We arrived home about 12:30 pm after an uneventful trip from Winnemuca.
We are glad to be home after a nice visit with Brian, April and their family. It was a great trip.
Thursday, June 22, 2017
Tuesday, June 20, 2017
Nebraska Trip 2017 - Day 12
We got another early start today leaving the RV park about 7:30 am. It was another easy drive, 6 hours to Winnemucca, NV with a stop in Wendover, UT along the way. As the whole area is under a huge high pressure area, there was no wind again but hot. When we arrived in Winnemucca about 12:30 PM local (We gained an hour and are now back in the Pacific Time Zone) the temperature was in the high 90's and is expected to hit 100 before the day is over.
We are staying at a nice KOA RV park but are not going to partake of the activity opportunities in the park or unhook and go into downtown and gamble, drink beer and play pool or something. It will be early to bed after dinner in the RV and another early start if we can.
We should be home early tomorrow afternoon and ready to get back to normal, whatever that is.
We are staying at a nice KOA RV park but are not going to partake of the activity opportunities in the park or unhook and go into downtown and gamble, drink beer and play pool or something. It will be early to bed after dinner in the RV and another early start if we can.
We should be home early tomorrow afternoon and ready to get back to normal, whatever that is.
Monday, June 19, 2017
Nebraska Trip 2017 - Day 11
We did get an early start this morning, getting on the road at 7:30 am - our earliest start yet.
As it turned out, it was an easy ride today. The skies were clear, the wind was minimal and the roads were clear. We arrived in Salt Lake City around 12:30 pm covering 300 miles in five hours of driving.
We are staying at the Salt Lake City KOA. We stayed here last year heading east to Nebraska. It is a nice park with lots of shade. We just relaxed the rest of the afternoon and skipped a return visit to Temple Square, the Morman Vatican.
We drive on to Winnemucca, NV tomorrow then home on Wednesday.
As it turned out, it was an easy ride today. The skies were clear, the wind was minimal and the roads were clear. We arrived in Salt Lake City around 12:30 pm covering 300 miles in five hours of driving.
We are staying at the Salt Lake City KOA. We stayed here last year heading east to Nebraska. It is a nice park with lots of shade. We just relaxed the rest of the afternoon and skipped a return visit to Temple Square, the Morman Vatican.
We drive on to Winnemucca, NV tomorrow then home on Wednesday.
Sunday, June 18, 2017
Nebraska Trip 2017 - Day 10
We left Ogallala about 9:00 am under clear skies and light wind. It was an uneventful ride most of the way. After we reached Cheyenne, WY we began our climb into the Rocky Mountains. It is a gradual climb in this direction and we reached the summit of the highest point on I-80 just east of Laramie, WY about 50 miles west of Cheyenne.
The 8640 ft summit has a very nice visitors center/rest stop and we stopped there for lunch. After lunch in the RV we looked around the visitors center and were pleasantly surprised on how well it was done and all the information they had about the history of Wyoming and all the things there are to do here if you go looking for them. There is also an impressive statue of President Lincoln, commemorating the highest point on the old coast-to-coast Lincoln Highway (US Highway 30). We spent some time there then continued west.
The 8640 ft summit has a very nice visitors center/rest stop and we stopped there for lunch. After lunch in the RV we looked around the visitors center and were pleasantly surprised on how well it was done and all the information they had about the history of Wyoming and all the things there are to do here if you go looking for them. There is also an impressive statue of President Lincoln, commemorating the highest point on the old coast-to-coast Lincoln Highway (US Highway 30). We spent some time there then continued west.
As we drove on , the wind picked up and we experienced pretty good quartering head winds the rest of the 150 miles to Rawlins, WY, our stop for the night. This section of I-80 is is all high plains Wyoming desolation. We saw a few cows, horses and antelopes and that was about it. The speed limit there is 80 mph but we could only do about 65 mph due to the wind. The truckers and fast moving autos however didn't seem to have a problem and continued to zoom by. When we arrived at the RV park in Rawlins about 4:00 pm I remarked to one of the park staff how windy it was. He said today was mild compared to two days ago when 65 mph winds were flipping big rigs and I-80 was closed to high profile vehicles. I am not sure, but I think the Native American translation of Wyoming is "Big Wind".
