Destination: SALINA!

[wetwillie]

It’s clearly western ks though

The scales fell off my eyes eventually

[TheHamburglar]

In one of my classes we were going around telling everyone where we were from. I mentioned Salina and the prof was like "Salina, that's just a giant truck stop, rite?"

Seriously, though I don't care what anyone else says about Salina. From the post-industrial wasteland that is the old elevator and milling district in North Salina to day drinking at Big Nose Kate's to memories of Big 8 women's tourney at the Bi-Center, I will never stop loving Salina.

Didn’t realize you were a fellow Salinian.  The Bi Center being named the Tony’s Pizza event center still fucks with me.

Changing the name to TPEC was absolutely bullshit. Disgusting.

I didn’t grow up in Salina but a tiny town in the vicinity. Still have a soft spot for it in my heart.

I spent so much time running around there as a kid. I probably went to every South/Central BB game for 10 years starting in 3rd grade. Even spent a large chunk of the summer of 99 there watching Cagers games because of a Cager’s coach’s daughter from out of town. I can still smell that building and I think I’ve only been in it once since my high school graduation 19 years ago.

[TheHamburglar]

It’s clearly western ks though

The scales fell off my eyes eventually

I used to think that western KS started at Russell. Sometimes now we come up I-135 and turn west on I-70 to go to Mrs. Hamburg’s grandma. By mile 248 I feel like I’m in western KS.

[michigancat]

Salina is the gateway to Western Kansas. It might be in it, it might not! But it definitely starts there

[wetwillie]

Salina is the gateway to Western Kansas. It might be in it, it might not! But it definitely starts there

Like the welcoming signs of your favorite truck stop

[Spracne]

I can say that growing up in South Central Kansas, we definitely did not consider it Western Kansas. IRL and on various boards, including this one, it has become a weird flex to pejoratively refer to the vast majority of the state as Western Kansas, without regard to geography, climate, or anything else other than a weird brand of hubris. And that's without getting into the implied premise that Western Kansas folks are somehow "less than." I don't accept that as a given.

"Everything west of Johnson County is Western Kansas"

"Everything west of Lawrence is Western Kansas"

"Everything west of Topeka is Western Kansas"

"Everything west of Manhattan is Western Kansas"

--> Things self-unaware losers from Kansas say.

As you can tell, the scales never fell from my eyes.

[Kat Kid]

I used to say Hays, but now I think Abilene.

I definitely have a slightly skewed view because until high school sports I basically only went to Kansas towns on I-70E

[TheHamburglar]

I used to say Hays, but now I think Abilene.

I definitely have a slightly skewed view because until high school sports I basically only went to Kansas towns on I-70E

I-70 plays a major roll in it for me. There are still some turns on it as works it’s way south from Junction City to Salina. Once you get past Halstead road exit 249 it’s almost perfectly straight for at least 15 miles. That first flat, straight stretch is a hard geographical change for me.

I also grew up drilling wells all around the area. There’s a lot more water/vegetation between Salina/Abilene than Salina/Ellsworth. There’s a pretty quick geological change west of I-135 as well.

[michigancat]

I can say that growing up in South Central Kansas, we definitely did not consider it Western Kansas. IRL and on various boards, including this one, it has become a weird flex to pejoratively refer to the vast majority of the state as Western Kansas, without regard to geography, climate, or anything else other than a weird brand of hubris. And that's without getting into the implied premise that Western Kansas folks are somehow "less than." I don't accept that as a given.

"Everything west of Johnson County is Western Kansas"

"Everything west of Lawrence is Western Kansas"

"Everything west of Topeka is Western Kansas"

"Everything west of Manhattan is Western Kansas"

--> Things self-unaware losers from Kansas say.

As you can tell, the scales never fell from my eyes.

If you were within Wichita radio distance (in every direction the tractor was facing and regardless of weather) you got to claim South Central instead of Western. Otherwise the line is the Flint Hills. Great discussion, one of my faves.

[wetwillie]

I can say that growing up in South Central Kansas, we definitely did not consider it Western Kansas. IRL and on various boards, including this one, it has become a weird flex to pejoratively refer to the vast majority of the state as Western Kansas, without regard to geography, climate, or anything else other than a weird brand of hubris. And that's without getting into the implied premise that Western Kansas folks are somehow "less than." I don't accept that as a given.

"Everything west of Johnson County is Western Kansas"

"Everything west of Lawrence is Western Kansas"

"Everything west of Topeka is Western Kansas"

"Everything west of Manhattan is Western Kansas"

--> Things self-unaware losers from Kansas say.

As you can tell, the scales never fell from my eyes.

Love your zeal, Western Kansas is a state of mind not a geography tho

[waks]

I have the privilege of working in Salina every Thursday. Some decent hole-in-the-wall food places and then some wtf recreational/entertainment places like Sky (trampoline park) and AJ's (the lasertag, arcade, bowling alley place YLA referred to). Decent country club and neat zoo too.

