By Jared Janzen
Local Yokel Reporter
Having lived most of my life in Newton and Halstead, I’ve been close enough to Hutchinson that I came here occasionally for various reasons but far enough away that I don’t know the city super well.
I moved to Hutchinson three weeks ago, and now that it’s my new home, I thought I’d look back on a few of my favorite Hutch-related memories from before living here.
1. My first job out of college was writing for the Harvey County Independent, Halstead’s newspaper. One of the standout experiences from my time there was when the Halstead boys won the 3A state basketball title at Hutchinson Sports Arena.
Winning a state title is a big deal for a small town. The atmosphere at the sports arena was buzzing, with lots of people from Halstead coming out to support. I worked with two of our other staffers to cover the championship in-depth, and that commemorative edition is probably one of my favorites from my time working there.
2. In 2018, I participated in the Run for Relief 5K, which starts at Rice Park and goes south along the bike path. The event is in April, which, as all of us Kansans know, can be an unpredictable month for weather. The forecast for this particular morning? Sleet.
Yes, it was cold. Yes, it was miserable. Yes, we all survived and got an interesting experience out of it.
3. Speaking of running, in 2019, I stumbled across the fantastic opportunity to run a 5K underground at the Strataca Salt Mine. I had been down the mine a few times in the past, but this was a whole new experience.
Armed with flashlights and bike helmets, runners are sent down in small groups to follow a rope twisting through the dark, dusty mine.
Whether you’re a walker, jogger or runner, exploring the mine on foot like this makes for a one-of-kind experience.
4. It had been a goal of mine for a number of years to participate in the annual summer event known as Biking Across Kansas. Every year the route changes to highlight different cities, and in 2022, Hutchinson was one of those host cities.
It was the perfect opportunity to get a taste of Biking Across Kansas for just a single day. A couple friends and I drove out to Hutchinson to meet the other cyclists that morning, and then we joined them for the 60-plus-mile ride to Hillsboro.
I still remember setting out from Hutchinson High School that morning and riding through town with a crowd of other cyclists. It was a great day, and the following year, 2023, I went on to do the full bike ride across the state (although we didn’t pass through Hutchinson that year).
5. Earlier this summer, some friends and I kayaked the stretch of the Arkansas River through Hutchinson for the first time. It was a beautiful place to paddle, but what we weren’t expecting was the current to be as strong as it was.
After we’d paddled for about two miles, we were ready to turn around and return to our vehicles. But fighting against the current soon proved to be exhausting. In hindsight, we now know that we should have just floated a few more miles down to Carey Park. Instead, our solution was to hop out of the kayaks and wade upstream with them. It was still a lot of work, but it made for a memorable trip.
As the above examples show, Hutchinson is a fun place with a lot to offer. I’m excited to call it my new home, and I’m eager to continue getting to know it better. I know that in the years to come, I’ll be making many more great memories in Hutchinson to add to this list.
Jared Janzen is a reporter for the Hutchinson Tribune. He can be reached at jared@hutchtribune.com.