Getting Ready to Move On

We saw that there were two other 'things' to do while here in Gering (next door to Scottsbluff) and decided to go check them out.  The first museum we went to was the Legacy Of The Plains.  Only there was not much to see.  A huge renovation and expansion is going on and the main exhibits were closed.  Said that hopefully in a month or two we could come back and see it.  Well, no.  This museum has 110 acres and is situated right near the base of Scotts Bluff National Monument.  Eventually it will display history of the Ancient Peoples, how the pioneers crossed in this area, how the land was homesteaded, how agriculture became the way of life.  I saw the plans and it will be a great museum, sad it wasn't done now.  We looked in the back buildings and there were many, and I do mean many, engines, tractors, farm equipment, old cars, old trucks strewn all over the fields.  Obviously some day they will be restored/cleaned up and put inside the museum.

Antiques waiting for display in new museum

Many antiques waiting on some TLC

We drove into town and found where the RiverWalk's parking area was located, strolled along about a mile of the walkway reading the interpretive signs, all the time being beside the North Platte River.  The is the same river the pioneers followed out of Missouri along the way and into Wyoming and beyond.  Only now the river is quite tame and shallow, the drain of agriculture siphoning off the water has made the Platte quite shallow.  One thing I have noticed in town and around - seems that Lavender grows here really well.  Most homeowners have quite a bush of this plant growing in their yard.

 Lavender

We leave in the morning and will travel along the Lincoln Highway, US Route 30 (the first highway built coast to coast), to Kearney (rhymes like "Barney" of the purple monster kid's fame) Nebraska.  We will also be traveling parallel to the North Platte River. About 290 miles east of here.  We could go farther but we move up to Central Time Zone so we loose an hour of driving.  Will be there a couple of days, then head up to Sioux City, Iowa - wanting to see some things there.

North Platte River - Scotts Bluff in background

North Platte River

As a side note:  Buddy has relaxed and adjusted and at times we can't find him.  He is sleeping on the sink in the bathroom, most of the time with his head resting in the wash bowl - his favorite place in the RV.  I fight with him in the morning while I am taking a shower - he wants in, then he wants out, he wants in, then out, etc.  Travel days he and Grace stay hunkered down in the bedroom, under the bed and within 5 minutes of turning off the engine, they both are out.  They look at me and say - finally!  Grace's favorite place to lay is on a small quilt in the front window, suntanning, while we are sitting still. That's my girl!

Ah - the life - cat nap!