[wetwillie]

I have the privilege of working in Salina every Thursday. Some decent hole-in-the-wall food places and then some wtf recreational/entertainment places like Sky (trampoline park) and AJ's (the lasertag, arcade, bowling alley place YLA referred to). Decent country club and neat zoo too.

Which hole in the wall places?   Bogeys on 9th is solid but probably doesn’t fit that bill. My guesses are Cozy’s,  Chucks, and Scheme

[mocat]

I love the where does western Kansas start discussion

[waks]

I have the privilege of working in Salina every Thursday. Some decent hole-in-the-wall food places and then some wtf recreational/entertainment places like Sky (trampoline park) and AJ's (the lasertag, arcade, bowling alley place YLA referred to). Decent country club and neat zoo too.

Which hole in the wall places?   Bogeys on 9th is solid but probably doesn’t fit that bill. My guesses are Cozy’s,  Chucks, and Scheme

Taqueria Fresnillo, Mattie's Grill and Chill, Auntie Rita's Jamaican Cuisine. Bogey's and Cozy's are both pretty meh. Chuck's was good the one time I ate there. Still haven't had Scheme. They also have a YaYa's now which is pretty good for Salina.

[TheHamburglar]

I love the where does western Kansas start discussion

For awhile on twitter there was a “if you had to get on stage as give a 19 minute talk on any subject with no prep time, what could you do it on?” tweet going around. Mine would be “what are the geographical regions of Kansas” and “where does western Kansas start” would probably just take up the whole thing. I could probably do 5 minutes just on the Beloit/Lincoln/Slyvan Grove triangle and the significance of the post rock line.  Probably another 5 minutes on the Volga Germans/Czech descendants of Ellis/Russell/Rush/Barton counties and how they fit in culturally with other areas of central/west Kansas.

[TheHamburglar]

La Casita.

[mocat]

I wonder if the good people of Poughkeepsie or whatever have discussions as to whether or not they are part of upstate ny

[TheHamburglar]

I wonder if the good people of Poughkeepsie or whatever have discussions as to whether or not they are part of upstate ny

This doesn’t exist in Oklahoma, but they also have defined historical tribal nation boundaries. I’ve brought this up to my friends in Oklahoma and they think it’s very strange.

[waks]

It probably has something to do with the defense I always hear given to non-Kansans about how boring KS geography is: "That's just Western KS." Being from Western KS is deemed negative. I don't know why SEKS gets a pass though.

[michigancat]

I love the where does western Kansas start discussion

Yes, big time Kansas Citians definitely love it!

[mocat]

It probably has something to do with the defense I always hear given to non-Kansans about how boring KS geography is: "That's just Western KS." Being from Western KS is deemed negative. I don't know why SEKS gets a pass though.

SEKS is part of western ks

[mocat]

I love the where does western Kansas start discussion

Yes, big time Kansas Citians definitely love it!

Oh 100%

[waks]

It probably has something to do with the defense I always hear given to non-Kansans about how boring KS geography is: "That's just Western KS." Being from Western KS is deemed negative. I don't know why SEKS gets a pass though.

SEKS is part of western ks

[WillieWatanabe]

In one of my classes we were going around telling everyone where we were from. I mentioned Salina and the prof was like "Salina, that's just a giant truck stop, rite?"

Seriously, though I don't care what anyone else says about Salina. From the post-industrial wasteland that is the old elevator and milling district in North Salina to day drinking at Big Nose Kate's to memories of Big 8 women's tourney at the Bi-Center, I will never stop loving Salina.

Didn’t realize you were a fellow Salinian.  The Bi Center being named the Tony’s Pizza event center still fucks with me.

Changing the name to TPEC was absolutely bullshit. Disgusting.

I didn’t grow up in Salina but a tiny town in the vicinity. Still have a soft spot for it in my heart.

Calling it Tony's Pizza Box is much more fun, imo

[Sandstone Outcropping]

In one of my classes we were going around telling everyone where we were from. I mentioned Salina and the prof was like "Salina, that's just a giant truck stop, rite?"

Seriously, though I don't care what anyone else says about Salina. From the post-industrial wasteland that is the old elevator and milling district in North Salina to day drinking at Big Nose Kate's to memories of Big 8 women's tourney at the Bi-Center, I will never stop loving Salina.

Didn’t realize you were a fellow Salinian.  The Bi Center being named the Tony’s Pizza event center still fucks with me.

Changing the name to TPEC was absolutely bullshit. Disgusting.

I didn’t grow up in Salina but a tiny town in the vicinity. Still have a soft spot for it in my heart.

Calling it Tony's Pizza Box is much more fun, imo