From Nebraska's Prairies into South Dakota

Our Journey to the West continues...

At the bottom you can see where I captured the cute Prairy Dogs amidst the Buffalos!

BNSF 9126 BNSF Railway EMD SD70ACe at Lincoln, Nebraska by Alex Anderson ←click link

When leaving from our Hyatt Place Lincoln/Downtown–Haymarket, we turned onto Interstate 80 and were IMPRESSED by the HUGE TRAIN YARD!!!

~

What a great start of the day such a view!

Lincoln, Nebraska Train Yard ←click for 30 seconds video 

From Haymarket Lincoln, we went west onto Interstate 80.

AND the maximum speed on Interstate 80 was 80 miles or 129 km!

The HUGE difference is that out West there is hardly any traffic, compared to the East...

Here you see a more enlarged view of that HUGE RAIL YARD!

BNSF Ravenna Subdivision 

Lincoln, Nebraska–Railfanning and Railroading Hotspot ←click for more information.

Nebraska: A Crossroads and a Gateway – Inbound Logistics

Positioned at the heart of the NAFTA trade corridor, Nebraska's Interstate 80 and connecting interstate roadways offer easy, direct transportation to major east–west markets. And two Class I railways—Union Pacific (UP) and Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF)—operate on more than 4,000 miles or 6,437 km of track in the state.

Passing on Interstate 80 Kirkpatrick Basin North State Wildlife Management Area

From Interstate 80 we turn right towards the north after crossing South Channel Platte River and Morman Island State Recreation Area ont US 35 and US 281, where we cross North Channel Platte River

Around 10:00 I'd spotted a Walmart Super Center and Pieter got us some fresh mandarins; easy to peel and have as a healthy snack in the car.

This was at Grand Island, Nebraska

Grand Island...

From US 281 we now turn onto Nebraska 2

Here our 272 miles or 438 km scenic highway through paradise starts: Sandhills Journey National Scenic Byway ←click for short 40 seconds video.

Sandhills Journey National Lincoln, Nebraska Train Yard ←click for 30 seconds video, Nebraska Train Yard ←click 30 seconds video Byway

The Nebraska 2 follows mainly along the Rail Track and South Loup River

Nature was quite interesting as we passed e.g. Ravenna Lake State Recreation Area

Broken Bow an interesting little town.

Near Dunning, we turn and are now following alongside the Middle Loup River and railroad track

Just had to get out of the car to capture this beautiful nature and as you see, our weather couldn't have been any lovelier!

To get a real good view of where I was driving; this short video by drone lets you see → The Nebraska Sandhills, The Middle Loup River, by Sheriff Mike

We passed the small town of Hyannis and several Lakes

The Nebraska 2 is pretty much a two–lane road and we got to admire all our truck divers that transport and deliver the goods for the industry and for households!

This was near Ashby, Nebraska—BNSF (Burlington Northern Santa Fe) Sandhills Subdivision

It was 13:02 and getting hot! 102°F or 39°C near Ashby!

Passing Alliance with its extensive rail yard.

Spring Rails in the Sandhills, Fly with Mike ←3:56 min video by drone for getting an idea where I was driving in Nebraska.

BNSF ←click for link

Rail is the most environmentally efficient mode of surface transportation. On average, BNSF trains can move one ton of freight more than 480 miles on only one gallon of diesel fuel. Our customers reduce their own total carbon emission by shipping with BNSF instead of putting trucks on the highway.

Both of us were stunned for seeing one BNSF train standing still as I passed it and measured on my Relive at full 2 ​​km length or 1.2 mi.

There is so much to see along this scenic byway!!! And to LEARN...

We saw signs along the road with a COW on, not a deer.

This short drone video explains WHY: → The life of a Sandhills Nebraska Sheriff, 2019, by Sheriff Mike

Those Ranchers are the real cowboys!

We mainly saw the black cows and they graze on enormous prairies...

And yes, we both learned about SUMMER HEAT! View this drone video → Summer Heat in the Sandhills, Featuring the Hubsan ACE SE drone, Fly with Mike

Nebraska's Sandhills in Transition ←click link

Photo taken through my open window at traffic light in Alliance, Nebraska on 124 W Third Street.

blue sky...

Now we're on US 385 near Chadron Creek Ranch State Wildlife Management Area

We both admired the famous Ponderosa Pines!

