Trail (FHNT) and the gravel roads that were planned parts of our route for the day.  None of us were too anxious to ride where we and our bikes would become covered with sticky mud and grit.  So, we revised our route for the day.  A look at US-56 revealed a nice highway with very little traffic at this early hour.  We decided to take our chances on this road that also roughly follows the original course of the Santa Fe Trail (SFT).  It turned out to be a good move.

John-F heads out from the shelter of the Admire Community Center after what was a very stormy night.

Mike showed up again, as we were preparing to leave.  He forgot to tell us about a community church breakfast that was happening nearby.  He extended an invitation but we had already eaten and were anxious to get going.  We thanked him for the invitation and for the community hospitality toward us.  In retrospect, I wish we had gone to the breakfast.  Meeting the locals and learning about their communities and lives are vital elements of a successful bicycle tour.  As the day turned out, we would have had plenty of time, as well.  I resolved to not pass up other such opportunities, should they present on this trip.

Riding on US-56 that morning was the stuff of bicycle touring dreams.  The road was still damp but the sky was clearing and things were drying as our ride progressed Westward. There was very little traffic and what motorists did come by were courteous and gave plenty of room when passing.  The ride was peaceful all the way to Council Grove, a distance of about 24 miles.

                                                            Chuck moving along on US-56.

                                                        Riding West on US-56, Allen, Kansas.

                            Fred is approaching Council Grove on US-56 as the skies begin to clear.

                            Welcome to the historic Santa Fe Trail (SFT) town of Council Grove, Kansas.

Council Grove may be the most historic town in Kansas.  It was a major supply stop for travelers on the Santa Fe Trail (SFT).  Situated on the Neosho River, the town arose around a right-of-way for the trail that was negotiated during a Council with the Osage and Kaw Indians in a Grove of trees nearby.  The stump of a big oak tree where the talks took place has been preserved in an area that kind of reminded me of Plymouth Rock.

As legend has it, this stump of an Oak Tree was in a Grove where a Council with the local Indians took place many years ago. The town of Council Grove, Kansas sprung up around what became the Santa Fe Trail route, now the main street through town (US-56).

                                            A commemorative plaque, near the stump monument.

I looked around  at some of the historical information and then called my wife from the road.  Council Grove looked like the most exciting town we had seen since Lawrence.  The way this trip was unfolding, it might be the most happening place we would see for a few days.  So I asked her if there was a good coffee shop in town.  Through the wonders of modern technology (which she has mastered much better than I have) she identified a place called Watts Coffee Company, on Main Street.  We headed for it and had a nice break inside.  The staff was friendly, food prepared to order, and the coffee was heads above the instant stuff we made in the pavilion back in Admire.  If you're passing through, make Watts Coffee Company a stop on your itinerary.

                        We had a very nice stop at Watts Coffee, on Main Street, in Council Grove.

Leaving Council Grove, we continued West on US-56.  There were a few more historical stops along the way where we took our time to stop and learn.  There is a spot where, if you look hard, you can see the original path of the Santa Fe Trail.  It is now a field that seems to be privately owned and not maintained with regard to preserving the trail.  But the well-worn swale that was created by thousands of people, wagons, and herds of cattle driven through is still visible, if you use your imagination a bit.  It was humbling to stand where many had gone before during the history of the westward expansion of the USA.

The Last Chance Store was, as its name suggests, one of the last places to stock up before heading into the wilds. It sits on the Western outskirts of Council Grove.

Commemorative covered wagon from the Santa Fe Trail timeframe, in Council Grove, Kansas (photo by Chuck).

For some unknown reason, my Garmin wasn't working for the first 6 miles West out of Council Grove.  I noticed it when I stopped to get a photo of a sign for SFT ruts.  After remedying the situation, the sign directed us to a left turn onto (Morris) County Road S 1400 and a ride on a now dry dirt road for approximately 3/4ths of a mile to reach the site.  The term "ruts" is a misnomer for this specific place.  If expecting to see thin tracks from a few wagon wheels, the intrepid tourist will be disappointed.  As was mentioned earlier, when you get there, you have to use your imagination to see the roughly 20-foot wide swale that still exists in the tall grass of what now is private property.  After allowing the eyes and expectations to adjust, the swale comes into focus and you can imagine the wagons and the horses coming by.  For me, it was humbling to stand where so many had passed before.

            Sign directing US-56 travelers to the site where the Santa Fe Trail pathway is still visible.

                                    Once you turn onto County Road S. 1400, this sign greets you.

Running off into the roughly 10 o'clock position, is a wide swale that is the former path of the Santa Fe Trail, where it ran through this area nearly 200 years ago.

After we got done doing the tourist thing and had returned to US-56, the sun came out more and the temperatures began to rise.  It became a small scale quest to get to Herington, our destination for the day, before it got too warm out there on the open prairie.  I tried to offset this urge by stopping periodically to take in the sights and sounds along the way.  It had taken me 43 years to get back here and there is the sobering reality that I may never pass this way again.  Had to try and take it all in.

                                John-F cruises on US-56 as the sun began to shine more brightly.

Typical signage in this area pointing out that a nearby town lies a short distance off US-56 on a county road.

US-56 continued to roll along in its undulating fashion, passing homes and farms on its way to Herington.  We arrived to our destination rather early in the day.  The Herington Inn and Suites is a reasonably priced and clean establishment that allowed us to check-in early and get settled.  This provided time to do a little exploration of the town, do some laundry, and check out a local eatery.

        Long distance view of the slightly undulating US-56, heading toward Herington, Kansas.

                                              View along US-56, near where it crosses Haun Creek.

                                Another scene along US-56 as we approached Herington, Kansas.

Herington is a town that has definitely seen better days.  I was struck by the number of boarded up and otherwise vacant buildings in the center of town.  These were relics from a former era that once did a brisk trading with the public.  We stopped by an establishment called The Spot that was only serving alcohol at this time of day.  The patrons inside were good natured and funny as they directed us to a restaurant on W. Main Street called Uncle Bob's Bowling Center.  It turned out to be a great little place and yes, you can bowl a few strings while eating there.  The owner, manager, cook, chief bottle washer, etc., Dawn, was a pleasant lady with a good sense of humor.  Admittedly, she "lives there" because the place serves all 3 meals each day and is open from early in the morning until after the dinner hour.  She had some help but she definitely is there before opening time and well after closing.  If you're in town and the place is open, I definitely recommend a stop.

                                                                        Herington City Limits

This was a great day on the road, for many reasons.  We had a relatively easier ride, temperatures stayed cool, traffic was light, we met some good people, took in a little history of the SFT, and had a good meal.  The early finish gave us time to rest a bit and prepare for the next day, which appeared be a longer ride. We hoped it would be as nice as this one.  

After having read this modest account, you can now consider yourself to be part of Dennis Latta's one percent!