Anyway, we are here for the night, the wind is still blowing and we had dinner in the RV. We are going to try and get an earlier start for Salt Lake City tomorrow and maybe get out of the Rockies before the wind gets too bad. Right now the forecast looks good for clear skies and light winds, but we'll see.
Saturday, June 17, 2017
Nebraska Trip 2017 - Day 9
We slept in this morning then had an early lunch at a local hamburger place, The Open Range Grill. We each had a great burger and fresh-cooked french fries. It was a good choice.
After lunch we headed north about 8 miles to Lake McConaughy and Kingsley Dam. We started at the visitor center. It is a nice facility that also houses the headquarters of of the state recreation department responsible for management of the lake and associated recreational facilities. We saw a 15 minute film of the history of building the dam that was interesting and well done. After seeing the exhibits in the visitor center as well as a water interpretive center, we drove over the dam and through several campgrounds below the dam then around a portion of the lake past several more campgrounds, beaches and picnic areas.
Lake McConaughy is a big reservoir, 22 miles long and 4 miles wide at its widest point with 105 miles of white sand beaches. It is a premier recreation site for water-related activities in Nebraska and looks like a great place to beat the heat of a Nebraska summer.
The Kingsley Dam, which holds back the North Platte River forming the lake, is one of the largest earthen dams in the world. It is 3 1/2 miles long, 162 ft high and 1,100 feet wide at the base. The dam was built for irrigation purposes and was completed in 1941. In 1984, the Hydro-Electric Generation Plant was added and produces over 98 million KWH of electricity annually.
After visiting the lake and dam we stopped at the local WalMart for a few supplies. We are having take-out pizza for dinner then early to bed. Our destination for tomorrow is Rawlins, WY. We hope to get an early start to beat the wind which always seems to get stronger in the afternoon. The weather looks good for tomorrow so we will see how it goes.
After lunch we headed north about 8 miles to Lake McConaughy and Kingsley Dam. We started at the visitor center. It is a nice facility that also houses the headquarters of of the state recreation department responsible for management of the lake and associated recreational facilities. We saw a 15 minute film of the history of building the dam that was interesting and well done. After seeing the exhibits in the visitor center as well as a water interpretive center, we drove over the dam and through several campgrounds below the dam then around a portion of the lake past several more campgrounds, beaches and picnic areas.
Lake McConaughy is a big reservoir, 22 miles long and 4 miles wide at its widest point with 105 miles of white sand beaches. It is a premier recreation site for water-related activities in Nebraska and looks like a great place to beat the heat of a Nebraska summer.
The Kingsley Dam, which holds back the North Platte River forming the lake, is one of the largest earthen dams in the world. It is 3 1/2 miles long, 162 ft high and 1,100 feet wide at the base. The dam was built for irrigation purposes and was completed in 1941. In 1984, the Hydro-Electric Generation Plant was added and produces over 98 million KWH of electricity annually.
After visiting the lake and dam we stopped at the local WalMart for a few supplies. We are having take-out pizza for dinner then early to bed. Our destination for tomorrow is Rawlins, WY. We hope to get an early start to beat the wind which always seems to get stronger in the afternoon. The weather looks good for tomorrow so we will see how it goes.
Friday, June 16, 2017
Nebraska Trip 2017 - Day 8
We got up this morning and decided to forgo our Yellowstone/Grand Teton NP side trip on the way home. After looking at our schedule for the rest of June and early July and the list of things we need to do after getting home, we felt it would be best to just head home. The weather forecast in the Yellowstone area also didn't look so good and we have driven a lot of miles this year.
So, we adjusted our reservations and headed west on I-80 to Ogallala, NE. We did decide however, to spend two nights there. We wanted to see Lake McConaughy and Kingsley Dam, just north of Ogallala on the North Platte River. Kingsley Dam is one of the largest earthen dams in the world forming Lake McConaughy that is 22 miles long and 4 miles wide at its widest point.
