I got up early this morning and started walking at 6:30. By noon, the temperature had hit 90 degrees, and I had hit 14 miles. In about an hour and a half I’ll go out and do my final 6 miles for the day. Hopefully it will be a bit cooler than it is right now. Valda told me a few minutes ago that the heat index is about 115 and the actual temperature is 100. Whew! 😓 😓 😓

We are sitting in a campground in Nebraska City, NE. I stopped walking 5 miles from town and when finished for the day, I should be pretty close to the Iowa line. We are supposed to have a hot day tomorrow and then the days should be cooler for the rest of the week. I sure hope so.

The terrain continues to be rolling hills, and I continue to walk a divided four lane highway that looks a lot like an Interstate. It has the truck traffic of an Interstate too. I am walking NE Hwy 2 and after walking 2 {more} miles, I will pass the 500 mile marker. Now I’m not positive, but I don’t think there is a state East of the Mississippi River that can boast one road that is that long (maybe US1 in Florida)? I’m sure there are several out West, and probably several in Texas alone. I would hate to enter Nebraska in the Northwest corner and see a sign that says Nebraska City is 505 miles away. I’m glad I didn’t have to walk it. 😉

Miles Covered: 20
Total Miles: 1,853.5
Money Found: $0.01
Total Found: $57.61

Used with Permission. Interview by Cassie Fleming. (c) The Grand Island Independent on July 24, 2008

Iowa is about 25 miles away and in a couple of days of walking I’ll be crossing the bridge over the Missouri River and walk into the cornfields of Iowa. It will be the sixth state I will be in. I’m in a sort of race to get to Indianapolis, IN by September 6th and the flat roads of Iowa and Illinois will be welcome.

The weather is still hot and the terrain is still rolling. Corn is the prevalent crop now and it’s interesting to see all the various stages of development in the fields. There is still some hay around and the large bales dot the landscape. Some of the farmers are now gathering them and occasionally there is a semi that passes with twenty to thirty of them on a flatbed. The trucks with the corn mash still pass and the stale beer smell is ever present. All in all, the area is teeming with farm activity and I imagine it will continue until I reach Pennsylvania.

I had something curious happen today. It was 3:00 and hot as you can imagine. All of a sudden a breeze came by and it was like someone opened a freezer door. The cold snap lasted about five seconds and then was gone. I have no idea how it happened, but I’ll take it again if it wants to come back.

Today was a typical day as far as walking is concerned. I did have a deputy sheriff stop and inquire about what I was doing. Other than that, nothing happened. Tomorrow we are going to take the day off in Palmyra. Hopefully Sunday I’ll be in Iowa by the end of the day.

Miles Covered: 20.5
Total Miles: 1,833.5
Money Found: $0.25
Total Found: $57.60

Miles Covered: 20
Total Miles: 1,813
Money Found: $0.08
Total Found: $57.35

I’ve been walking in Nebraska since July 11 and have gone through countless small towns and cities. This is in rather stark contrast to Nevada where the towns encountered could be counted on one hand. It has been rather nice. Most of the small towns in Nebraska have a city park and a lot of them have campsites with electricity and water. A lot of these are free for the first night or two and just two or three dollars after that. I don’t know how they do it, but it is surely a welcome sight to us!

Okay, I’ve had some people guess about the gas station in Kenesaw, NE. Yesterday I mentioned that it isn’t a Pure or Sunoco station. Mikey in Indianapolis got it right and also got it first. He said it was a DX station and he is right. My dad owned a couple of these stations in the early 60’s and I instantly recognized the sign even though it had no inside. Also, just a few minutes ago, I got a comment from Brent P. of Kenesaw who owns the restaurant and bar across from the station. He too guessed DX. Sorry Brent, but you were a few hours behind Mikey. Mikey, you win the first prize: a NO expenses paid trip to Kenesaw, NE where you can see and take a picture of the station yourself, and if you can catch him you could probably have an ear of corn with Lloyd S. And, you will need to stop in and see Brent and rub it in a little. Maybe he’ll buy you a drink. Brent, you get the second prize: you get to entertain Mikey when he comes to town. Thanks guys for your comments. It was fun for me.

