We met the nicest folks in Council Grove. First a volunteer, Mary Ann, at the Kaw Mission who offered to let us park the Pod in front of her house so we would be sure to be in the shade and in time for the parade; then Sylvia and Max at the Clothesline Laundromat and their daughter Bridgette, stationed on the USS Enterprise, who let us park in their lot right on the best parade watching corner in town. They also had the very best scratches, hugs and cookies around!! Small town American parades are one of the great heartbeats of this country; something to be enjoyed as often as possible.
These boys were doing a fine community service job cleaning up after the animals in the parade and they were being cheered on by a policeman right behind.
We were sorry to leave, but the road calls you know. So north again along Scenic Byway 177 to Manhattan, a quick overnight stay, shopping, haircuts, post office, etc. and off again westward seeking the “geographical center of the contiguous 48 states” near a place called Smith Center. We stopped on the way to stay in a city park campground in Beloit on the Solomon River for a few days, just because it was so peaceful and green. (This river was actually a sort of olive green with evening shades of latte, but cool and real handy!) It also had stopped storming for a few days so it wasn’t as humid; hot but not humid!
A couple of hot days in Beloit were enough for all of us so we decided to zigzag our way north to that “Navel of the Nation” the actual geographic center of the country. It is way off the beaten track at the end of what has got to be the shortest state highway in Kansas – Hwy. 199, a whole mile long! A monument was erected in 1940, a little park and chapel built and a now abandoned motel. I guess folks just move too fast these days to care about where the center of the country might be. Kinda sad, but we three love finding things like this, ya know.
Having accomplished that momentous event we kept heading north to the great state of Nebraska. We all agreed we knew nothing about this state and since we were surprised by the beauty of Kansas, we were looking forward and wondering what surprises and crops there might be in Nebraska.
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