After arriving at the Country View Campground in Ogallala and having a late lunch in the RV we noticed in the county area travel guide a historical pageant was scheduled for this weekend at a nearby state park. It looked interesting so we decided to check it out.
The pageant was the 25th Annual Ash Hollow Historical Pageant - Heading West: A Journey Through Nebraska. Ash Hollow is a State Historical Park and was an important stop on the Oregon/California Emigrant Trail between Fort Kearney and Scottsbluff, NE. The first emigrant wagon train passed along the trail in 1841, following the North Platte River. The park became a protected area in 1962 and a National Historic Landmark in 1964.
The first Ash Hollow Pageant was held in 1967 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Nebraska's statehood. Over 800 local volunteers put on a extravaganza that included Native dancers, a cattle drive, dance hall girls and much more. Since then, local volunteers have put on a local pageant every year, each with a different theme with theatrics, period dress and music.
We arrived at the park about 4:30 pm. It was a 25 mile drive bordering the south shore of Lake McConaughy across open space farmland and rolling prairie. The pageant was held in the park picnic area beneath rocky bluffs. The event was free but also included a chuck wagon dinner for $10.00. We had the dinner - it was delicious - slow cooked chuck roast beef, beans, salad and the best fry bread we have ever eaten. We also met and talked to others at our picnic table. It was a great group of people, mostly local farmers and ranchers as well as others who traveled over 150 miles to attend the event. It really is a regional big deal.
The pageant was performed on an outdoor stage with the audience setting up lawn chairs to watch. The cast included about 25 people with 4 musicians. This year's pageant told the story of travel along the emigrant trail in three parts: telling the story to two tourists by a guide with period performers reenacting the era through stories and music, explaining history to young visitors, and a park guide teaching school children about travel and living along the trail. There was a lot of music and singing, story telling and humorous interaction between the performers.
This event was another example of something you never expect to find as you travel but occasionally encounter in unexpected places. It was truly a piece of Americana with real, down-home people that most Americans will probably never meet or know. It was certainly worth the visit.
We are planning to visit Lake McConaughy and the Kingsley Dam tomorrow and possibly find something else we were not expecting in our travels.
So, we adjusted our reservations and headed west on I-80 to Ogallala, NE. We did decide however, to spend two nights there. We wanted to see Lake McConaughy and Kingsley Dam, just north of Ogallala on the North Platte River. Kingsley Dam is one of the largest earthen dams in the world forming Lake McConaughy that is 22 miles long and 4 miles wide at its widest point.
After arriving at the Country View Campground in Ogallala and having a late lunch in the RV we noticed in the county area travel guide a historical pageant was scheduled for this weekend at a nearby state park. It looked interesting so we decided to check it out.
The pageant was the 25th Annual Ash Hollow Historical Pageant - Heading West: A Journey Through Nebraska. Ash Hollow is a State Historical Park and was an important stop on the Oregon/California Emigrant Trail between Fort Kearney and Scottsbluff, NE. The first emigrant wagon train passed along the trail in 1841, following the North Platte River. The park became a protected area in 1962 and a National Historic Landmark in 1964.
The first Ash Hollow Pageant was held in 1967 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Nebraska's statehood. Over 800 local volunteers put on a extravaganza that included Native dancers, a cattle drive, dance hall girls and much more. Since then, local volunteers have put on a local pageant every year, each with a different theme with theatrics, period dress and music.
We arrived at the park about 4:30 pm. It was a 25 mile drive bordering the south shore of Lake McConaughy across open space farmland and rolling prairie. The pageant was held in the park picnic area beneath rocky bluffs. The event was free but also included a chuck wagon dinner for $10.00. We had the dinner - it was delicious - slow cooked chuck roast beef, beans, salad and the best fry bread we have ever eaten. We also met and talked to others at our picnic table. It was a great group of people, mostly local farmers and ranchers as well as others who traveled over 150 miles to attend the event. It really is a regional big deal.
The pageant was performed on an outdoor stage with the audience setting up lawn chairs to watch. The cast included about 25 people with 4 musicians. This year's pageant told the story of travel along the emigrant trail in three parts: telling the story to two tourists by a guide with period performers reenacting the era through stories and music, explaining history to young visitors, and a park guide teaching school children about travel and living along the trail. There was a lot of music and singing, story telling and humorous interaction between the performers.
