NE, IA – Aug 2023

So I’ve traded the majestic mountains and canyons of UT and WY for the magnificent rolling hills and never ending fields of corn in NE and IA. Also present in these fields are rows upon rows of wind turbines spinning to the prairie breeze to generate fossil-free energy.  The mix of the traditional farms with the high-tech wind farms are seemingly in sharp contrast to each other yet somehow manage to coexist nicely together.  It’s quite the difference in scenery, yet equally beautiful in its own way.  It has been a fairly mad dash traveling through these mid western states with just enough down time at each stop to take in some of the more interesting features about them.  What follows are the highlights of those stops.

Tire Update

Ok, before I get rolling on this edition of the blog, I wanted to share a spare tire update with all of you.  Prior to arriving in Salt Lake City, I setup an appointment with their local Ford dealership to have some regularly scheduled maintence done on the truck.  This mostly consisted of an oil change and a new fuel filter.  When I arrived at the quick lane and spoke with the service manager, I confirmed the routine work that needed to be done.  I also mentioned that I had a problem with my spare tire, and that the specialized and unique socket key that was required to take down the spare was no longer in my possession.  I indicated if there was anything he can do to fix that situation, I would be most appreciative.  After being in the waiting area a short while, he caught up with me with this token key in hand.  Apparently, the tech who was working on my truck was very familiar with this problem, and new exactly how to punch out and remove the keyed token to return the spare tire system to using the normal spare tire tool – negating the need for the matching socket key.  I was thrilled, and very thankful for this update.  And, they only charged me $60 in tech time for the fix.  Well worth it!  And of course, as luck would have it, just a week later I had picked up a nail or screw or something that punctured one of the rear tires, and I only discovered it just as I had lowered the RV onto the truck as I was about to depart the campground.  So, I disconnected the RV, and drove straight to a tire place.  Fortunately, having dually tires in the rear allows you to freely drive on a flat without doing any damage to the tire.  So, a quick patch job at the tire shop, and I was back to the campground hooking up and taking off – only about an hour later than originally planned.  Not bad this time!  I’m hoping my tires will last me through the rest of this years journey, so that I can get the four back tires replaced when I get back to FL in Nov.  But it’s good to know that if I do happen to get a flat, I at least now have access to the spare!

Nebraska

My first stop in NE was to the town of Ogallala.  The town with the funny name has a population of around 5,000, and was once a stop on the Pony Express, and later along the transcontinental railroad.  It did have a few Roadside items of interest, but instead I opted to visit the town of North Platte about 50 miles to the east.  There I found a number of interesting things to see.  First up was a visit to this very nicely done Veterans Memorial park.  All branches of the military are honored there, along with the North Platte Canteen (more on that later).  The walk of honor is lined with thousands of commemorative bricks with the names of veterans who served during wars within the 20th century.  Lots of great statues line both sides leading up to a 15 foot brick wall featuring a mural depicting the five major conflicts from World War I thru the first Iraq War.  A really nicely done park.

Next, I visited a place called the Fort Cody Trading Post.  William Frederick Cody, aka Buffalo Bill, actually lived in North Platte for many years, and made it the HQ of his famous Wild West show.  The fake fort is lined with mannequin dummy’s at the walls and towers to give it a bit of interest and authenticity. Travelers along I-80 are attracted to this roadside pit stop with its 30-foot Buffalo Bill Cody sign and a promise of a free museum.  The museum was kinda cool as it included a two headed cow, a giant muffler man converted to an Indian, and a diorama depicting how the trading post once looked back in the day.  Definitely an interesting stop.

Next up was a visit to a swimming pool shaped like the state of Nebraska.  Located at the Holiday Trav-L-Park campground, this pool was kinda interesting.  As I was sneaking around outside the fence taking pictures (the pool was actually closed and unoccupied), an employee of the campground came around to check up on me and I told him about the pool being listed in Roadside America, which he had no knowledge of.  He was very gracious and took me into the pool area for some up close pictures.  Sadly, he hadn’t been employed there too long and knew very little about the pools history.  Oh well.

