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The Cruise--Details

I didn't include more details in the prior "The Cruise" post for two reasons. 1)  I didn't think anyone would be interested; and 2)  This trip didn't include much of the normal topics:  good beer, good coffee or John-style travel. But there are details, which may be useful to some people contemplating how such a trip is put together. On the first day of the trip, we drove three hours to pick up my mother in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.  At 85, she isn't comfortable driving for long distances and hadn't flown for many years. We then drove 3 1/2 more hours to Chicago, where we checked into the Wyndham, where you can get a room that includes the cost of parking for up to 12 days.   We were up early on the hotel shuttle to O'Hare, where we then boarded the a non-stop American Airlines flight to New Orleans. Here, we checked into a Hampton Inn near the port.  My mother was pretty tired, so Julia and I went out for a Cajun dinner and live music.   Rememberi...

Nebraska: Ponca State Park

 From June 2021


 

Continuing east, we drove across Nebraska on Hwy 20.  Julia was busy on google and decided that she needed to try a runza, a meat pastry pocket regionally popular in Nebraska.   In Michigan's Upper Peninsula, pasties are a somewhat similar and were eaten by the miners in that area. I've had pasties, but I'm not a fan.

We weren't quite sure where to find a runza.  Fortunately, there's a chain of restaurants called Runza in Nebraska, so we stopped when we found one in Valentine (I just looked it up and it's apparently now permanently closed).

Julia said that she was glad that she tried it but wouldn't go out of her way for another one.  It was only 10:30 a.m, and I declined to try one.

We continued on to Ponca State Park, which is located on the Missouri River. 

Nice campground with electric and showers

 

The Missouri River seemed very shallow compared to its brother, the Mississippi.

 

There were some trails here that we enjoyed.  One featured a gnarly oak tree that dated to 1644.


We would stay here again if in the area.

 
 

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