This event was another example of something you never expect to find as you travel but occasionally encounter in unexpected places. It was truly a piece of Americana with real, down-home people that most Americans will probably never meet or know. It was certainly worth the visit.
We are planning to visit Lake McConaughy and the Kingsley Dam tomorrow and possibly find something else we were not expecting in our travels.
Thursday, June 15, 2017
Nebraska Trip 2017 - Day 7
We did laundry this morning then met Megan, Cole and Isabel for lunch, along with Karin and Nick who were on their way to the airport.
After lunch, we returned to the RV and rested awhile before going over to Brian and April's house for dinner. We had a great dinner with them and the kids (Cole was working) then returned to the RV to get ready for our departure tomorrow.
We will be heading west for awhile, then north to Valentine, NE near the South Dakota border for our stop for the night. Then we will drive west across South Dakota and Wyoming to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. That is the plan and we'll see how it goes.
After lunch, we returned to the RV and rested awhile before going over to Brian and April's house for dinner. We had a great dinner with them and the kids (Cole was working) then returned to the RV to get ready for our departure tomorrow.
We will be heading west for awhile, then north to Valentine, NE near the South Dakota border for our stop for the night. Then we will drive west across South Dakota and Wyoming to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. That is the plan and we'll see how it goes.
Wednesday, June 14, 2017
Nebraska Trip 2017 - Day 6
Today was a busy day today highlighted by Brian's award ceremony this evening. It was a nice event and it went well.
We missed the bad weather last night but to start the day off, a line of heavy thunderstorms came through the area about 4:00 am. There were no tornadoes, hail or high winds, just a lot of thunder and lightning and heavy rain. Everything was cleared out by 8:00 am, and the sun came out and the humidity was down (a little).
Brian, although on duty today, was able to arrange a tour for us of the Lincoln Police Department headquarters this morning. It was a great tour and we met a lot of outstanding people, including the police chief, who are truly dedicated to their profession and keeping the people of Lincoln safe. You could tell, even in our short exposure to them, this is an outstanding organization full of highly skilled professionals. We were impressed.
After lunch, the grandkids, Megan, Cole and Isabelle came over to the RV park and went swimming in in the RV park pool with Karin and Nick. Then we all got ready to go out to dinner before the awards ceremony this evening at a nearby hotel.
We had a great dinner at Hopcat, a restaurant in the Haymarket area of downtown Lincoln. It a casual restaurant, with 300 different beers on tap. The Haymarket is a revitalized downtown hotel, restaurant, shopping and entertainment area near the University sports complexes and auditorium. The area has now become a lively part of Lincoln and a nice place to visit.
The awards ceremony this evening was also the induction and swearing-in of 11 new police officers who just graduated from the Lincoln PD academy. They appeared to be an outstanding group of men and women who will be a fine addition to their police force. They were all individually recognized for their achievements during training, had their badges pinned on by their training officers and were administered their oath by a city official. A film was then shown of what they went through during their training that was both humorous and entertaining. Their next step is a period of field training with specialized officers before they are cleared for unsupervised duty.
The next part of the program was the presentation of awards to police officers and department employees for a variety of achievements during the past year. Brian led off the awards with his recognition as Police Officer of the Year for the department. They read his award citation, gave him a plaque and a commemorative coin recognizing his achievements. Other awards were also given out to officers, civilian employees, and citizens for categories such as Exceptional Duty, Life Saving, Civic Achievement and Outside Law Enforcement Agency Cooperation. It was a great event that recognized the achievements of an outstanding cooperative public safety operation in Lincoln.
We missed the bad weather last night but to start the day off, a line of heavy thunderstorms came through the area about 4:00 am. There were no tornadoes, hail or high winds, just a lot of thunder and lightning and heavy rain. Everything was cleared out by 8:00 am, and the sun came out and the humidity was down (a little).
