Council Grove

 Here it was, December 2nd, and temperatures were supposed to reach the 70's. A lunch drive to Council Grove, KS and the Flint Hills was in order. I departed Shawnee shortly after 10:00AM and drove west on old K-10 (83rd Street) to De Soto, KS where I dropped off a package to a friend. From De Soto the route was north across the Kansas River on Wyandotte Street, north on County Road 2 and then west on Golden Road, which turned north, where I took 32 westbound. East of Lawrence I jumped on 24 west. East of Topeka I caught 4 west, which joined up with I-70 west through Topeka to the west side. Highway 4 abandoned I-70 and routed me south and west through Dover and Eskridge all the way to Alta Vista, where I caught 177 south to Council Grove. I stopped a few places along the route to take pictures. It was 58 degrees when I left Shawnee and 72 when I arrived in Council Grove.


The historic Hays House in Council Grove was my choice for lunch, where I enjoyed a LARRAPIN good meal of fried chicken, mashed taters, gravy and green beans.


I continued south on 177 to the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve.

Further south on 177 I hooked up with Hwy 50 eastbound into Strong City. Someday I want to attend the rodeo here.

The route home from Strong City was 50 east to Emporia; I-35 northeast past Ottawa; 59 north to Lawrence; 10 east to Olathe (or Lenexa?); and I-435 back to Shawnee at 4:10PM.

The high temperature today was 75 and the route covered 295 miles. A GREAT day . . . . . but . . . .  it would have been better had I been accompanied by Chris!

To see all the photos taken today click here - TripPics

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