Last up on my North Platte list was a visit to the North Platte railroad yard.  This place was filled with very interesting history.  First, the Bailey Yard as it’s known, is the largest railroad classification yard in the world.  This facility, owned and operated by the Union Pacific Railroad,  sorts, services, and repairs trains and cars traveling all across North America.  The yard covers just over 4 square miles, is over 8 miles long, has 200 separate tracks totaling 315 miles, and has lots of switches and turnouts, as well as many receiving and departing tracks.  An average of  140 trains and over 14,000 railroad cars pass through this yard daily.  It is quite the place!  Second, between 1941 and 1946, a large group of woman, supported by other people and businesses from all nearby states, started a Canteen whereby they would provide baked goods and refreshments to more than six million service members during a 10-minute stop here at the yard as they were convoyed across the Unites States on their way to other countries during World War II.  There was a documentary video running here, produced by NPR, which told the story of the Canteen.  I was mesmerized and sat there watching it for almost 30 minutes.  You can see a minute and a half version of that story HERE.  It made me wonder if perhaps my father or any of my uncles who served in WWII might have passed through here and had personally experienced the down-home hospitality of this community.  A truly fascinating and humbling story.  The final point of interest here was this observation tower – known as the Golden Spike Tower.  The brainchild of the North Platte community back in 1999, they dreamed up this plan to attract visitors by building a giant tower shaped like a golden spike from which railroad fans could watch the train action in the yard.  Well, the tower is not actually gold, and its shape doesn’t really look like a spike, but it certainly does provide an excellent vantage point from its 8th floor observation level some 95 feet above the ground.  It also offered lots of history and artifacts for the true railroad fanatic.  Overall, it was a fun visit and learning about the Canteen was an unexpected bonus.

My next Nebraska stop would take me to Kearney – a mid sized town with a population approaching 34k.  It too got its start as a stopping point for gold prospectors, Pony Express riders, and Union Pacific Railroad workers.  Today it’s a thriving community with various manufacturing and university level education at its core.  There were a couple points of interest in Kearney including this old oxen pulling a prairie schooner.  Located driving west on US-30, this attraction is actually part of a building that used to be a trading post.  Many years ago, the owner passed away and the trading post closed – now sadly in deteriorating condition only serving as a memento of the ways things used to be.  But, an interesting site none the less.  Also in Kearney, along I-80, is the Great Platte River Archway Monument.  Because it was 100+ degrees hot outside, and this was to be the last stop of  a long tiring day, I didn’t actually go inside the archway, which reportedly contains historical exhibits from the Oregon Trail era through today.  I simply looked at and enjoyed the magnitude of the structure as it spans across Interstate 80.  I also checked out some of the sculptures at the entrance – specifically the one titled “A Narrow Escape”.  It tells the story of two brothers aged 12 and 15, who were putting up hay with their father when they were attacked by Indians.  The two brothers hopped on a horse together to escape, but were hit with four arrows – one of which pinned them together.  They fell to the ground and were left for dead.  Miraculously, they were found the following day alive, were treated, and ultimately grew, married, and had kids of their own.  Quite the interesting story.

From Kearney I took a day trip to the south about 20 miles to the town of Minden.  There, I would find perhaps the largest and most broad and extensive private collection of stuff that I’ve ever seen in all my travels.  The place was called Pioneer Village and was founded in 1953 by Harold Warp.  Harold was born here in Minden, and was the youngest of 12 children to an immigrant family from Norway.  At three years old his father died, followed by the death of his mother when he was eleven.  He eventually moved to Chicago with a couple of his brothers, and a patent for a plastic window material he invented called Flex-O-Glass.  He began manufacturing the plastic product in Chicago, and the business became a success.  In fact, Warp Bros. still operates today under family ownership and produces lots of plastic-based products like trash bags, garden edging, window shrink film, and the like.

Well, apparently Harold was also quite the collector and historian.  In 1953, he opened Pioneer Village to be a museum-like public display of his amassed collection of items.  And I don’t use the term amassed lightly!  This village is made up of 28 buildings spread across 20 acres and boasts a collection of over 50,000 items.  The theme of the museum (and also the title of his book) is “A History of Man’s Progress from 1830 To The Present”.  That is, he takes everyday items, say for example a stove, and builds a collection of them as they had evolved from 1830 to present.  And he does this for cars (there are more than 350 classics on display), farm equipment like tractors and combines, airplanes, everyday household items, and even the evolution of an entire room like kitchens, bedrooms, living rooms, etc.  This place was absolutely amazing!  I can’t even begin to imagine what this collection is worth.  And supposedly, each item has been repaired and/or restored to be fully operational.  Just check out the thumbnail pictures, and for a more in-depth look, check out the full collection of the photos I took in full resolution using the link at the bottom of this blog.  This place was absolutely amazing!  Oh, and the urinals shown at right were not in the actual village, but rather were in the men’s room at the nearby Pioneer Village Campground.  According to Roadside America, these urinals once flushed the pee of World War II Germans in a nearby Nebraska POW camp.  They were reportedly salvaged from the camp, and reused in this common campground bathroom.  Apparently, there was once a sign above them that told this story, but for fear that the bathroom would be overrun with urinal historians and curiosity seekers, it was removed.  True story?  I have no idea, but I had to at least have a look and grab a picture.  I might have even shared in the biological rituals myself that our foes had once participated in.  😂

