Kearney, Nebraska

We left Gering, Nebraska (far western part of Nebraska) by 8am yesterday morning and followed the Oregon Trail, Route 92/26 eastbound, zig zagging through many small towns.  Hardly any one on the road, that's a great thing.  We passed Chimney Rock and then about 20 miles later drove past Courthouse Rock and Jail Rock, two other large formations that the pioneers used as markers when traveling westbound.

Good bye Chimney Rock

The North Platte River in some areas was very wide, moving rapidly, very muddy.  We were told that this has been a wet summer, very unusual.  When we got to the town of Gothenburg we were forced off our route which now followed Route 30, the Lincoln Highway, due to construction and had to bite the bullet and get on Interstate 80.  Grrr - just don't like being on the highway when a trucker passes you and you get sucked into their lane from their air movement.  But we managed the 55 miles left on the trip and got here at the campground in Kearney by 4pm - we had to move the time up to Central.

Hello Courthouse Rock and Jail Rock

Platte River very wide at times

We have noticed in our travels as we rode eastbound on the Oregon Trail that there is little if no mention of the Mormon Trail which followed on the same route, on many of the roadside markers.  Plenty of mention or roadside markers with Oregon Trail, California Trail and Pony Express route. And we have also noticed no Church of the Ladder Day Saints (Mormon) in small towns.  Lots of Lutheran and Wesleyan Churches. Another thing we keep seeing - boots/shoes up ended on fence posts.  Found out about that - many different ideas but I like this one...a sign of respect for the rancher or homesteader as you pass by their land, place an old boot on the fencepost.  The other thought is that by putting old shoes/boots on fence posts will not let water penetrate down into the wood, preventing the post from rotting out.  I like the first one better.

Most of our travels have been very successful in avoiding rain.  Last summer's trip to the state of Washington - out on the road for 5 months - had very little rain.  This trip - not so.  We have had rain at every campground we have been in.  Fortunately our travel days when we are getting from A to B, have been lucky with traveling in very light misty rain that has stopped, or none at all.  That's what we plan for - no driving in rain.  Too hard and too stressful.  We are waiting this morning for a rain storm to go by before heading out to see some things.

Did you know that we are half way between Boston and San Francisco?  Exactly 1,733 miles from each.  Which way should we go?  And....we are half way between Picacho (our winter home in Arizona) and Vermilion, Ohio - 723 miles.  Now I know which way we are going - Vermilion!