Brian, although on duty today, was able to arrange a tour for us of the Lincoln Police Department headquarters this morning. It was a great tour and we met a lot of outstanding people, including the police chief, who are truly dedicated to their profession and keeping the people of Lincoln safe. You could tell, even in our short exposure to them, this is an outstanding organization full of highly skilled professionals. We were impressed.
After lunch, the grandkids, Megan, Cole and Isabelle came over to the RV park and went swimming in in the RV park pool with Karin and Nick. Then we all got ready to go out to dinner before the awards ceremony this evening at a nearby hotel.
We had a great dinner at Hopcat, a restaurant in the Haymarket area of downtown Lincoln. It a casual restaurant, with 300 different beers on tap. The Haymarket is a revitalized downtown hotel, restaurant, shopping and entertainment area near the University sports complexes and auditorium. The area has now become a lively part of Lincoln and a nice place to visit.
The awards ceremony this evening was also the induction and swearing-in of 11 new police officers who just graduated from the Lincoln PD academy. They appeared to be an outstanding group of men and women who will be a fine addition to their police force. They were all individually recognized for their achievements during training, had their badges pinned on by their training officers and were administered their oath by a city official. A film was then shown of what they went through during their training that was both humorous and entertaining. Their next step is a period of field training with specialized officers before they are cleared for unsupervised duty.
The next part of the program was the presentation of awards to police officers and department employees for a variety of achievements during the past year. Brian led off the awards with his recognition as Police Officer of the Year for the department. They read his award citation, gave him a plaque and a commemorative coin recognizing his achievements. Other awards were also given out to officers, civilian employees, and citizens for categories such as Exceptional Duty, Life Saving, Civic Achievement and Outside Law Enforcement Agency Cooperation. It was a great event that recognized the achievements of an outstanding cooperative public safety operation in Lincoln.
Karin and Nick are leaving tomorrow afternoon from Omaha for their flight home. We will be having lunch with them and the grandkids before they leave. Brian and April are working today but Judy and I are going over to their house for dinner this evening.
We are leaving Friday morning for our trip home via Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks, weather permitting. Between severe Midwest early summer thunderstorm weather and potential snow in the mountains, we cannot be sure of what to expect, so we will be careful and adjust our itinerary as needed.
Tuesday, June 13, 2017
Nebraska Trip 2017 - Day 5
We got on the road about 9:00 am under clear skies with lots of wind all the way to Lincoln. There was a steady 10-20 mph crosswind from the south making the drive a stressful "two-hands-on-the-wheel" 225 mile event. We made it O.K. though and arrived at the Camp-A-Way RV resort in Lincoln around 1:30 pm. It is a nice park. We stayed here last year and had an enjoyable visit.
After getting settled in, I ran a few errands and got the truck washed. We then went over to Brian and April's house at 5:30 pm and joined up with our daughter Karin and our grandson Nick who flew in to Omaha and drove up to Lincoln. We all then went out to dinner at a Mongolian BBQ place. We have eaten there before and we had another great meal.
Karin and Nick will be staying with us in the RV while they are here. Brian's award ceremony will be tomorrow evening at 7:00 pm. We are all having dinner before the ceremony at a restaurant near the historic Cornhusker Hotel in downtown Lincoln where the ceremony will be held. The ceremony will also recognize and swear in the new class of police academy graduates.
There are no plans for tomorrow other than dinner and the ceremony, so we'll see what happens. Karin and Nick will be leaving on Thursday and we will be staying until Friday before heading home via Yellowstone and Teton National Parks.
After getting settled in, I ran a few errands and got the truck washed. We then went over to Brian and April's house at 5:30 pm and joined up with our daughter Karin and our grandson Nick who flew in to Omaha and drove up to Lincoln. We all then went out to dinner at a Mongolian BBQ place. We have eaten there before and we had another great meal.
Karin and Nick will be staying with us in the RV while they are here. Brian's award ceremony will be tomorrow evening at 7:00 pm. We are all having dinner before the ceremony at a restaurant near the historic Cornhusker Hotel in downtown Lincoln where the ceremony will be held. The ceremony will also recognize and swear in the new class of police academy graduates.
