Keeping off the Beaten Path

What a day I had today. I started out in North Platte, stopped in Ogallala - just had to go there because the name is so fun to say - from there went to Lewellen and then Sidney, Nebraska. I then drove to Cheyenne, Wyoming by the back roads and stopped in Kimball, NE and Pine Bluffs, WY. I have found some of the most unique and interesting places.

Along the way I just asked people which way they would go and if there was anyplace they would suggest I visit, and I get all kinds of suggestions. Most often they lead me away from the main highways and down more interesting pathways.

In Ogallala there is the most interesting Petrified wood museum. 2 brothers who are in their 80 collect petrified wood specimens, make things out of them, but also have amassed this huge collection that is on display at the museum. They also have collected 'points' or what I have always thought of as Arrowheads and have made some pictures with them and also have this huge collection. Kathy, the woman running the museum said that most came from Lake McConouhy. I doubt if it was Matt's lake but a couple of years prior and I may have gone looking for him.

From Ogallala I drove to Lewellen as there was supposed to be a winery there and I wanted to add to my collection with Nebraska wine. For whatever reason - I could not find the place. I called and the number was disconnected, so that made me think that maybe the wine industry in Nebraska is flourishing as much as the one in Kansas.

Here is where I get confused on what happened next - as I was driving west I came into the town of OshKosh, NE which claims itself as the Goose Hunting Capitol. I even turned around to take a picture of the sign so I could show JT and Christopher. And then as I was driving along the North Platte river I kept seeing all these geese. I am not sure if it was that they all seemed to be in pairs that was bugging me, or if it was just that I was noticing the dang things. And then I get to Sidney and the Cabella headquarters is there and they supposedly have the largest Cabella store. Of all things, I stopped and went inside. There is this big display of all kind of animals inside and then mounted heads all over the store. Again, took LOTS of pictures. Thank goodness my sister Cathy called in the middle of the excursion so I got a bit of sanity back. I did not buy the hiking shoes, did not make a phone call to see if the boys needed anything and got the heck out of there. The confusing thing was why I had stopped in the first place.

Kimball and Pine Bluffs are just small little western towns. I did find an antique store in Kimball and while I spent time looking at things, I kept telling myself that it was all junk that eventually I would have to get rid of....in fact, that is what I am trying to do now with all the antiques I currently have. It is not about having stuff - it is about ridding yourself of stuff. I must have read or heard that in some self help book or CD.

Driving with nothing else do do...I had lots of time to observe and wonder.....

There are two train tracks that run alongside each other and there are trains with more than 150 cars that pass each other with full cars one way and empty the other. It looks like it could be coal, but where would that be from? Or, once I passed these huge cattle farms, I wondered if it could be filled with cow droppings? All I know is that they had black stuff piled in them one way and were empty the other way.

There are gates that go across the entrances to the interstate and they say road closed. Why would they be closed? Snow and ice? I don't think it was flooding.

I heard that the pheasant hunting was also good in Nebraska, but it was clear the farmers don't want people just stopping anywhere to hunt. The posting of No Hunting is down on tires and hung up on poles along side a fence row. Can't miss them so you couldn't play innocent.

I was so pleased that a lot of my stereotypes on the prairie was validated with the far reaching fields, the windmills in the fields, the sprinkling systems, the cut corn fields that have not been plowed under yet, etc. The one thing I was unprepared for was all of the rocks and the southwest looking landscapes. I guess i expected completely flat, and that was not the case. I am learning lots as I go.

For instance, did you know there is a Nebraska lottery? Which state doesn't have one is probably a better question, but when I got gas and saw that it was worth 224 million, I did buy 3 tickets. If I won, I will let you know later...

I arrived in Cheyenne early enough to walk through the city, go to the Historic Depot, see the train yards, drive by the capital building with the gold dome and then head over to the local microbrewery for a quick taste before I found a place for dinner.

My wine tour is now turning into a micro brew tour. I guess it is bottle of one or a six pack of another, but at the end of the day, I am still having something to drink.

Dinner was such a treat. I have found that if i order my meal at the bar, I tend up finding people to talk with. I am willing to talk to anyone about my Burning Woman Journey and most folks wish they too had the time to take a journey. I haven't asked them if they would give up their job to do it, but my guess is that would not be their choice.

Anyway, at Sanfords Restaurant, I met some younger than me people who i enjoyed visiting with. To say we were different would be an understatement. Brian had multiple lip and ear piercings, Lucas has a Mohawk that was hidden by a hat, but the picture of it shows it sticking up in 5 inch spikes, and then there was Erin who was the connector of all. I knew Dr. Drey and knew about blogs, so I was not totally out of touch with the world. Erin knew a lot about the microbreweries in Fort Collins so I took notes on what to see in the area. Great place eat, and while I thought I would go light, I ended up having one of the best chicken sandwiches I have ever had.

I am going to try and find a place to ride a horse in my western clothes. Should be fun....