A LITTLE RIDE AROUND LUCAS KANSAS

It has been days (2 I think) since I have been on my bike and I have been having withdrawal symptoms. This morning at 8:00 I simply had to get out for a ride. It was not a very long ride, I think I rode on every street in town, and I kept quite cool in the 78 degree morning.

This was by the school so I am guessing they are the Lurays! Or it is the name of someone local.

This pristine, new looking church is in contrast to quite a few abandoned homes, and many not abandoned are in very poor shape. I did not feel right about taking photos of someone’s residence as they were quite poor. Many homes are in decent condition and sprinkled amongst some of the run down homes.

“Roy and Clara Miller created their park as a rest area along K-18 Highway, for the enjoyment of weary travelers and the citizens of Luca. They fashioned miniature buildings for a tiny town, garden of rocks, using mineral rocks and shells they gathered on their travels.” (Taken from the brochure as it tells it best).

Riding farther on I took a road that looked like it would take me out of town. Coming to a fork, and dirt in either choice, I turned around.

Limestone is prevalent here in Kansas. Early settlers had a problem about building fences in the treeless plains. They quarried limestone rock to to use as fence posts. The stone posts have become a trademark of this region.

Many of the buildings here in Lucas are built with limestone. Limestone rock is put to many uses including, borders for gardens, engraving house number on a boulder, gate entries, mail box posts.