And yes, it was HOT—111°F or 43.8°C

This is where the above photo was taken, on US 385 going north.

It was in this north–western part of Nebraska that I almost got blown off the road by AN EXTREME STRONG WIND GUST! WOW, that was a scare and luckily I held the steering wheel with both hands and with stretched arms, as we were taught in The Netherlands. Hah, that would also explain that we did not see ONE motor bike, they would get blown off the road by such a strong prairie wind!

Even felt it in my upper–arm muscles, from holding the steering wheel...

How will their harsh winters be like here? One thing we learned about the Midwest and West is the STRONG WINDS...

You also better take EVERY opportunity to gas up when you see a gas station— it is so stretched out!

Yay, now we're entering South Dakota into Buffalo Gap National Grassland...!

We would pass through Hot Springs, South Dakota and then into the most amazing nature...

Around 15:50 we spotted our first Buffalos —what a sight!

Buffalos everywhere, as far as you could see!

They have the right of way when crossing the road...

For this photo I'd walked across the road, after parking our car.

Do you see the Prairie dog, lower right, next to that mound?

I immediately picked up their shrill, high voices as they call for danger (not me!)...

Here you again see a Prairie dog, to the left of that mound.

Entering Wind Cave National Park—so much to see and visit here!

What a wonderful area, Wind Cave National Park is right below Custer State Park and we drove up via Hot Springs to our final destination for the day: Custer, South Dakota.

 

Now Pieter was studying the Prairie dogs and buffalos with the use of our binoculars.

Meanwhile I walked towards some mounds with Prairie dogs.

Enjoy this 13 seconds video:

What a huge surprise for being surrounded by such beautiful nature!!!One could stay there easily for one week and never get bored.

Gassing up for next day, as I always did for a good start.

We're now at our destination in Custer, South Dakota

We arrived at our hotel for 2 consecutive nights...

I had not that much choice, when making my booking!

Best Western Buffalo Ridge Inn is okay but not very good.

Do you see those stairs to the right? Just left of that car...

I had not looked well enough at this image on their home page, for realizing that there were NO elevators!

And yes, Murphy's Law had us stay at room 220 and I had to haul our things UP those stairs and it is at an elevation of 1,620 m or 5249 feet in the Black Hills of South Dakota...

The result was a very upset mid–back for several days!

Thanks for traveling with us and hoping this did bring some information about these vast states.

Stay tuned for our next day's adventure...

Our day's journey from Lincoln, Nebraska into South Dakota and staying in Custer.

Our progress for the day 809.1 km or 502 mi and a lot of climbing got done as well...

Enjoy our 2 min. short Relive video:

From Illinois Through Missouri & Iowa to Nebraska

 Please join us as we continue our West-bound journey...

This time we travel from Illinois, through Missouri & Iowa into Nebraska.

The Eastern Bluebird and Red Hawthorn are the state bird/flower for Missouri

Around 9:54 I start crossing the Mississippi River on the Stan Musial Veterans Memorial Bridge. 

Yes, I had some light rain... The ONLY day with some rain!

Mega Project – Mississippi River Bridge ←click link

At Metro–East St. Louis, Illinois.

At 10:13 crossing the Missouri River on the 10–lane Blanchette Memorial Bridge at Saint Charles, Missouri.

The rain had stopped...

Blanchette Bridge I–70 West Bound ←click for short video

Blanchette Memorial Bridge – St. Charles, MO – Aerial Video – 12/1/17 ←click for short video.

After passing Lake Saint Louis, we went more north on US–61, near Wentzville, MO

Very interesting drive with lots of Nature like Cuivre River State Park, Lincoln Hills Natural Area and Cuivre River State Park: Northwoods Wild Area.

When coming closer to Hannibal on the Mississippi River, we took the US–36/MO–110 West.

Hannibal was the boyhood town of Mark Twain and is famously known as the setting of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn!

Approaching Macon, Missouri (one–hour driving from our hometown is a Macon, Georgia!) and more nature with Macon County Park and Long Branch State Park with a huge lake.

Missouri kept surprising us, also with extensive agriculture and very lush and green fields!

Pieter gassing up after 524.2 km or 325 miles...

This was in Brookfield, Missouri

BUT it was actually our 4th try at a CASEY'S General Store for finding high octane fuel!

Otherwise we would lose our car's warranty...

