America's dustpan?

A depressing feature in today's New York Times about Treece, Kansas and Picher, Oklahoma: two towns about to be wiped off the map because of an environmental calamity. A century after decades of rampant mining first began in the area, the residents have been bought out, the town hall boarded up and the water tower sold at auction for scrap metal. A church sold at auction for $50, its pews destined to become firewood.

One irritating aspect of the article is that despite the local people expressing their affection for their hometown and their deep regret for having to move, all their articulate words are nearly lost amid patronising descriptions of their K-mart clothes, their physical features picked over for any defects. It seems as far as the writer is concerned, these are rubes and rednecks.

The writer also trots out the usual tired descriptions of Kansas being flat and featureless. He says it's literally flat as a pancake, citing 'researchers' who compared the state's topography to something off IHOP's breakfast menu. I was reminded of the surveyors who determined in 1918 that the geographical centre of the lower 48 was located near Lebanon, Kansas after balancing a cardboard cutout map of the US atop a tack.

I was also perturbed to hear an area 60 miles east of where I had grown up be described as a 'dustbowl' and a 'dustpan'? Really? A desert like the Bonneville Flats? I beg to differ. The area sees 40 inches of rain a year (more than many parts of England) and Treece is less than 10 miles from the western fringes of the Ozark mountain plateau. Had the writer not driven the same road from Kansas City as I have many a time, one that goes through thick forests, past numerous lakes and verdant wildlife refuges, not to mention the lovely Victorian town of Fort Scott?

So here is some proof that Kansas is not as flat, featureless, dry or despondent as the big city journalists like to portray.

The best of the USA - smalltown America & independent motels

America means different things to different people, but everyone agrees the best way to see the land 'where the car is king' is on a roadtrip.

On our most recent trip to the US we did just that, clocking up 1500 miles on the rental car in a 2-week drive through 4 states in the Deep South. Most of that time we were on local highways and back roads, avoiding the Interstates. One exception was on the first day of the trip after flying into Atlanta, which is quite possibly the most boring big city in America (one of its most memorable events in its history is when it was burned to the ground). We left as soon as we landed, making tracks down I-20 to Augusta so we would be within striking distance of Charleston the next day.

The timer on the dashboard said 10pm, but our body clocks said 3am, so we were glad to see the exit signs for Augusta after about a 2-hour drive. Thanks to TripAdvisor.com I had already scoped out a motel for the evening, the highly recommended West Bank Inn. And no, despite the name, it isn't run by Palestinians!

It offered few frills, but the place was plenty comfortable and clean. We had a friendly welcome and efficient check-in despite the late hour. The room was pristine, with comfy beds and up to date decor. A fridge, microwave and coffeemaker were available. As I mentioned, the place is near to the Interstate exit with a main road in front and an access road behind, so you can expect some traffic noise. Or do as we do and pop in the earplugs!

In the morning we had lovely hot showers. We noticed the soap, shampoo and hand lotion were all brand names, no generic muck. We had no appetite for breakfast, but they had plenty on offer. Our only complaints were that the towels were a bit on the thin side and we couldn't find the Weather Channel on TV.

I'll be sharing more about the Dixie roadtrip soon, but there is a flipside to American roadside accommodation: the dreaded 'No Tell Motel.' A skanky flophouse in Grants, New Mexico comes to mind (where truckers go to die). Honestly though, Britain has far worse standards considering what you are expected to pay and I've yet to ever find anywhere in the US that even comes close to resembling the Bates Motel.

Only rarely have I come across a place that doesn't meet my (admittedly low) standards. I do believe in the adage 'you get what you pay for' and when paying $33 for a room I know it's not going to be The Ritz.

In this particular case, $33 bought me a night in the finest (well, only) accommodation on offer in the small town of Marion, Kansas.

Marion is one of the best small towns in Kansas thanks to its beautiful downtown full of historic buildings, local businesses, a monumental courthouse, old churches and a meticulously restored train depot that now houses the town library. Many fine homes line its brick streets laid out atop a hill which sits above a tree-lined river on the edge of the Flint Hills.

The town is fantastic and deserves your visit, but the Country Inn motel was a bit of a letdown. It looks great from outside and it's a bargain, but...
I couldn't dial out on the phone (though the staff offered to dial for me). The tub looked like it needed replacing, the stains were so ingrained (although it was scrubbed clean and completely hygenic, so maybe it's something in the water). The bathmat was threadbare (a niggle, I know, but it's cheap enough to buy new ones to keep up appearances). I've had stronger and hotter showers, but overall there was nothing to warrant a complaint or to send me to the front desk, demanding a refund.

It never fails though, the one motel I check into that has thin walls is also the one time I'm in a room next to an insomniac who seems to have a death rattle for a cough. What do you say to the front desk: 'I want another room because my neighbour won't die quietly'??  Earplugs to the rescue, which meant in the end I slept fine. The room was clean, the bed was perfect and the staff were friendly. I would not hesitate to stay again the next time I'm passing through. It's one of many places in my home state of Kansas that offer a big welcome and deserves your business.

INFO The West Bank Inn in Augusta, Georgia is off exit 199 of I-20 and their website has all the information you need.

The Country Inn in Marion, Kansas is easy to find. Head east on the main road until you've almost left town, the motel is past the grocery store but before the country club.

Beautiful Kansas: Wilson Lake, conclusion

Another reason I will have a special place in my heart for Wilson Lake is because it was here I took what became my first published photo (above) which appeared in the Winter 2006 issue of Kansas Magazine.