My final stop along my trek across southern Nebraska would take me to the town of Gretna – sort of midway between Lincoln and Omaha.  I had explored Lincoln and nearby Ashland during last year’s pass thru the area, so this time I mostly focused on Omaha.  However, I did learn that a Peter Toth Trails of the Whispering Giants sculpture was supposed to be located in Lincoln.  So before I travelled to Omaha, I did head back to Lincoln to check it out.  It was to be located at the outside entrance to the Indian Center Inc. – an organization that serves the Native American community.  Sadly, all that was there was the concrete block upon which the carving once stood.  I stepped inside the office and by chance met up with Steven who was the executive director of the center.  He was very gracious with his time and info, and shared with me that the wood carving had given in to the weather and insects, and had rotted.  He then told me the story of when Peter was there back in 1980 to make this piece, he basically camped out and lived behind the center, while locals would bring him food.  Having met Peter, I can definitely visualize him camping out back there.  Anyway, Steven then took me on a tour throughout the center that houses several other pieces of Toth art that were created during his stay.  All were much smaller pieces in comparison to his Whispering Giants, and all in perfect condition as they have been housed within the confines of the center and away from the elements.  It was nice to see so many other pieces of his work being represented here.  While in the area, I also took a drive to the entrance of the Lincoln Airport to see the paper airplane art piece.  Built in 2015 by local artist Shannon Hansen at a cost of $100k, it is 32 feet long and made of white-painted steel.  It was rather cool and certainly a fitting art piece for an airport!

On my way from Lincoln to Omaha, I stopped off at the beautiful Holy Family Shrine just on the outskirts of Gretna.  Sitting atop a large hill overlooking Sarpy County valley, this magnificent glass-walled structure is in plain view of all travelers heading east or west on I-80.  In fact, it’s more like a church than a shrine, and actually holds a Catholic mass each Saturday morning.  The entire shrine is composed of the chapel, a visitor center, and gardens throughout.  The central theme of the center is baptism, with a spiral art piece located in the visitor center that drips water into a pond, which in turn runs the entire length into the church via open canals all the way to the front of the chapel below the alter.  Openings at each of the pews offers visitors a glimpse at the passing water and serves as a reminder of ones own baptism.  In 1999, enough funding was secured to begin construction.  By mid July 2000, the structural trusses were erected and the Chapel was taking shape.  A week later, a ferocious windstorm came through the area and collapsed all the work that had been accomplished.  Recognizing this as a test of their faith, they regrouped, changed the structural elements, and began once again.  By Jul 2002, the chapel and visitor center were complete, and open to the public.  This really was an awe inspiring place, and truly a place to be reflective.

Next I ventured into Omaha to catch several Roadside items there which included several art pieces located throughout the city.  ConAgra, a huge food conglomerate that owns lots of major brands to include Hunts, Healthy Choice, Slim Jim, Reddiwip, Pam, Hebrew National, and most notably Chef Boyardee, was headquartered here in Omaha from 1919 thru 2016 until it moved its HQ to Chicago.  Several ConAgra offices remain here in Omaha, and this particular office building sports a life-size statue of Italian immigrant Ettore Boiardi – who founded Chef Boyardee in Milton, PA in 1928.  You sure can’t miss that signature grin on his face!  Just down the road was this other pasta related art piece of a giant fork spinning through some spaghetti titled “Stile di Famiglia” – Family Style. This piece is located in a residential neighborhood known as Little Italy, and was commissioned by the Homeowners Association.  Last up was a visit to an art piece simply titled “Labor”.  This consists of several tall bronze statues of laborers working in various roles in a metal plant.  The ladles used in this piece were reportedly taken fm from an old refinery here in Omaha.  This piece sits along the shores of the Missouri River which made for a nice enjoyable and picturesque visit.

No trip to this area would be complete without some reference or visit to something related to the Lincoln Highway.  Nebraska was one of 13 original states in which America’s first transcontinental highway passed through.  Formally dedicated in 1913 and affectionately known as the Main Street Across America, the Lincoln Highway was to be the first automobile roadway across America – running roughly 3,389 miles from Time Square in NYC to Lincoln Park in San Francisco, CA.  Most of the original highway is long gone now, having mostly been replaced by US-30 and eventually I-80.  However, an original brick layed stretch of the road was preserved here in Omaha.  I of course took the opportunity to drive along this 3-mile stretch of very bumpy, and mostly deserted roadway, just for fun.  I even took the truck’s dash cam video from the ride and created this little movie of the journey for your viewing pleasure.  I hope you enjoy it!

