Simple journey in the new year--

Today was a familiar trip for me as I traveled a 250 miles circle in North Central KS. My first stop found me once again in the Swedish community of Scandia. I saw a neat decorative peak on an old Victorian style home that was vacant and not in very good shape. 

Then I was able to get a better photo in the morning sun of one of my all time favorite old gas stations. 

And high on a hill overlooking downtown Scandia is this old abandoned home that I hope gets restored by someone. I don't know the history on it for sure but it must have been a very important person that built it.

Later around noon or so, I was in the very small town of Esbon which is west and still very north in KS and not far from Nebraska. I made a delivery and ordered a ham and cheese sandwich and chips to go at a modern looking diner that seemed fairly busy with farmers and locals who all seemed to know each other. It cost me $3.76 including tax and really tasted good. I wanted to eat and drive to save time and it really hit the spot. Right across the street was this cool old gas station so I got a photo of that.

Not long afterwards I passed by the tiny ghost town of Ionia and since it was only one half mile off the highway I turned towards the town to see what was left. After driving past a big old school that has mostly fallen in I came into the town itself. On my left was this old store building that may have been two stores in one. Still in decent shape too.

and just past the store is this cool old metal gas station. I am thinking this might be a prefab unit as I have seen them before. I like it.

And directly across the street corner was this nicer old station that was bigger and had an attached shop. Notice the loafer's bench at this one. I always like to see those so I can imagine the local characters who would have rested their legs there and told stories and swapped lies.....

and diagonally across the same intersection or corner was this old building that is in very poor shape.

and just up the same street I had just been down but on the other side was this old abandoned post office that has long been closed.

and lastly a few more miles down the highway brought me to the ghost town of Solomon Rapids which is still home to a grain elevator and seed plant and one home. I also saw this old stone building that might have been an old flour mill.

After that I kept on pounding the pavement as it was a busy day for me and no time to waste. We are lucky to have some very nice weather right now for January and I'm glad you got to ride along. Let's do it again next time.