Today was a very pleasant drive from Laramie, Wyoming to Kearney, Nebraska. We started out on Interstate 80 for a short distance but soon we exited to follow Route 30, the site of the Lincoln Highway.
As we left Laramie and headed east on Interstate 80, at about 11 miles east at exit 323, you come to a rest stop that is located at the highest point on the Interstate 80 system. It is about 8300 feet high and contains a statue of Abraham Lincoln and a monument to Henry Bourne Joy, the president of Packard Motors and a proponent for the Lincoln Highway.
He often camped at the highest point. The real highest point is across the road along Route 30 and it is even higher. We took a picture of us on the original Lincoln Highway before following Route 30 for the rest of the day.
Lincoln Head Monument
Lee & Earline on the original Lincoln Highway at the highest point, 8800 feet elevation.
Following Route 30, we came into Cheyenne, WY, the capitol city of Wyoming. The downtown is quaint and it is interesting to take a quick walk around several blocks to get a flavor of the old part of town. The visitor's center is located in the Cheyenne Depot Plaza, a site of the old trolly cars. Unfortunately it was closed on Sunday.
Downtown Cheyenne, WY
A statue entitled "A New Beginning"
Lincoln Highway marker in downtown Cheyenne, WY
Capitol Building - Cheyenne, WY
From Cheyenne, we went through many small towns and noted a variety of historical sites. One of the sites showed an irrigation flume in Kimball, WY. This flume was used to bring water to the area for farming.
We stopped for lunch at Grandma Jo's in Sidney, NE. The food was meat and potatoes and Earline was forced into a grilled cheese sandwich with a salad bar of iceberg lettuce. She wanted whole wheat bread but they substituted white. I told her to forget about it! She asked if they had WiFi and I laughed when they looked strangely at her. :)
Typical sights from Route 30 of a multitude of corn silos!
I have no idea what the Boxing Highway means.
Road hazards of farm machinery.
Old Vintage Texaco Station
Lee & Earline on an old Lincoln Highway bridge to nowhere. Earline was screaming there were snakes in the grass as I made her go to the bridge for a picture. :)
We arrived in Kearney, NE at about 4:30 pm and checked into the Western Inn South, a budget motel that is clean and has two Queen beds for $34.50 for the first person, $8 for the second and a small amount of tax. I am glad we don't have our pets because the charge $15/pet. That could get pricey with three dogs. :)
Now we will decide on dinner. The brewpubs are closed on Sunday and this disappoints Earline. :)
No comments:
Post a Comment