Personal to Butch and Marilyn S. of Atlanta. Thank you for your recent donation to Gateway For Cancer Research and also thank you for your check to help Valda & me buy gasoline. It was unexpected but certainly much appreciated. Butch, we may not be related anymore, but you will always be family to Valda & me. Thanks again. Thanks also to Olivia E. and All Cooped Up for their recent donations to Gateway. They both are much appreciated!

I’m currently in Crete and should be in Iowa on Monday or Tuesday. I plan to take Saturday off and hopefully we’ll be in Nebraska City by then. The pictures is of Valda listening to the corn grow, and a 1957 Ford that I bought for my brother Don.  Don, send me a check for $38.00 + $2.00 handling fee.  You will have to go to Friend, NE to pick the car up.  I don’t think it runs.

Miles Covered: 19.75
Total Miles: 1,793
Money Found: $0.01
Total Found: $57.27

So far today I’ve logged in 11 miles. I will be going back out in about an hour to do another 6 miles, then another 3 miles this evening. The day is overcast and fairly cool compared to what it’s been.

Miles Covered: 20
Total Miles: 1,773.25
Money Found: $0.01
Total Found: $57.26

We left Hastings on Sunday and I am currently sitting in a small campground in Exeter, NE, some 50 miles east of Hastings. I put together a couple of 19 mile days! 😀

Miles Covered: 19
Total Miles: 1,753.25
Money Found: $0.15
Total Found: $57.25

[Well, I’ll try this blog again.  I spent forty-five minutes last night blogging and hit the left click button on the mouse and presto – cyberspace again. Then I did what anyone would do, I shut the computer off, and went to bed. If I loose it today, I don’t know when I’ll muster the strength up to get it posted.]

It was really good seeing my daughter, her husband and the two grandkids! I want to personally thank Nic and Jude for walking with me last Saturday. It really made my day. 😀  I have some other people to thank concerning the Hastings lay over. First, Don & Mary B. for all they did both before and during my visit. Also, thank you for your contribution to Gateway. It is much appreciated. Also, thanks to Kevin J., Brenden S., Danielle W., and Julie H. for your donations to Gateway. They too are much appreciated. I want to thank Tom Pavelka and Dwight Dunsworth of Pavelka Trucking Co. for aligning the front end of my RV. They did this for nothing even though they did not know me. Thank you very much! Valda sends thanks to the following friends of daughter Syndi in central Oklahoma: Natalie S., Kathy M., Laresa B., Irene F. and Shannon E. for sending her reading material and notepads. Now she’s happy.

Those trucks that have been passing me that smell like beer are carrying processed corn mash.  Don B. told me that the ethanol plants buy the corn, extract the sugars and anything else out of the corn that goes into ethanol, then sell the corn mash back to the farmers to feed their livestock. Sounds like a racket to me.🙄 Anyway, I get to enjoy the brief smell of stale beer as they pass. 🍻

I’ve had a couple of people inquire about the gas station sign in Kenesaw. Mike at the radio station wondered if it was a Sunoco. Sunoco is diamond shape, but has an arrow or something going through it. Pattie S. though it might be a Pure station. Pure signs are round, Pattie, or at least I think they are. It is not a Pure or Sunoco. I’ll give you a hint, it is two letters of the alphabet and vowels need not apply. I don’t know if this gasoline company was in the East or not, but they were in Indiana and points West. They have been out of business for 35-40 years, so some people probably don’t have a clue. I’ll let you know later.

Miles Covered: 19
Total Miles: 1,734.25
Money Found: $1.12
Total Found: $57.10

The days off in Hastings are quickly drawing to a close. Valda & I have spent the last three days with Syndi, Trace, Nic and Jude. We’ve gone swimming at Hasting’s fabulous water park, swam at Hasting Campground’s pool, and swam at friend’s Don & Mary B’s pool. We’ve gone out to breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We went to the Adam’s County Fair and visited the Hasting’s Museum, and saw a dinosaur film at the Lied IMAX theater. We all had a good visit and it was good for Valda & me to see the kids.

Something else we did this morning was walk a few miles together. It was something that the grandkids have talked about for weeks and they did a pretty good job of keeping up with Grandpa. Jude (age 3) walked about 3/4 mile and Nic (age 8) walked about 3 miles. I think they both got a good sense of what I’m doing.

I’ve got a lot of people to thank here in Hastings and will as soon as I get it all compiled. Check out the pictures.

Miles Covered: 4
Total Miles: 1,715.25
Money Found: $0.34
Total Found: $56.98