- Week Riding part of the FHAT, Kansas

[Jay547]

Emporia, Kansas FHAT Ride June 16th and 17th, 2023

FHAT (Flint Hills Adventure Tour) is a multi-day route of mostly dirt roads around the Flint Hills of Kansas. Being an Okie, I had ridden part of the southern leg but never had the time to do more. I had a work seminar to attend on Friday, June 16th. It was in Emporia, Kansas which is just about right in the middle of the FHAT. I checked the forecast which looked favorable and decided to take my bike and ride some of the route. I would be out of class by 3:00 on Friday so I could ride a few hours before dark. I would then stay the night and ride all day Saturday. I picked out some portions of the route and a few side trips to see some historical sites.

I began Friday’s ride by heading northwest toward Council Grove. This is Lake Kahola which is a water supply lake for the City of Emporia.

Lots of minimum maintenance roads here. Just the way I like it.

Juan Padilla monument, the first American martyr.

The Custer Elm in Council Grove. General Custer camped here in 1867.

 

[Jay547]

Last Chance Store built in 1857, was the last chance for traders to buy supplies before heading into Indian lands.

The MKT railroad depot in Council Grove.

And the jail.

From Council Grove, I headed east to the Limestone Bank Barn.

 

[Jay547]

Southeast of Council Grove is the site of the last Kaw Indian village before their removal to Oklahoma in 1873. These are the ruins of the Kaw Indian Agency. They were having a Pow Wow in the park next to the ruins but I didn’t go in.

I found this cool, old gas station and school gymnasium in Dunlap.

An arch bridge on Kahola Creek.

An old country school.

The town jail in Americus.

This was the last stop on my Friday ride.

 

[Jay547]

Saturday, I started the day with a painfully average breakfast at Huddle House.

The motel let me leave my truck in their truck parking area for the day.

This day, I headed east from Emporia.

I stopped at the town park to see the war memorial and arch bridge.

More minimum maintenance roads. An excellent way to start the day.

The haunted Rocky Ford Bridge over Cottonwood River, the scene of a murder.

Where the haunted legend of Bird Bridge came from

On Sunday, July 17, 1983 hikers found the body of Sandra Bird and her car submerged in the Cottonwood River under the Rocky Ford Bridge. What those hikers didn’t know

www.esubulletin.com

Another country school, Mound Ridge.

 

[Jay547]

The Hoosier Creek Community Center, established 1927.

More minimum maintenance roads.

And a Kansas surprise as I rode through this “mud” puddle. It turned out to be a manure spill and my bike and gear smelled very bad the rest of the day.

Roadside memorial crosses to four area youth who were killed here in a car wreck.

Alcohol use cited in car wreck that killed four

HAMILTON ? Four young people were killed early Friday when the car they were in missed a curve east of Hamilton in southeast Kansas and hit several trees.Kansas Highway Patrol Lt. John Eichkorn said speed and alcohol apparently played a role in the crash.

www2.ljworld.com

Some wooden crude oil tanks.

The bypassed and abandoned bridge over Homer Creek. Built 1905.

 

[Jay547]

Long, lonely roads are in abundance here.

Another bypassed and abandoned bridge on Homer Creek, near the town of Neal. I had to ride through a corn field to get to this one. This one was so well barricaded that I couldn’t get on it.

Old Hwy. 54.

There used to be a bridge here on Fall River. The kid was bow-fishing for gar. He said he hadn’t seen any yet.

I spotted this concrete structure up on the hill and decided to ride up to it. It turned out to be an old water storage facility. I could see for miles up here.

Road Closed. It wasn’t, but I had to wander around and back-track a little to find my way through the oil lease roads and out to the next county road.

 

[Jay547]

I had a visitor while stopped on this stone bridge.

The 1921 Upper Fall River Lutheran Church.

The grave of James Teter.

Teter Rock. James Teter constructed a rock monument in the late 1870’s to guide pioneers through the Flint Hills. It could be seen for miles. When oil was discovered in the area during the 1920’s, the rocks were used to construct buildings for the oil-boom town of Teterville. In the 1950’s, Teter’s relatives placed the upended monolith at the location to honor him.

(My favorite pic of the ride)

There’s nothing left of Teterville but some old foundations and cellars.

Browning School, closed and abandoned, then burned when a controlled burn got out of hand.

 

[Jay547]

A bypassed low water crossing south of Madison.

Restored vintage Gulf Station in Madison.

It was getting late, I was hot and tired, and still had a 3 ½ hour drive home. I just wanted to get back to the truck and get on the road. Of course, I had to wait for a slow train.

I got home about 9:30. I unloaded my bike and gear but couldn’t find my SPOT Tracker. I got a flashlight and looked under the seats, in the door pockets, console, and glove box, but never found it. I figured it must’ve fallen out when I stopped for gas. That night we had 90 mph winds, heavy rain, and some hail. The next morning after the storm had passed, I went out to look in my truck again. There it was in the dirt/mud next to the driveway. It survived the storm, so I guess they really are waterproof.

 

[87warrior]

Heck of a nice ride report. Thanks for sharing!

If you ever want company up here in the Flint Hills shoot me a message. I am about 20 minutes north of Council Grove.