Returning Again to Niobrara

Blue skies breaking just on the other side of storms closing in on the hometown were a welcome sign.  This passing front would make sleeping under the stars a bit cooler than had been expected, but not entirely unwelcome in this return to northern Nebraska.

Intent upon arriving at our destination relatively early, we pushed on through Omaha, stopping along the way to satisfy only the most necessary moments in life.   The road out in these parts can wear one down a little though, with mile after beautiful mile of nothing but farmland on either side of the road.  In addition, my navigator had not yet had the opportunity to witness what is undoubtedly one of the most striking Veteran's memorials in the entire country at American Veteran's Park in West Point.  It is a great spot to retire from the road and reflect a moment on the sacrifices made to maintain that road.

No other significant encounters occurred along the way, except to obtain supplies required and much needed sustenance.  Snacks will only take one so far.  Franklin's Bistro in Norfolk will get you the rest of the way, with the unique and interesting flavor combination of peanut butter on a cheeseburger.  The Mushroom Beef Tip Auggies proved quite tasty and their remnants, even more so as kabobs roasted over the campfire.

Niobrara State ParkNiobrara State Park appeared much as it had been left the previous year, and the time before, initially.  The first visit had been at the end of the pandemic, and so a bit more abandoned.  This visit found many of the spots empty before, now full of life.  It was not so much as to be too annoying; only mildly, at first, eventually dissipating.  Campers down the street had a parcel of loud children with them.  They passed into silence with the setting of the sun brought and lighting of a billion stars.  It was about that time that others from across the street wandered into our territory, shouting out a greeting.  An ignoring pause from our camp, then a return greeting with less enthusiasm, encouraged them to keep their distance and consider lingering elsewhere.  They seemed to get the message and we did not hear from them again, thankfully.  It really is best to stay in your space after dark, unless invited.  You never know what you might encounter or how things will play out.  Otherwise, the park remained every bit as beautiful as on previous occasions, with clear starlit skies eventually subdued by a huge, glowing red moon.

This visit enabled more of an opportunity to explore the interior of the park a bit.  My colleague stood her ground, remaining at base camp, enjoying a good read out in the open.  Meanwhile, wandering about the various intersections of the Deer Creek Trail.  It is not so much a loop, or even an out and back, but an interesting wandering through sometimes open grassland and at other times low brush and cedars.  

The clouds we had left behind the previous day renewed their assault the following morning.  Drips from the sky encouraged a quick closing of camp and return to the road for the next leg of this brief adventure.  The only item on the agenda, a visit to one of the most striking archeological sites in the Midwest, which proved itself every bit worth the time and trouble to get there.  There was little of either, actually.  It is only a short 50 km south of Niobrara, generally on the route homeward, and enables a view of a lagerstätten site.  It is a snapshot in time of the typical animals of the area, which were buried in volcanic ash approximately 12 million years ago, during one of the Yellowstone super volcano eruptions.  Different from similar sites, these remains have been uncovered and preserved in place for a 3D view of the situation.

The remainder of the road revealed very little beyond the peaceful small towns and open country of eastern Nebraska.  An old depot in Pierce introduced a moment of amusement.  In North Bend, a veteran memorial close to matching the presentation offered in West Point.  Only a short hop down the road from there, the unique and sublime architecture of a church bearing the same name as one of our local establishments stood firmly under blue skies that persisted throughout the journey; that is, except those murky clouds that began each day.  They were mostly insignificant though, on what turned out to be a quiet slice of bliss on this Memorial Day weekend.