We made it through
the
If given a choice between the NorthWest corner of the state and the
SouthEast...I would pick the northwest. Maybe it was driving I-80 for a few
hours that made it boring...miles and miles of corn. They still grow it
there, a lot.
Btw...my mom and sister sent me an email (which I just got) that I was
roaming around the town my dad was born up there in
know it. I sent a picture of the Cow Poke hotel in my last posting...that
was it. Has the same 20 to 30 families living there now as when he was born
in a sod house.
While still camped in
tornado alert. A rather exciting afternoon with lots of lightening and big
drops of rain. Our camp was snuggled down in some hills, so I don't think
we were in eminent danger. Unfortunately...they had to close the swimming
pool on the only day we would have been able to swim. Only another
over-heated mother can understand the frustration of two small children. As
we were walking away from the entrance Rose asked if we couldn't please go
swimming in the river again. Mind you, the storm has already started. I
had walked them to the pool only to allow them to know for themselves it was
closed--after all, I didn't want to be the bad guy. Good plan, went bad as
I was the bad guy anyway when I told her we couldn't even swim in the river
during a lightening storm and tornado alert.
They got to do their second favorite activity--watch a movie. Same one they
watched 20 times. Before we left the next day, I let them back in the river
while Jerry did the dump thing. Pictures included.
It gets hot in
can now read the temperature and the travel direction from the rear-view
mirror...and does, moment-by-moment. We are giving her an education.
There were very few Kodak moments the next few days.
those states that you must make an effort to find something worth
appreciating. We finally got that on the last night...a brilliant sunset
and electrical storm show. The sunset was amazing. If we didn't know
better we would have thought we were in a prairie fire--it was amazing. It
had been a while since taking a picture, but I joined the other campers and
we were all snapping away. I have included the shot I took just outside our
door.
It is hard to tell if
The camp-hosts suggested that we go back up the highway to the big town
(York) and go to Wendy's as they are a hotspot. We did, and low-and-behold
there is a Starbucks right next door!! Shazamm!! This is a no-brainer.
Got Rose and Chris and frosty at Wendy's and went next door to the world
renown WI-if hotspot for a latte and some civilization. Â That is what folks
from the northwest expect. Change that thought. Starbucks has decided that
folks in
have service. Jerry was a trouper and drove everywhere I pointed to try and
plug into an unsecured network. The list of parking lots we visited for the
next hour or so is mind-boggling. There were networks, but none strong
enough to penetrate all those brick buildings. Folks, I was hanging out the
window trying to get on the Internet.
Some parts of this adventure are only funny when they are behind you.
It is soooo very nice to be connected. I was having withdrawal. I was
carrying this laptop everywhere we went hoping to find a connection. The
next day Jerry went golfing and was telling the owner about my difficulty.
The golf-guy told Jerry that the local crowd all huddled around those tall
grain elevators next to the railroad tracks. You probably remember seeing
them, every little town has one. He said that you can connect in the shadow
of the tower.
"Alrighty", I said. "This is Nebraska. It is weird. I am desperate." I
put Rose and Chris to bed, Jerry was watching the one channel on TV. Into
the pick-up I jump with the laptop in tow heading to the nearest tall
landmark...six miles away. I was thinking the whole way how incredibly
strange this felt. How totally impossible that they would have a router on
the top of those things. Sure enough, when I set up the computer there was
a connection! It was the strongest one I had found so far...so quickly, I
connected hoping that I would get the meager band-width before the crowd
started forming around the railroad tracks. I managed to send most of my
back-log and received six emails apiece for Jerry and I before the
connection just disappeared. You must understand this whole process wasn't
at lightening speed. I had already been there almost an hour to do the
little that I got done. I decided that if I really needed to connect again,
there were elevators at every poh-dunk crossing and could use them at will.
Of course, I never did again. Still am amazed that is the only way to
connect in Nebraska. There were a couple more cars pulling into the area
when I left. HA! I win!
We are now in Iowa. Getting here was an experience in itself. When we got
to the border (which is the Missouri River) there was a very old steel
bridge. It was about a lane and half wide. Two cars could probably pass on
it, but a camper must go it alone. Unfortunately, when it was our turn
there was a tanker-truck half-way across coming toward us. Jerry stopped to
wait for him to finish. He stopped and started to back-up. He finally
relalized that we were waiting and continued crossing. We were laughing so
hard at how Nebraska needs visitors so bad they charge them to leave!!!
This was a toll-bridge. I am sure it has been paid for many times over as
it looked like it was built in the 20's or 30's. Trust me, the toll-booth
and fee-taker were originals as well.
We will be in Iowa until tomorrow, then it is off to Missouri. I suspect
there will be more moments for pictures there. Our wonderful neighbor,
Monya gave us the Reader's Digest Scenic drive book and we found a drive
that is close to where we were going. Now, it is where we are going.
Looking forward to something a little less high-way and a bit more relaxing
and historic. While searching for campsites we found that the national
parks in Missouri are called Mark Twain National Park...all of them. There
are many in various locations. So if someone ever says that is where they
are--you will have no idea where that is.
You can tell I have been away from civilization for a while, as this is
quite long. I feel no guilt as you can delete at any time and I won't know
the difference.
Hugs from all of us to all of you.
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