Driving through eastern Nebraska on Interstate 80 gave me planty of time to think. The scenery is less than spectacular unless you are into endless cornfields. It was my first time being in that part of Nebraska and its easy to see why the U of Nebraska chose the Cornhusker as their mascot. On my previous travels into the state we had entered from the western side. Our daughter, Mandy, was of college age and had transferred to the U of Wyoming to finish her engineering degree. Joan and I had just retired and moved to the farm in West Virginia and decided to go out and visit her. I made the mistake of suggesting a trip over to Sydney, Nebraska to visit the original Cabela’s store. Never turn two “outdoorsy” types like my wife and daughter loose with a credit card in a Cabela’s!!!

On this same visit with Mandy in Laramie we picked her up at her dorm on Saturday morning to go to breakfast. It was the fall of the year and while in the restaraunt Joan noticed a flier advertising flu shots. It was supposed to be a bad year for the flu so we all three decided to go get the shot. I mean what better way to spend part of your vacation! We asked the waitress for directions to the place and she sent us to a small complex of buildings that was actually located in the fairgrounds. Surprisingly for us when we drove in there was a somewhat long line of people ahead of us. But we really wanted the shot and had nothing else scheduled so we joined the line. I remember that as we stood there and chatted I noticed that many of the others in line were rather shabbily dressed. Dusty cowboy boots run down at the heel, frayed jeans, flannel shirts with maybe an elbow protruding. But I figured that these were just hardworking ranch hands who had just finished the morning chores with the horses and cows, and, like me, were interested in avoiding getting sick with the flu. Finally we reached the head of the line and the people at the table started asking us what kind of cheese we wanted, yellow American or white American, and did we prefer smooth or crunchy peanut butter. When I explained that we did not want any of that stuff, but just our flu shots they told me we were in the wrong line. This was the Department of Welfare giving away free cheese, and we wanted the Health Department next door. So we hung our heads and headed next door, embarassed but at least the line was a lot shorter.

Eastern South Dakota was much like eastern Nebraska, but western South Dakota offers much in the way of unique and spectacular scenery as does western North Dakota. In South Dakota we visited Badlands National Park, Wind Cave National Park, Jewel Cave National Monument and Mt Rushmore National Monument. We also visited the Minuteman Missle National Monument which tells a great story of the Cold War period. While not a national park or national monument the Crazy Horse monument is a private endeavor that has turned down federal funding on several occasions to remain independent. Custer State Park near Custer, SD is certainly worth a visit. While there we saw not only the natural beauty of the terrain, but wild buffalo, mule deer, bighorn sheep, and praire dogs all in their natural habitat.

After leaving South Dakota our plan was to go into northeastern Wyoming to see Devil’s Tower National Monument. However, that did not work out, and we ended up on the road to North Dakota. Our objective there was to visit both the North and South units of Theodore Roosevelt National Park and we accomplished that today. Just like Custer State Park in South Dakota, both units of Theodore Roosevelt NP are full of buffalo.

Finally, the trip up through Nebraska, South Dakota and into North Dakota was a minor irritation due to the highways. For reasons I would never understand the engineers have evidently decided to put an expansion joint in the road every 50 to 75 feet. This was essentially true on all of the roads in the three states except the interstate highways. The pavement on each side of the joint tends to settle, leaving a bump at each joint. Driving either the WildaBeast or the car on these roads makes for a bumpy ride. Wilda is full of stuff like pots and pans that rattle at each bump. I believe that when Teddy Roosevelt first came to this area he must have followed the same route that we have followed on these roads. My theory is that this is the reason that he and his gang were referred to as the Rough Riders.

Now its on to Montana and a long haul all the way across the Big Sky state to reach Glacier National Park before we finally head into Canada.

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