Monday, February 13, 2012

THE Trip, Sidney Nebraska to Grand Island Nebraska

Copyright 2012, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

July 10, 2011.  Our drive today was all "I-way", 220 miles total, I-80 all the way from Sidney to Grand Island.  Maybe the heat was getting to me,  as I only took 11 photos the entire day.  Really.  Shocking, isn't it??

Five of the photos were of this amazing rig we spied in the campground at Sidney before we pulled out.  Can we say, L*O*N*G??  Whew?  I see 2 air conditioners, a built in roof satellite dome, solar panels on that raised section almost to the back.  That raised section intrigues me to no end!  LOL  It is configured like farm or horse trailers, with that gooseneck pin.  One slide out.


From the other side:  2 solar panels (easier to see in this photo), 2 side entry doors.  The very back of the rig has 2 doors that open with a large ramp.  Toy haulers and horse trailers use this configuration.  Note the small window that is open, opening from the outside and one small pooch sniffing the ground.


And, this is what they use to tote that baby down the road:


We did not stop to chat with these folks, it was early, and we just wanted to get on the road.  Would have loved to chat tho, I have so many questions - -

The scenery today is typical midwest, so different than Utah and Yellowstone.


Love this.  We did not stop.  I did not photographically source the mile markers or any other signs.  Obviously it is a rest area, with a walkway bridge between the two sides of the highway.  Google image searches and Google searches in general did not turn up any additional data, I'll just bet my MOC friend Jan knows more.  Fill us in Jan.



Zoomed in on that silver at the top, pushing the limits of the camera and the photo editing software, so, not well focused, but fabulous:


We would stop near Grand Island for a couple of nights, rest, catch up on laundry, shop for necessities and Rally goodies.  The heat continues and it will get much worse - -



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5 comments:

Jan Kelpe said...

That is the Arch at Kearney, NE. (I could tell you it is so you have an interruption in the flat scenery along the Great Platte Roadway and you might believe it). The arch was and still is controversial but you know what money does. We actually stopped to go through it as we had heard comments pro and con and had gone under it about 100 times. It is a museum that tells the history of all the travelers along that Great Platte Road, Indians, Mormon Trail, Oregon Trail, Pony Express and then the Lincoln Highway (US 30) and then I80. there is a cute thing about the early campers and motels. Unfortunatly many people go thru NE on I80 and think there is nothing to see but flat land while in reality I80 follows the wide river valley of the Platte River (Platte is French for Flat) that was an easy route to points west--that valley is the only flat land in NE. The pioneers and even Lewis and Clark and DeSota said it was a mile wide and an inch deep.

Oh yes there is a cafe and gift shop there too. Are you surprised??

Becky Thompson said...

What an ostentatious rig! I've never seen anything like it. But I still prefer the one you have! Makes much more sense to me!

Carol said...

Extra information shared by Jan on the trailer:

"By the way that is a horse trailer with living quarters with it--probably a rodeo rider owns this one--and of course he takes his horse with him which means that he is probably a roper or a barrel racer (if it is a she) as in those events they use their own horses."

AND FROM FRIEND Terri about the Arch:

"That's actually not a walk way bridge. It's called the Great Platte River Road Archway in Kearney, Nebraska. Inside are different diaramas depicting the pioneers trip across America. It's really fun to go through - there's even a little porthole that you can look out at all the cars going down the highway. It has a radar thing there that tells the speed cars are traveling."

Thank you ever so much gals for all this great info!!

Gini said...

Boy howdy that is some rig! It always amazes me what can travel down the road! I agree with Becky! Wonderful photos, Carol and very interesting about the Great Platte River Road Archway in Kearney, NE . . . would love to visit that one day. I know Terri is very knowledgeable about Nebraska and it's historical sites . . . thank you for the info Carol, Terri, and Jan.

Carol said...

Thanks Gini, I am going to add the Arch to my bucket list for a STOP.

Thanks Becky, I think I like Tana better too, although I can think of lots of wonderful research, errr, toys that I could store in that back end! LOL