What I did on summer vacation 2007

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Besides all that carpeting and painting, we did manage to have some fun traveling in Nebraska during the summer. While the impression one gets when driving through this state is that of a flat and devoid of features plain, there are some interesting places to go to. Here are a few:

Even Kearney has a highlight or two. Driving along Interstate 80 near mile marker 272 (Kearney's exit) one sees a structure that spans the highway. This is the Great Platte River Road Archway Monument.

Inside this building are exhibits that celebrate this area as the main avenue of transportation from the mid-1800s when it lay along the Oregon and Mormon Trails, the short-lived Pony Express, the Union Pacific Railroad, the first transcontinental paved highway (US HWY #30), and finally to the Interstate system. When visiting, make sure to see the Archway - it is well worth the price of admission.

For the past couple of years, Kearney has hosted an old time Chautauqua. The speakers represent famous persons in American history. In 2007 we had Frederick Douglas and William Jennings Bryan actors, to name a couple.

While the land may seem dry and parched in the summer, we do have several swimming lakes nearby. This lake (pond?) is at Fort Kearney Recreation area. My brother and I enjoyed many a cool dip when he visited in July.

Nearly 12 million years ago, hundreds of rhinoceros (yes they lived in North America back then), horses, camels (yep, they were here too), elephants (here also) and other animals were buried in volcanic ash. In 1971 a farmer came upon some protruding skeletal remains of this burial and thus was discovered the "Ashfall Fossil Beds of Nebraska." This is a State historical park and is within a few hour drive of us.

The volcano spewed its ash to a depth of at least 8 feet (2.5 meters). The source? By analyzing the mineral content of the ash, experts have determined that the volcano was in SW Idaho (over 1500 miles away).





One of Elaine's many interests is clowning. She is a volunteer clown at the local hospital. We found out that there is a clown museum in the town of Plainview Nebraska. On one of our camping trips, we made a stop at the clown museum.


Nebraska was one of those places known as the Old West of cowboy fame. Spotted these survivors of the Old West on a rural road in Nebraska.



When not traveling afar, we have found many enjoyable and interesting sites nearby.

After this summer of carpeting and camping, I settled in to my last semester of teaching. Now, I am fully retired and am loving it.