There are no plans for tomorrow other than dinner and the ceremony, so we'll see what happens. Karin and Nick will be leaving on Thursday and we will be staying until Friday before heading home via Yellowstone and Teton National Parks.
Monday, June 12, 2017
Nebraska Trip 2017 - Day 4
It rained a little last night and when we woke-up this morning it was overcast but dry. The weather forecast for Cheyenne and points west was for severe weather later in the day. The forecast for North Platte, NE, our destination for tonight, was not so bad and would only be on the fringe on the weather hazard area. As we headed east the skies were partly cloudy and by the time we arrived in North Platte around 2:00 pm local (we are now in the Central Time Zone) the skies were clear and the sun was out.
After we hooked-up at the RV park, we went to a nearby Mexican restaurant for a late lunch then decided to look around North Platte. It is an interesting town with a rich history. It sits at the confluence of the North Platte and South Platte Rivers and has been a gateway both east and west in the Platte River Valley for a very long time starting with Native Americans and continuing with the emigrant pioneer migration, the Indian Wars, the railroad and autos on the Lincoln Highway (Old US Highway 30). The city is still a major hub for the Union Pacific Railroad and the home to literally thousands of railroad cars and engines waiting for loading, unloading and routing throughout the Union Pacific rail system.
North Platte is one of those places you drive by on your way somewhere else and seldom stop to see what is there. We stopped this time because it worked out on our trip route planning. Judy had read a book about North Platte, Once Upon a Town. It is a story about how the town of North Platte set up a canteen at the Union Pacific Passenger Depot in North Platte during WW II from 1941 to 1946, offering refreshments to military personnel traveling on Union Pacific trains east and west. Almost unbelievably, the residents of North Platte and the surrounding area served over six million servicemen and women during that period.
So, we decided to check out where that happened and learn a little more about the history of it all. Unfortunately, Union Pacific demolished the passenger depot in 1973 without a lot of coordination with the city or consideration of its historical significance. Now, there is a small memorial park at the site of the depot. We did find out there was a historical exhibit about the canteen at the local county historical museum so we decided to go there and see what they had.
The Lincoln Country Historical Museum and Village is a ways out of town. The museum has a cross section of the history of the area as well as an excellent exhibit of the WW II canteen with pictures, letters, artifacts and a video of the history and accomplishments of the people who made it all happen. The village adjoining the museum is a collection of buildings related to the history of the area including nearby Fort McPherson, a Civil War era fort that played a large part in protecting pioneer emigrants in the westward migration and subduing the Cheyenne during the Indian Wars in the late 19th Century. It is a great museum and well worth the visit at another one of those unexpected stops along the road.
It is on to Lincoln tomorrow and Brian's ceremony on Wednesday. The weather looks good although hot and muggy is in the forecast.
After we hooked-up at the RV park, we went to a nearby Mexican restaurant for a late lunch then decided to look around North Platte. It is an interesting town with a rich history. It sits at the confluence of the North Platte and South Platte Rivers and has been a gateway both east and west in the Platte River Valley for a very long time starting with Native Americans and continuing with the emigrant pioneer migration, the Indian Wars, the railroad and autos on the Lincoln Highway (Old US Highway 30). The city is still a major hub for the Union Pacific Railroad and the home to literally thousands of railroad cars and engines waiting for loading, unloading and routing throughout the Union Pacific rail system.
North Platte is one of those places you drive by on your way somewhere else and seldom stop to see what is there. We stopped this time because it worked out on our trip route planning. Judy had read a book about North Platte, Once Upon a Town. It is a story about how the town of North Platte set up a canteen at the Union Pacific Passenger Depot in North Platte during WW II from 1941 to 1946, offering refreshments to military personnel traveling on Union Pacific trains east and west. Almost unbelievably, the residents of North Platte and the surrounding area served over six million servicemen and women during that period.
So, we decided to check out where that happened and learn a little more about the history of it all. Unfortunately, Union Pacific demolished the passenger depot in 1973 without a lot of coordination with the city or consideration of its historical significance. Now, there is a small memorial park at the site of the depot. We did find out there was a historical exhibit about the canteen at the local county historical museum so we decided to go there and see what they had.
