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.
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