I also learned that Omaha was the birthplace of our 38th President, Gerald R. Ford.  Though the actual house no longer exists, a beautiful Betty Ford inspired rose garden, a research center, and a collection of various Ford exhibits now occupy the historic site.  There was a model of the home on display, and it was certainly not too shabby.  There is also a time capsule buried on the grounds from 1976.  It is to be opened 100 year later in 2076 – a mere 53 years from now.  At that time, the contents will be out on display for a while, then have newer items added then re-buried for another 100 years.  What fun!  There were several granite stones which listed each President starting with Washington, with their names, and dates of inauguration.  Interestingly, President Obama was the last entry.  So, I presume they have either run out of funds to maintain the engravings, or have decided President Trump was not deserving of an entry.  Hmmm – I wonder which?

Iowa

Following my rapid run through of Nebraska, my next stop brings me right around central Iowa to the town of Newton – about 30 miles east of Des Moines.  While being only a small town of approximately 15,000 residents, Newton has a lot of history.   Most notably, it was the home to Frederick Louis Maytag I (1857-1937) – founder of the Maytag Company.  Until it was purchased in 2006 by Whirlpool Corp, all Maytag appliances were built here in Newton.  F.L. Maytag donated a 40-acre park, now named Maytag Park.  It’s a magnificent park with a huge pool, outdoor amphitheater and lots of open space.  In 2007, “Ol Lonely” – the underutilized Maytag repairman, was added to the park.  After Whirlpool acquired Maytag, they soon thereafter closed both the office and manufacturing complexes, putting many of the Newton residents out of work.  However, new industries moved in, and today they are deeply involved in building both the tower and blade sections of these massive wind turbines (left, lower right).  Also, the great grandson of F.L  Maytag got involved with farming here in Newton and now has a large presence here at the Maytag Diary Farms producing Maytag Blue Cheese.  Lastly, Newton is home to the Iowa Speedway (left center and lower left), the only short track owned and operated by NASCAR west of the Mississippi.  So, Newton seems to have bounced back nicely and appears to be thriving today.

There were several other Roadside items of interest in the area.  Located in the yard of an otherwise normal looking private residence, were these oversized aluminum bugs.  They are the work of this home owner Kevin Korte – a crop and cattle farmer by day, and budding artist by night.  He started the craft 8 years ago after being inspired from what he saw at a local sculpture show. Having shown no prior artistic desire or talent, he dove in and using scrap metals from his farm, he created his first creature – the Praying Mantis.  Over the course of subsequent years, he has added a grass hopper and mosquito to the collection.  Turns out this farmer has got some artsy blood in him.

Next, I visited a rock memorial for famous boxer Rocky Marciano.  Rocky was born Rocco Francis Marchegiano on Sept 1, 1923 in Brockton, MA and is best known for being the heavyweight boxing campion from 1952 thru 1956, and also being the only champion to have finished his heavyweight career undefeated at 49-0 with 43 KOs.  On Aug 31, 1969, the day before his 46th birthday, the small private plane that he was flying in hit bad weather while on his way to Des Moines.  The pilot attempted to land the plane at a small airfield just outside Newton, but sadly crashed into a tree a couple miles short of the runway killing all on board.  This rock and accompanying information plaque were dedicated in 2019 on the 50th anniversary of the crash.  Last up for Iowa items of interest is this massive 60 foot tall art piece made up of over 200 steel wagon wheels.  Besides its natural beauty, what makes this special is that it was built in 1994 by Leonard J. Maasdom – then a spry 90 year old.  Leonard had collected the wheels over his lifetime, and one day decided to weld them together to form this sculpture.  His grandson told the story that his grandfather would work on the welding during the day, while he would go back through them in the evening to touch up and better secure the welds.  Apparently, his grandfather was not a great welder.  Anyway, this was truly a wondrous art piece sitting out in a corn field in the middle of no where Iowa and I’m really glad that I got to see it.

Final Thoughts

I kinda predicted that this stretch of travel would go by fast as my stays at each stop were to be between 2 and 3 nights each – and I was right.  The month of Aug is a mere 5 days from being over, kids are going back to school, the weather has begun to cool down, and my 2023 adventure is more than half way in the rear view mirror.  This rapid pace of travel not only allowed me to visit lots of places in a short period of time, but it also allowed me to get in no less than three blogs this month.  Amazing what you can do when you’ve got the pictures and stories to share.  Thankfully things will start to slow down once again as I start extending my stays – several of them to be a week long in many places during the month of Sep.  I’m looking forward to visiting with friends in OH and NY, and also checking off a coupe more national parks within IN and OH.  It’s gonna be a fun month!  As fall approaches, I encourage all of you to enjoy the cooler crisper weather – a perfect time to sit around a campfire and create scrumptious toasted marshmallow snacks.  I’ve even included a manu at right to give you some creative alternatives to the traditional S’More.  Until next time, be well and safe travels.

I only show a sampling of my adventure pictures here in the blog, and do so mostly in collage format for brevity and ease of reading. If you want to view an album containing individual full fidelity and hi-res images of all my travel pictures related to this specific blog, click the image below. Enjoy!