The Lincoln Country Historical Museum and Village is a ways out of town. The museum has a cross section of the history of the area as well as an excellent exhibit of the WW II canteen with pictures, letters, artifacts and a video of the history and accomplishments of the people who made it all happen. The village adjoining the museum is a collection of buildings related to the history of the area including nearby Fort McPherson, a Civil War era fort that played a large part in protecting pioneer emigrants in the westward migration and subduing the Cheyenne during the Indian Wars in the late 19th Century. It is a great museum and well worth the visit at another one of those unexpected stops along the road.
It is on to Lincoln tomorrow and Brian's ceremony on Wednesday. The weather looks good although hot and muggy is in the forecast.
Sunday, June 11, 2017
Nebraska Trip 2017 - Day 3
We left Fort Bridger a little before 9:00 am and continued east on I-80 across Wyoming. The skies were clear and the winds were light. This part of Wyoming is high plains/desert well over 6,000 ft in elevation and in some parts over 7,000 ft. There is not much out here, not even a lot of cows. We stopped at Little America, an outpost about an hour east of Fort Bridger for gas and coffee. The gas was cheap but their coffee machine was broken. The only coffee for 50 miles in any direction - go figure.
All-in-all, it was a pretty boring drive today. We stopped for lunch in the RV at a truck stop near Rawlins, WY. The wind picked up after lunch and switched from the NW to the SE. It wasn't too bad, but it was a "two-hands-on-wheel" drive the rest of the way. Just east of Laramie, WY, about 50 miles west of Cheyenne there was a steep climb over an 8,600 ft summit then a gradual downhill into Cheyenne.
We are staying tonight at the F.E. Warren AFB FAMCAMP. It is an RV park on base for military personnel and veterans. It is a nice park, nothing fancy, but certainly adequate for an overnight stop with full hook-ups and a nominal fee.
There also resident antelopes here, grazing nearby and apparently not worried about predators.
We go on to North Platte, NE tomorrow then Lincoln, NE on Tuesday. All is well so far.
All-in-all, it was a pretty boring drive today. We stopped for lunch in the RV at a truck stop near Rawlins, WY. The wind picked up after lunch and switched from the NW to the SE. It wasn't too bad, but it was a "two-hands-on-wheel" drive the rest of the way. Just east of Laramie, WY, about 50 miles west of Cheyenne there was a steep climb over an 8,600 ft summit then a gradual downhill into Cheyenne.
We are staying tonight at the F.E. Warren AFB FAMCAMP. It is an RV park on base for military personnel and veterans. It is a nice park, nothing fancy, but certainly adequate for an overnight stop with full hook-ups and a nominal fee.
We go on to North Platte, NE tomorrow then Lincoln, NE on Tuesday. All is well so far.
Saturday, June 10, 2017
Nebraska Trip 2017 - Day 2
It was a quiet night in Elko last night. We got up at 6:00 am and were on the road after breakfast and refueling by 9:00 am. It was a fairly easy 330 mile drive east on I-80. The skies were clear & the winds were fairly light, at least until we got over the Wasatch Mountains east of Salt Lake City. From Park City, UT to Fort Bridger, WY where the terrain at 7,000 feet was a little more barren, the wind picked up. By the time we arrived at Fort Bridger at 4:00 pm local (we are now in the Mountain Time Zone) the wind was pretty steady at 20-30 mph, although it was essentially out of the west and didn't impact driving all that much.
We are staying at a small, funky, mom-and-pop RV park in Fort Bridger, It is nice and has everything we need - full hook-ups, cable TV, Internet, etc. and will work fine for an overnight. As the evening progresses the wind is still blowing pretty hard. As I think about it, I cannot recall ever travelling through/stopping in WY when the wind was not blowing pretty hard.
