Monday, August 23, 2010

Great to Valentine, Nebraska -- Sunday, August 22, 2010

We spent the night in Valentine, Nebraska.

From Great Bend we drove to Russell, west on I-70 to Grainfield, Kansas, north into Nebraska, following highway 83 to Valentine.

We stopped at Hays to purchase a new convex circular mirror for the driver's side mirror. I also purchased eyeglass holders for the sun shades and a compass. Kathy purchased a colorful new top.

We ate lunch in Buffalo Bill Park in Hoxie. The spot was shade, but a bit of a disappoint because we say no buffalo nor Bills.

We drove through Nebraska's sandhills. Kathy says they are like Kansas' hills around Wilson except the Nebraska hills are more rounded like breasts. She thinks their breast-like appearance should be incorporated into a tourist attracting slogan. I suggested some phrase like "as big as you think."

Valentine, Nebraska is near the Valentine National Wildlife Refuge. The only wildlife I saw where birds flying overhead. There are supposedly lots of campgrounds up and down the nearby Niobara River, especially east of Valentine. We are in the Riverside Campground on this river.

Nearby is the Bryan Bridge. It was built in 1932. It is a one-of-a-kind cantilever truss bridge, held together by a pin in the center of the bridge. Designed by a Russian immigrant, Joseph Sorkin, his design was selected because it is "aesthetically compatible with the surrounding environment of the Niobrara River Valley". The American Institute of Steel Construction declared this the "Most Beautiful Steel Bridge of 1932 in Class C", the first bridge between Wisconsin and the Pacific Coast to receive such an award".

In the evening, we watched an episode of Rome and two episodes of House.

1 comment:

Ben Mitchum said...

I must say the Nebraska sandhills are cooler than the Kansas ones just south of town. They are a fair amount bigger as well. Haha, I'll take your word when it comes to them looking like breasts mom.

Can't wait for your next update!