Trip to Colorado 2011 - Sunday July 31

Sunday

7-31-11

Woke up at 7:00 this morning and Dale and I were on the road by 8. After saying our goodbyes we stopped at Starbucks for coffee. We drove until we hit Fort Morgan, Colorado and then stopped for breakfast at McDonald's.

Went east on I-76. The landscape to the south of the highway was gently rolling hills which looked very grassy with no trees. I remember back in 1986 when Mom, Dad, Sam, Pete and I were driving back from Las Vegas after visiting my Aunt Linda and her daughters. We were covering this same stretch of highway only it was night time and the moon was full. This same landscape looked absolutely lunar at night. I was listening to a song by U2 which added to the whole moody atmosphere.

Dale said that I-76 used to be I-80S but that during the Bicentennial there was a push to rename it 76 in honor of 1776-1976 for the nation and 1876-1976 for Colorado's centennial.

Backup on I-80 near exit 366 so we decided to get off the highway there. Drove north and picked up US-34 going east. We drove through the charming town of Seward, Nebraska where I got a few photos. Decided to stay on 34 until Lincoln, Nebraska. Pushed a little further through Omaha and decided to stop in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Dinner at Olive Garden.

Top photo is a grain elevator in Fort Morgan, Colorado. Bottom picture is a county building in Seward, Nebraska.

Trip to Colorado 2011 - The Drive Part 2

Tuesday

7-26-11

Left Kearney at about 7:45 a.m. and hopped back on I80. Crossed into Wyoming at 10:55 a.m. mountain time. Our cell phones kept jumping back and forth between time zones for a little while after we crossed. Crossed into Colorado at about 4:00 p.m. and made it to Brenda and Irv's around 7:30.

The top two photos at left are near Sidney, Nebraska. The bottom photo is a cornfield.

Trip to Colorado 2011 - The Drive Part 1

Monday

7-25-11

On the road by 7:55 am. Highway 62 West to 100 South and then 169 South to Mankato. Went by LeSeur, Minnesota and through the valley of the Jolly Green Giant. Very pretty country. Went through St. Peter, Minnesota which was lovely. Dale said it was the kind of small town he could live in. We picked up Highway 60 just west of Mankato and the had lunch at Perkins in Worthington, Minnesota. Dale had the salmon. I had a burger. Crossed into Iowa shortly after noon. 60 turned into Highway 75 a little was before we hit Merrill, Iowa. Went by the Loess Hills while driving south on 29. Got onto US 30. Lots of flooding of the Missouri River. In many places the water was nearly up to the road. Crossed over Missouri River into Nebraska. Eventually got onto Highway 680 near Omaha and then got on I80. We stopped in Kearney, Nebraska and had dinner at Red Lobster. The waitress told us she wanted to come to Colorado with us. Did a lot of walking around Kearney in the evening.