Upcoming Trip: Oregon Trail in WY and NE

[Buffalo SpaceShip]

Rather than continue to sit around and watch Mom work, the kids and me are heading northward next week up to the North Platte River in NW Nebraska to see parts of the emigrant trails taken westward by over 1/2 million homesteaders, 49-ers, trappers, Mormons, and traders in the 19th century. In the course of a handful of days, we can see several vestiges and landmarks along the Trail (even some surviving wagon wheel ruts), along with good museums (and the occasional roadside oddity).

Our kids, 10, 8, and 6, are sure to learn something along the way. We're even taking along my oldest boy's best friend, who can hardly wait to go. In this day and age of GameBoy and PlayStation mind-rot, it's encouraging to see a kid get excited about a good old-fashioned road trip. I'm reading up on what I can to be a halfway knowledgeable "tour guide", and I'm taking pioneer diaries and stories to read while we're there. Our SpaceShip should make slightly better time that the prairie schooner of yore! 

Here's a list of things we might do: http://www.thefamilybus.net/WYTrails/

We'll no doubt be able to do them all this time. But, we'll see where the Trail leads us. If I find some WiFi access points along the way, I'll post some updates on my blog. We're meeting up with Craig Shepard (gumpy) and hopefully some other busnuts the last week in July near Encampment, WY for some trout fishing.

Wagons HO!
Brian B.

[Busted Knuckle]

Brian here's a tip that all of us can use on our trips! I just ran across it the other day while looking for something else! But it's now in "my favorites!" Try this http://www.wififreespot.com/index.html
Hope this helps y'all in your journeys! Good luck, & have fun. BK 

[belfert]

along the Trail (even some surviving wagon wheel ruts), along with good museums (and the occasional roadside oddity).

You better make sure what you think are wagon wheel ruts aren't just the ruts in I-80!

[TomC]

Nice trip-wouldn't want to try Yellowstone this time of year.  When you get back down to Sidney, NB, why don't you just continue on down to I-76-it's a good road and maybe follow the old road for a while along the Platte river instead of the incredibly boring drive back on I-80.  Just a suggestion.  Have fun and hope all equipment is ready for lots of up and down driving.  Good Luck, TomC.

[belfert]

What, I-80 boring?  My friends and I try to cross Nebraska at night just because it gets so boring, but we do the whole state.

[gumpy]

You just gotta know how to do NE.

We found a great campground the other night in Hebron, NE city park. Grass parking, but level. 30 amp electric. Water and Sewer dump available, but not at the site. 30 sites. Back in, but since there were only 3 other people there, we pulled through from one side to the other. Didn't even have to unhook the car. Huge old cottonwood trees all around. Awesome swimming pool about a block away, and a big ball field where they were playing some ball that night. Beautiful place. The best thing was the price. $5 !!  It's about half way between home and the in-laws, so we'll be staying there more frequently.

Looking forward to the trout fishing with Brian and his family. There will be one other busnut and his family, along with some of my family and my wife's family. Should be a good time. There's plenty of room for a few more buses up there if anyone else wants to join us.

craig

[Busted Knuckle]

What, I-80 boring?  My friends and I try to cross Nebraska at night just because it gets so boring, but we do the whole state.   

Uhhh, ahhhh. Naw I ain't gonna do it, I'm gonna be nice! BK