Fort Bridger is a historic place in the history of the emigrant pioneer migration. A trading post was established in 1843 by Jim Bridger, a famous mountain man of the era. It became an important stop on the Oregon Trail and other westward pioneer routes. It was taken over by the Mormans in 1850 and was established as a military fort in 1858. It was abandoned during the Civil War and like many military forts in the west, fell into disrepair and were abandoned by the end of the 19th Century or earlier after the Indian wars The state of Wyoming took possession of the grounds in 1933 and, with the cooperation of several historical preservation organizations have since restored a number of the original buildings and established a museum with numerous artifacts of the fort's history. It is now a state historical site that has been very well done. Unfortunately, we are not able to spend another day to check it out and will have to do so another time.
Tomorrow is another day in "drive-over country" heading east on I-80 to Cheyenne, WY. We have been this way before and it is across barren rolling hills with an occasional small town/city en route over high plains/desert at the 6,000 -7,000 ft level. We can expect more wind in the PM and hope to get an early start. We will be staying tomorrow night at F.E. Warren AFB, a USAF missile base in Cheyenne near the Nebraska border.
Dinner tonight was in the RV and it will be early to bed.
We are staying at a small, funky, mom-and-pop RV park in Fort Bridger, It is nice and has everything we need - full hook-ups, cable TV, Internet, etc. and will work fine for an overnight. As the evening progresses the wind is still blowing pretty hard. As I think about it, I cannot recall ever travelling through/stopping in WY when the wind was not blowing pretty hard.
And, as another example of how small the world really is, as we pulled into the RV park, another RV pulled in right behind us. In talking to the young couple with two kids in the RV we discovered they live in Grass Valley about 2 miles from where we live. They also spent last night in Elko - also heading east this morning,
Fort Bridger is a historic place in the history of the emigrant pioneer migration. A trading post was established in 1843 by Jim Bridger, a famous mountain man of the era. It became an important stop on the Oregon Trail and other westward pioneer routes. It was taken over by the Mormans in 1850 and was established as a military fort in 1858. It was abandoned during the Civil War and like many military forts in the west, fell into disrepair and were abandoned by the end of the 19th Century or earlier after the Indian wars The state of Wyoming took possession of the grounds in 1933 and, with the cooperation of several historical preservation organizations have since restored a number of the original buildings and established a museum with numerous artifacts of the fort's history. It is now a state historical site that has been very well done. Unfortunately, we are not able to spend another day to check it out and will have to do so another time.
Tomorrow is another day in "drive-over country" heading east on I-80 to Cheyenne, WY. We have been this way before and it is across barren rolling hills with an occasional small town/city en route over high plains/desert at the 6,000 -7,000 ft level. We can expect more wind in the PM and hope to get an early start. We will be staying tomorrow night at F.E. Warren AFB, a USAF missile base in Cheyenne near the Nebraska border.
Dinner tonight was in the RV and it will be early to bed.
Friday, June 9, 2017
Nebraska Trip 2017 - Day 1
We are leaving today for Nebraska to attend our son Brian's award ceremony for his recognition as Police Officer of the Year for the City of Lincoln.
Our destination today is Elko, NV, a fairly long drive of 370 miles. The weather forecast is for partly cloudy skies with fairly strong winds out of the west across Nevada.
We got on the road about 9:30 am and headed east over the Sierra at Donner Summit. The weather was cloudy and cool and became foggy and rainy until we passed through Reno. From there, it was partly cloudy with occasional showers until we got to Elko, NV. It was also windy but mostly a tailwind that had little impact on driving.
It was a long drive today but we arrived around 4:30 pm. After getting set-up and relaxing a little, we had dinner at an adjacent hotel cafe.
We go on to Fort Bridger, WY tomorrow, a historic town and traders' fort along the pioneer's California/Oregon Trail.
Our destination today is Elko, NV, a fairly long drive of 370 miles. The weather forecast is for partly cloudy skies with fairly strong winds out of the west across Nevada.
We got on the road about 9:30 am and headed east over the Sierra at Donner Summit. The weather was cloudy and cool and became foggy and rainy until we passed through Reno. From there, it was partly cloudy with occasional showers until we got to Elko, NV. It was also windy but mostly a tailwind that had little impact on driving.
It was a long drive today but we arrived around 4:30 pm. After getting set-up and relaxing a little, we had dinner at an adjacent hotel cafe.
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