Day 55 – Lincoln, NE to Newton, IA

We’re now 610 miles from home.

The Route

This was our fifth day on I-80.  We drove east for 225 miles.

About the Day

Much like yesterday, there were high clouds in the morning.  They burned off in the afternoon.  The temperature was 53° when we left Lincoln and climbed to the low 70s.  We were buffeted by cross-winds most of the day.

We got on the road by 9:30.

Along the Way

We got a nice welcome from Iowa.

The sculptures on the South 24^th Street Bridge in Council Bluffs really caught our attention.  They’re intended to be symbolic of man, machine and transformation.  Unfortunately, they’ve created a lot of controversy by baffling drivers and being described as ugly.

No matter how we looked at it,
it looked like a collection of space junk.

We had a fun lunch at The Corn Crib in Shelby, IA. We’ve stopped there before. The restaurant is in a barn.  The meals are really good, down-home cooking.  They’ll make it any way you want it.

Enter The Corn Crib through the silo.

Iowa fields are the real artwork of the state.  The corn fields appear to be coiffed.

The Campground

We’re staying at Newton KOA.  The entrance and grounds are inviting.  We’re glad we could stop here before they closed for the season at the end of the month. 

The entrance caught our interest.

The camp sites were attractive.

Tomorrow

We plan to stop in Carlock, IL.

Day 54 – Ogallala, NE to Lincoln, NE

We’re 833 miles from home.

The Route

This was our fourth day on I-80.  We just drove eastward for 276 miles.

About the Day

This was a very pleasant travel day.  There was no wind, no rain and no fog. It was partly cloudy with temperatures ranging from the mid-50s to the high-70s.

Leaving Ogallala

Last night’s campground …

Site 37

It's the "off season" here.
No reservations needed.

We got on the road by 9:30.

Along the Way

A peaceful departure from Ogallala

Travelers can't miss the Archway Monument.

Nebraska makes use of highway messaging.

Nebraska’s terrain is definitely different from what we saw in Wyoming.  The landscape here is more colorful.  It looks a lot like Ohio.

We Forgot Something

A lot happened yesterday.  We forgot to mention a close call.

There aren’t a lot of towns along the 323 mile stretch of I-80 between Rawlins and Ogallala.  We got distracted by the fog and numerous exit ramp construction projects, kept delaying a gas stop and came within 13 miles of running out of gas.

We finally stopped for gas in Sidney and needed 23.5 gallons to fill-up.  The Durango gas tank holds 24.6 gallons and we were recording about 12 mpg.  We couldn't have made it to the next exit.  Whew!

The Campground

We’re staying at Camp A Way and it’s a dandy. They offer many excellent services and amenities.

The campground is located in a secluded area within Lincoln.  The sites are attractively placed on terraced hillsides.

Site C6

Tomorrow

We’ll end the day in Iowa.

Day 53 – Rawlins, WY to Ogallala, NE

We’re 1,107 miles from home and still on I-80.

The Route

This was our third day on I-80.  We drove east for 323 miles.  Rawlins, Laramie and Cheyenne, WY and Sidney, NE were the only cities of significant size.

About the Day

Clouds hung low most of the day, there were a few light rain showers, 20 mph winds in Laramie and dense fog in the mountains.  The temperature dropped to 37° near Sherman Summit, stayed below 50° in Wyoming and warmed to the low 60s in Nebraska.

Leaving Rawlins

Last night’s campground …

This land appeals to cowboys and hunters.

The wind blows constantly.

We got on the road by 9:45.

Along the Way

Highway communication …

I-80 (at least in Wyoming) is pretty dynamic.  Speed limit signs are digital, electronic traveler messages are well-placed and highway closure barriers can be activated remotely.

Barriers (like train crossing barriers) block
 the highway when they close a section.

Wyoming Scenery …

Low clouds

Snow fences line the highway.

Wind farms are energized by constant winds.

Aspen bring color to the area.

The Fog …

We began the climb to the 8,640' Sherman Summit a few miles east of Laramie.  Fog increased as we approached the summit.  

A fog warning at work.

We drove through this for about 12 miles.

Traveling 50 mph through dense fog with no other vehicles in sight is really SCARY for passengers!

A welcome sight after escaping the fog.

Nebraska Scenery …

This coyote caught our attention.

Nebraska terrain presents a new look.

Cabela's stands out in Sidney.

Nebraska fields and ranges are more
 colorful than we saw in Utah and Wyoming.

Did You Know?

Ogallala first gained fame as the terminus for cattle drives from Texas to the Union Pacific rail-head located there.

The town’s name comes from the Oglala Sioux tribe.

The Campground

We’re staying at Country View Campground. It’s OK.

Tomorrow

Our next stop is in Lincoln, NE.

Day 52 – Evanston, WY to Rawlins, WY

We’re 1,425 miles from home in spite of a resistant wind.

The Route

Take I-80 east for 207 miles.

About the Day

We awoke to a perfect fall morning.  The sun was bright, the temperature was a crisp 37° and a 13 mph wind rustled the leaves.  The temperature made it to the mid-50s.  The wind (a headwind) was constant and had increased to18 mph by the time we got to Rawlins.

Along the Way

A slow start …

Everything seemed to take longer than usual this morning.  We didn’t pull out of the campground until 10:45.

The campground was nearly empty when we left.

We got gas and then drove across the street to Jody’s Diner for breakfast.  The breakfast was very good.  We had an interesting discussion with a man who was transporting a fifth-wheel trailer from Elkhart to Portland. We left Evanston at 11:30.

Interesting terrain …

This portion of I-80 is really quite beautiful, but desolate.  We found the following scenes especially interesting.

Ohio is somewhere beyond the wind farm ridge.

There are so many shapes and colors.

Some shapes were head-scratchers

Trains are long and obvious out here.

Approaching Green River

Green River Tunnel

Snow fences of many lengths guard the highway.

The Campground

We’re staying at Red Desert Rose RV Park. It’s a year-round park with services that must perform in a harsh environment.  There’s no fancy landscaping or swimming pool.

Tomorrow

We’re heading for Ogallala, NE.  It's on the map and hard to say.