The Great State of Nebraska

We drove slightly southwest over the vast expanse of prairie, through occasionally heavy rain on a freeway full of trucks that splashed up water, making visibility difficult. The harvest had already been completed on many fields, and cornstalks stool tall but empty. When the sun shone, the panoramic view was of more shades of green and gold than I had ever seen before. Breathtaking, almost.

The area around Omaha was busy but very well laid out and easy to navigate. Usually only one choice:: keep going straight. I had hoped to the capitol in Lincoln, but unlike Minnesota's lovely capitol, it is not visible from the freeway. The famous sculpture of the sower will have to wait for another day.

We stopped only once in Nebraska to pick up tourist information and decide on a place to stay. By then, the rain had stopped and the day was heating up again. North Platte was an hour away and we decided to spend the night at one of the city's many hotels. The value of the drive-by became apparent and we rejected our original choice, deciding easily on the Hampton Inn. The room is comfortable; the pool was empty when I first got in yesterday evening, and breakfast is included. There was no partying last night either in or around the hotel!

This is a foggy morning, and the sunrise will be late because we're so far west in the timezone. Sunny weather is forecast so it looks like a good day to be on the road.