North Platte, Nebraska

Moved Tuesday to North Platte - small town, we thought the type that would have been given a "Yahoo!!!" on "Hee-Haw". We intended to drive out to the N.Platte river, one of the scenic drives in our guide book. Found out that the river was a foot over flood stage, and the highway was closed. So instead had one of our most fun days yet!

Here we are at the entry to the Buffalo Bill Ranch. Cody lived here for several years and headquartered his show from the Ranch. They've done a good job in restoring the ranch house and one of the barns. A lot of midwestern memorabilia.

This place is called Dancing Leaf. A retired elementary school teacher and her husband, a paleontologist, have recreated a plains native hut, made from 400 trees, from the time after the ice age. In addition, they have a museum with mammoth and sabretooth tiger bones, shark teeth, and other finds from this area. Who would have thought that central Nebraska was once connected to the ocean? Amazing place, and well worth visiting if you're ever in the area.

Finally, we found out that the Buffalo Bill Nebraskaland Rodeo was in town. Neither of us had ever been to a rodeo - had fun watching calf roping and saddle bronc riding.

Met a family in the stands whose family on the mother's side lives in Kenmore, NY. Talk about a small world!!

On to eastern Colorado