Kearney, Nebraska - 95 Miles Hence

Monday, September 20

Today I will continue walking Highway 30 toward Kearney.That means four days of walking and three nights of sleeping out unless there is something available in between. As the prairie becomes replaced by crops it will require an adjustment as to where I am able to set my tent. I am beginning to feel, perhaps prematurely, that people and settlements will become more regular from here eastward - it sure couldn't be any less.

I have also entered a new time zone. I am now in Central Standard time and share the hour with Chicago. I'm pretty amazed with that. It is now 2 hours difference when I call home to Oregon.

I believe Highway 30, often called the Lincoln Highway, was the first road to completely cross the nation and it helped lead to the formation of our modern Interstate Highway System because it was such a terrible road. Dwight Eisenhower, as a young Army officer, traveled it cross-country with an military convoy when half of the crude road was dirt. Later during WWII, Eisenhower saw the paved Autobahn system of Germany and this influenced his future support for building the Interstate Highway System we have today.

I had breakfast this morning in a little country style restaurant and talked to some men about my mission and asked if they would like to share any thoughts. As often happens, one man dominated the discussion. When I went to leave, another of the men who had been relatively quiet came up and began to talk. I eventually had to dismiss myself for he had so much he wished to share and I need to get packed and out of here. I didn't have my notebook with me but will try to remember some of what he said.

Today the temperature is supposed to climb right back to 90 degrees so I better get moving. It is always easy to dally when leaving a motel. Before leaving I will send my first emails to a couple of schools inquiring about the possibility of doing a presentation while dressed in my historical outfit. We'll see what happens. I've included a picture of my display that I use for schools in Oregon. Obviously I do not have this with me but I do have my costume. Hopefully, I will get an invitation to speak.