Here are some other photos from visits I've made to Wilson Lake which have been candidates for publication in the official travel magazine for my home state.

It's a shame the magazine underwent an unfortunate makeover which has resulted in less room for photography, because of its smaller format on cheaper paper.

Most unforgiveable of all, the magazine is no longer made by Kansans in Kansas. Instead, it is now a sister publication to Better Homes & Gardens and part of the Midwest Living stable in Des Moines, Iowa.

In 2005, the last full year the magazine was produced in house by the Kansas Department of Commerce, the budget was $288,000. This money went to journalists, editors, designers and publishers in Kansas.

When the decision was made to sell the franchise to Midwest Living, it came to light that Kansas taxpayers would have to pay $62,000 more each year so a faceless team 250 miles in Iowa could churn out a cheap knockoff. Instead of being a lovely keepsake which subscribers took pride in collecting, the magazine looks more like an inflight magazine for cattle class passengers.

All this was announced while the editor for the magazine was still recuperating from a cycling accident which had put her in a coma for days.

UPDATE I'm pleased to report the production of Kansas Magazine has returned to the state and is now printed by Sunflower Publishing of Lawrence. It has also returned to its former glory in terms of its size and the quality of paper used; I highly recommend you take out a subscription! Find out more here.

Beautiful Kansas: Wilson Lake, continued

South Shore Drive along Wilson Lake is without doubt the most dramatic road in Kansas. It swoops along the hilltops, dives into wooded draws and offers eye-straining vistas.

Along most of the route you will see only one or two inhabited houses and maybe pass one other driver.

However, there are old stone farmsteads, creaking windmills and limestone fence posts keeping you company all the way.

South Shore Drive takes you through a landscape that might remind you of the foothills of Colorado or the mesas of New Mexico.

Just check out the towering spikes on this yucca...

...or this sun-bleached skull abandoned on the sand dunes.


The road is not paved all the way but it's well worth slowing down a spell and enjoying the scenery. If you're passing through on I-70 you should take at least an hour to make the detour.

Take the Bunker Hill exit, number 193 and head north for two miles. At the junction with Balta Road, take a right and head straight east for a mile to the T in the road. Bear left here and continue northeast awhile, then bear right at the Y in the road. On Google Maps this road is called 15th Street Road, but everyone knows it as South Shore Drive.

A high level bridge takes the road over the lake itself. Depending on the time of day and season, you will hear the joyful chattering from the hundreds of swallows which have turned the underside of the bridge into a bird colony.

When the road reaches State Highway 232, going right takes you straight to exit 206 of I-70. If this small taste of the great Kansas outdoors has made an impression on you, turn left instead and make your way to the Rock Town trailhead. Or carry on to the lovely little village of Lucas with its bizarre Garden of Eden and Grassroots Arts Center.

State Highway 232 has been designated the state's Post Rock Scenic Byway and on your way through don't miss this stone man.

Look for him on the east side of the highway.

At the junction of 232 with I-70, you must call into the Kansas Originals Market. Simply put, this is the best shop in Kansas for local arts, crafts and homegrown food specialities. Some of the prices may be a little on the steep side, but the items are what you'd call heirloom quality.

Everything from fine art and photography to ironwork and woodwork are available as well as a range of toys, books and sports memoribilia. Traditional crafts like wheat weaving, stone carving and quilting demonstrate the ethnic heritage of the state's residents. Their online catalogue gives you some idea of the sheer variety of items they stock. Grab a free coffee while you browse. The staff are very friendly and helpful.

Can't decide? How about letting them assemble a special gift basket? My favourite bit to browse is the food section for popcorn on the cob, BBQ sauces, jams, candy and cookbooks.

Across the lot from the Originals Market is an outlet for the Smoky Hills Winery. And only a couple miles further along is the town of Wilson, billed as 'the Czech Capital of Kansas'. You might recognise its Midland Hotel from the movie Paper Moon? Elsewhere in town are many handsome limestone buildings, churches, the 'opera house' and a friendly museum.

And from there you're only a few miles from the wicked little cowtown of Ellsworth...the ghost town of Carneiro...the abandoned fort at Kanopolis...lovely Lindsborg with its art galleries, bakeries and Swedish craft shops...the Eisenhower Presidential centre in Abilene....

Before you know it, that hour-long detour has turned into a week's holiday!

Beautiful Kansas: Wilson Lake

When the first Europeans settled the treeless Kansas prairie, they had to be ingenious in order to overcome the lack of wood. They built cabins out of the soil by digging up bricks of dirt bound together by plant roots. They collected dried bison manure (buffalo chips) to make fires. But what about when it came time to fence in their livestock?

The settlers discovered that the local limestone was fairly soft to cut, but became much harder when exposed to the air. They set about cutting logs of stone to use as fenceposts, giving this area its nickname, Post Rock Country.

Post Rock Country is now home to a massive reservoir with the clearest waters in the state, Wilson Lake.

The lakeshore hills are thick with cedar trees, crowned with windmills and filled to bursting with deer, antelope, hawks, songbirds, waterfowl and sunflowers.

Wilson Lake and its surroundings look like a bit of Utah transplanted to the plains.

For instance, these stone columns (the remnants of a stone arch) can only be reached on foot or by boat.

It feels remote and primitive, a feeling made more profound because on all of my visits so far I have been alone on the 3-mile trail the entire time.

Mother Nature works very hard to create a masterpiece out of nearly every Kansas sunset...

...and this one was no exception!