Labor Day Weekend

I just put a slide show on of our trip to the Sand hills. I hope you enjoy it.

We left that Friday morning at 9:00AM and went to Grand Island for breakfast. From there we went north and caught HWY 2 headed for Alliance. This route is called the Sand hills Journey. We had information from the Grand Island Tourist Center and we followed the route stopping in all the towns along the way. We even took a driving tour of Halsey National Forest. Beautiful !! But... We don't recommend the family car or van. A high riding 4 wheel drive vehicle is recommended by the forest ranger, and she wasn't kidding. There were places those vehicles would bottom out and not make it. Narrow. Dirt roads and VERY rough. Beautiful... We made it to Alliance about 6:30 or 7:00 and got a room. Then we headed for Carhenge. You will find a larger picture at the bottom of the blog. This is a bored farmers take on Stonehenge in England. It was really neat! I didn't know what to expect, but I loved it. Bob had seen it before.

The next morning we headed for Chadron. We stopped and drove Chadron State park. This was absolutely beautiful. My favorite state park in Ne. I can't describe it but want to go back. Soon. We stopped in Chadron and got our room for the night. Then we took off. We got to Toadstool Park about noon. The forest ranger assured us we could walk the mile tour easily. WRONG. We hadn't gone 100 yards when it was evident Bob couldn't do it. He went back and I started out. Noon. 94 degrees. The first quarter mile was easy. I found a rock with a little bench and shade. I thought "piece of cake". Then I couldn't find the trail. Eventually I realised I needed to follow the numbered posts. Then there was climbing. Hot. I came to the steep cliff. Scared me, but I made it past there. Then I needed shade. I could see it all around me, but there was no way to get to it. I finally climbed up off the trail and crawled under a rock where I got some relief from the sun. I got lost on post eight but finally got back to nine. Then there was the final leg of the walk. I do not recommend this for parents, children, grandparents or human beings for that matter. It terrified me !! You had 30 or 40 feet to walk on an impossible slope of rock and pebbles with nothing to hang on to. The angle was soo scary. My only alternative was to retrace my path, but I was too hot. I was shaking when I got through that. When I got to the bottom, I just wanted water. And air conditioning !!!! We had enough time to check out Fort Robinson Park but I was really disappointed with it. Compared to other state parks, this had NOTHING to see. Museums if you like that sort of thing. I like scenery!!! Then it was time to get back to Chadron and clean up. We went to a place called "Wrecker's" and had supper. We were there by 4:30 and by 5:00 you couldn't get a table. It was the only place in town that had the "Game". We sat with a real nice couple and had a great time.

Early the next morning we headed for Harrison. On the way, I turned off and we found the Nebraska National Forest. This too was beautiful !! I can't describe it. You would also need a high riding vehicle and drive very slow. Dirt roads again. From there we headed to Sowbelly Canyon. Not even on most maps. You first travel over about 5 miles of the roughest dirt rock roads imaginable, and then you start your decent. Narrow winding roads going down and down. Half way you come to Coffee Park. Out in the middle of nowhere. I still don't know how they got a mower in there to mow it!! Then we went on and on to the bottom and started the winding road up to the top. Near the top, you could see it. The forest fire from 2 years ago. How sad!! if you look real close you can see it on a couple of the pictures. I don't know how it missed the canyon !! From there we headed west.

Douglas Wyoming.... There is a reason for this short trip out of Nebraska. I own land in WY. Actually my brothers and I own land in Wyoming. Actually we don't. Long story. Long before I was born an Uncle of my Mothers gave her 3 or 4 lots in WY. Mom paid taxes. Mom died. Dad paid taxes. Dad died. Bud paid taxes. Bud died. Arvid paid taxes. Arvid researched and found out that the people who use the land ( but didn't build on it) kinda have it by squatter's rights. They have kept the weeds down, etc. We just drove the town and I picked the prettiest house in town and said "that was our lots". Worked for me !! We stayed the night and were on the road by 6:00 the next morning.

We skirted the Laramie Mountains on our way to Nebraska. Such pretty scenery !! We toured Scottsbluff and headed to Gering which is where you go to drive up Scottsbluff Monument. Three tunnels and a narrow road later you are on the top. That is where Bob hiked the .08 mile walk to a view. We just took our time. The scene was great !!! You could even see Chimney Rock in the distance !!

We toured several small towns on our next leg and eventually came to Chimney Rock. I don't even know if they are teaching school kids about it's significance during pioneer times. Then it was on to Courthouse Rock and Jail Rock. Courthouses in Ne. are built square, so you know which is which if you look. Guess Jail Rock was so named because it was next to Courthouse Rock????

Next we headed for Paxton, Ne. Keep in mind, we still haven't hit an interstate highway. We stop at Ole's. It is well known for it's animals. Stuffed. I am no fan of them, but was still impressed. If it has a head, it was there. That and the life sized polar bear. I was just amazed by the size of it.

From there we headed to Interstate 80 and headed towards home. We had one more stop to make. Fort McPherson National Cemetery. So solemn, so serene, and so humbling. We just walked at random. One thing we learned. If you saw a sprinkler come on in some area of the cemetery, be aware that it could come on anywhere. We got caught reading the stones in the MIA area. We both RAN...... Me one way, He another.

Then it was a long drive home. We were both surprised that we were home by 11:00. It was long day, we saw a lot but we didn't feel like we were rushed.

For those of you who think there is nothing to see in Nebraska, you are soooo wrong. You just need to take off, ask questions and be willing to take the lesser traveled road. You won't be disappointed. ( A four wheel drive vehicle is recommended.)