In North Platte, Nebraska

We made the move Friday from Rawlins, Wyoming to North Platte. We discovered who the major employer was in Rawlins - Sinclair Oil Company.  Huge plant just east of town.

Picture doesn't do it justice - a very large refining plant

Long, boring drive once we passed eastward out of Cheyenne.  First obstacle was driving up and over the Medicine Bow Mountain range, could see snow all around us, spring has not come through this part yet.  And we dodge rain for most of the climb up and over.  Wasn't bad climb, gentle to 8000 feet.

Heading towards Medicine Bow Mountains

Gentle climb up

Was snowing on top when we came through

Then settled down to about 7200 feet and came into Laramie, a sprawling town nestled at the base of the Laramie Mountain range.  We knew once we crossed over those mountains that we would be in 'flat land' again for many months, until our return westward back to Arizona.

Passed down out of Medicine Bow, now onto Laramie

Very strange looking mountains at summit of Laramie Mountains

Laramie Mountain range was beautiful.  Climbing up to about 9500 feet and then plateau for a dozen miles before we started a very casual decline down to the flat lands of the prairie.  Boring. Nothing much to look at, very few towns along Interstate 80.

Passed the Lincoln Visitor's Center - we were/are on Lincoln Highway

Rocky Mountains in distance - Fort Collins, CO at base

Lots of refineries - this one also Sinclair

Crossed into Nebraska about 100 miles out of Cheyenne, still had another 177 miles to go. Reached our goal of the Holiday RV campground in North Platte by 4pm, our second longest drive we have had - 394 miles.  But, was not a bad drive other than the mountain ranges.  We ran into quite a bit of road construction but was able to move along at 62 miles an hour regardless.  We felt that we were getting near to home - saw those orange flowers sitting right on the highway (orange barrels).

Hello, Nebraska 

A whole lot of nothing, and flat

Passed Sidney, Nebraska - headquarters to Cabela's

We have one thing to do today, to see the Golden Spike Tower of Union Pacific Railroad.  Then we leave in the morning and head again on Interstate 80 to just outside Des Moines, Iowa, staying long enough to do some shopping, then we make our turn north to Minneapolis, Minnesota.