Feels good for having enough for arriving at our destination and also for using the restroom and eating our lunch around 13:00.

Did drive 4 hours and 44 minutes since morning...

The maximum speed in the midwest is higher than in the east, so you can make good progress in general.

Vast agricultural areas we passed, very rural, not many towns!

Pieter and I, with our horticultural background HAD to stop and check out the crops we were passing...

This was around 1:40 pm and they turned out to be very healthy Soybeans, at blooming stage.

Near Saint Joseph Missouri, on the Missouri River, I turned onto Interstate 29 North.

More interesting nature, when passing through Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge.

Around 14:18 at Intersection near Cameron, Missouri on US–36 W and 110 W for diverting to Kansas City south on Interstate 35 or Bethany to the north on Interstate 35.

We kept going on combined US–36 W and 110 W(est).

It was a cloudy day but very pleasant for driving!

A bit of a traffic jam at this junction... so at 14:20, I managed to take this sign.

After passing a huge Power Plant on the Missouri River, we now turn left around 15:58 onto NE–2 W = Nebraska highway 2 West and stay on it for about 75 km or 46.6 mi.

Visible on this map, where we turned off I–29 onto NE–2 West.

We also did pass through a corner of the State Iowa, IA–2 = Iowa 2 which changes into NE–2 for Nebraska.

Around 5:32 PM I pulled up at the Hyatt Place on 600 Q Street in Lincoln, Nebraska

We relax in room 208 of Hyatt Place Lincoln/Downtown–Haymarket ←click link

After checking in and then parking the car in the adjacent public garage, I walked across the street to capture this train at Lincoln Station, Haymarket.

We were so very lucky all those days with perfect weather!

The Hyatt Place Lincoln/Downtown–Haymarket on Q Street. 

Yes, they use the alphabet for street names!

Lincoln is the Capital of Nebraska.

An overview of our travel for that day; we really did go WEST!

The achievement for the day, lots of climbing again.

A total of 892 km or 554 miles.

Enjoy this short 2 minute Relive video below.

Stay tuned for day 3...

NOW or NEVER — Travel WEST with us

 Yes, in all 39 years we have been looking at, talking about and 'dreaming' about the Midwest and West.

BUT with our total 67 trips to The Netherlands, also having done international consulting work through 2004, and being the tour guide and designated driver for house guests—it never got realized.

Due to our declining health, it was NOW or NEVER!

Pieter's heart condition since his open–heart surgery on September 3, 2010 and my chronic kidney disease in stage IV.

Off we both went, on Saturday, July 16 around 8:00; heading for our 1st destination for the night:

Holiday Inn Express & Suites Marion, IL←click link.

This was at 8:08 in our driveway and the mileage was at 13,633 or 21,940 km.

At 11:49 we had Atlanta and Marietta, Georgia behind us, and were now in Chattanooga, Tennessee on Interstate-24 W.

Nickajack Lake, created from Tennessee River by Chickamauga Dam, around 12:13 past Chattanooga, Tennessee

Pit stop along Interstate-24 in Tennessee, almost halfway for the day...

The Luther Draffen Bridges carry Interstate 24 over the Tennessee River in western Kentucky

This was around 14:50.

Keep in mind, that my photos, made with one hand while driving, are NOT the best.

Pieter cannot handle it at the speed of Interstate driving, due to his eye sight problems.

Luther Draffen Bridges ←click link

Those Bridges are SO IMPRESSIVE to cross...! 

Around 15:13, I was crossing yet another marvel; the Paducah Bridge on the Interstate 24 over the Ohio River between Paducah, Kentucky and Metropolis, Illinois.

Yes, large rivers often are the state border!

Paducah Bridge ←click link

Actually two subsequent arches!

This is excellent, as seen from up high in a truck; Crossing the Ohio River on I-24 into Illinois ←click for short video

Around 15:59 Pieter was gassing up, for next day at gas station right across from our hotel.

License plate RUN8632 but the maximum speed that Relive shows is NOT accurate!

Right across from our destination for that day, the Holiday Inn Express & Suites in Marion, Illinois.

We had a relaxed night in room 303

Timely arrival after 8 hours and 37 minutes driving and covering 910.8 km or 566 miles.

We went from Georgia, through Tennessee, Kentucky and into Illinois

Enjoy this short 2 minute Relive video below:

Stay tuned for our next day...