Day 03 Summer 2010 Park to Park Road Trip

We had breakfast at Arby’s this morning so that Karen could enjoy a Pecan Sticky Bun. She had it half eaten before I had time to get the camera out and take a photo.

There is a field of corn behind our hotel, and I couldn’t believe how tall the corn is so early in the season. It is taller than I can reach. It is no where near this tall back home.

We passed underneath The Great Platte River Road Archway at Kearny NE. We visited the archway last summer on our Lincoln Highway road trip. If you are ever in this area, the museum is well worth the visit.

More construction on I-80, fortunately the traffic is moving at speed so there are no delays.

At noon, we stopped for lunch at the Perkins Restaurant in North Platte NE. This is one of our favourite restaurants because of the fabulous dessert selection. We had strawberry pie for dessert.

We crossed the state line into Colorado. Finally we can add Colorado to our States Visited Map.

We stopped at the Welcome Center and picked up a pile of brochures of things to do while in Colorado. The first thing we are going to do is visit The Rocky Mountain National Park tomorrow.

Here is a map of the route that we drove today.

To see all of our photos from today, please click on this link to my FLICKR site.

Day 02 Summer 2010 Park to Park Road Trip

This is the route that we will drive today, 920 KM

We woke up early, had a quick breakfast at the hotel and we’re on the road by 8:30 am. Immediately we are back into the construction. President Obama is re-building America, or at least several dozen miles of I-80 in Illinois.

We start seeing giant wind turbines as we drive along I-280 in Illinois. There are dozens of them on both sides of the Interstate

We crossed over the Mississippi River and half way across, we left Illinois and entered Iowa.

A few years ago we watched a show on TV about a truckers jamboree at the IOWA 80 Truck Stop. Reportedly, the largest truck stop in the world. I had forgotten about that show until I saw the sign above the Interstate. I had to stop and see this place. Definitely the nicest, cleanest, largest truck stop that I have ever seen. The place was a hive of activity because the annual truckers jamboree is being held tomorrow and the next day.

A few photos of the interior, but to see all of my photos, you can visit my FLICKR site, or click on the link above to be taken directly to the website for the Iowa 80 Truck Stop.

A few of photos of the Iowa Sky this afternoon.

Then we cross the state line into Nebraska.

Finally we see our favourite water tower. We saw this water tower on last summers Lincoln Highway Road Trip. Reminds me of a large hot air balloon.

Tomorrow we will be on the road again heading for Colorado. We have never been in the State of Colorado so this will be a first and I will get to add it to my Visited States Map.

Day 8 Summer Vacation 2009

Here is the map that we will be following today as we drive on the Lincoln Highway to Cheyenne WY.

We had waffles for breakfast at the hotel this morning. This is the first hotel on this vacation that has had waffles available in their breakfast room. It was a nice change from the standard cereal and bagels typically offered.

We left North Platte NE and headed towards Hershey NE.

We stopped in at Ole’s Big Game Steakhouse in Paxton NE for a morning cup of coffee and to check out the big game that adorn the walls. Sorry the pictures are not the best, my blackberry camera does not take very good indoor photos.

We stopped in at the Red Crown Filling Station and Visitors Center in Ogallala NE to sign their guest book and to see what pamphlets they had.

Leaving Ogallala NE we drove through Brule NE and then on towards the California Hill west of Brule. This is more of a dirt trail rather than a dirt road, but I am sure we can drive on it.

We then drove through Big Springs NE were we found the Phelps Hotel and a couple more barbed wire buffalo.

Then on into the town of Chappell NE. Here we found The Sweden Cream Dairy Stand, Kerk’s Barber Shop and the Sno King Cafe. The Sweden Cream Dairy Stand is closed and for sale, $42,000.00 Kerk’s Barber Shop was closed. It is Monday so I guess that is why. I was hoping to get my hair cut. Sno King Cafe also closed.

We headed West into Lodgepole NE and found the Lodgepole Opera House which is located above the Lodgepole Filling Station. The sign on the building has a nice weathered look, some people call these “ghost signs” because they are so faded and washed out.

Leaving Lodgepole NE, the Lincoln Highway returns to being a dirt gravel road.

Sidney Nebraska was the next little town that we passed through. In Sidney NE we found the Dude Steak House and the El Palomino Motel.

We stopped for lunch and hot fudge sundaes at the Potter Sundry in Potter Nebraska. You need to eat lots of ice cream to stay cool when it is 34 C outside. Sorry, forgot to take a photo of the sundaes.

We drove through Dix NE and on to Kimball NE where we found a really neat old building. The Wheat Growers Hotel. I like the brickwork and design of this building. Most of the windows have been smashed out and plywood has been put into the windows.

Just West of Kimball NE we found the old abandoned Drive-In Theater.

Then we crossed the border from Nebraska into Wyoming. I can now update my “States Visited” map.

Here is the Welcome to Wyoming sign and across the road from the sign is the long abandoned Smitty’s Truck Stop.

A summer storm is starting to set up ahead of us and all along the road beside us, the hydro poles are leaning as if they are ready to fall over.

More storm clouds.

We stopped to take photos of some horses in Burns Wyoming.

More horses West of Hillsdale WY.

We stopped at Baskin Robbins as we came into Cheyenne WY. I think we have stopped at 8 or 10 Baskin Robbins now, and not one of them has had Karen’s favourite Chocolate Fudge flavour. This Baskin Robbins did have Fudge Brownie and Karen thought that was a close second to the Chocolate Fudge. I think that is enough ice cream for one day.

We checked into our hotel then went out for dinner. When we were returning to the hotel, there was a double rainbow over head.

We are staying in Cheyenne for 2 nights and that will give us a chance to check out some of Cheyenne's highlights tomorrow.

To see all of our photos from today, you can click on the link to my FLICKR site.