Hi all,
I have tried to update this through my phone and I could not. I am also still having difficulty uploading pictures. I do realize that I have been doing a lot of miles and have not taken the time to remedy this problems. Sorry.
Nebraska - The Corn Husker State - because it produces the most corn in the US (even more than Iowa).
I have had a chance to ride along side of many of these fields. The remnants of last year's crop is still apparent. The farmers are just now tending to the fields to get them ready to plant the new batch.
Mostly what I have seen since I arrived in this state are fields and cattle ranches. I have been in the central section of the state; which has been relatively flat. The winds have been fierce at times.
The first day I arrived in the state, I stopped at the post office to purchase some stamps. I mentioned to the clerk about the winds. She said: "Welcome to Nebraska".
I have met many wonderful people here. I camped in the town gazebo in Paxton. I then camped in the town park in Gothenburg. I visited the Pony Express Museum there. Also a stop over for the Mormons going on their journey west to Salt Lake City.
I did follow a road that the Oregon pioneers traveled on; which is very cool for me, since I have Oregon ties.
I also was in the town of Cozad, which is at the 100th meridian. They say that this town if the divider, between the humidity of the country. I did think it was a little more humid, once I crossed over that line.
In the middle of the state is a town called Kearney. It is actually the center of the US - east to west. It is 1733 miles to Boston and 1733 miles to San Francisco. To of my favorite places in the world. Here I took in more history, as they have a few cool museums to visit. The first was the River Platte Experience; which is over Interstate 80. Riding up to it; I recognized it immediately from previous trips out west. This was a very well done museum. I highly recommend it.
I was then off to Fort Kearney, which was a stop over for the people going west to Oregon.
I would camp at the Fort Kearney Recreation Area that night. This is a main stopover for the sand hill cranes during their migration north. They stay here for about 3-4 weeks to fatten up and continue their journey north. I had been watching them in the fields for a few days now crossing the state. It was a wonderful site to see so many of them at once. I even got to see them dancing. Very cool!!!
After Kearney, I traveled through many small towns and heavy winds to arrive in Grand Island. Where there are few trees to block the wind, it can be tough riding. Believe me; where I have been in Nebraska, there have been very few trees.
I camped at the Mormon Island State Park, just below Grand Island. There were a few cranes here. Not as many as Fort Kearney. It was a nice place to camp and the winds had finally died down. It was going to be a cold night though; below 20 degrees.
The next day was warm - about 70. I could wear just shorts again! I rode 65 plus miles this day and arrived in Seward, NE later on in the evening. I camped at their town campground called Blue Valley. It was another day through the cornfields, but the town started to change a little. I began to go through towns that reminded me of the east. I think I had crossed over the halfway points not only for distance and humidity, but for some of the cultural differences between the east and west also.
Tonight I will be staying with friends I just met during my visit to Fort Kearney. I look forward to this, as I have camped six nights in a row and I am looking forward to getting to know both Mary and Dan better.
I have cycled a lot during the past week. I am now over the 2,000 mile mark and I am just about 70 miles from Iowa.
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