This was what happened on 06/14/2013!

Hello Fellow Wayward Travelers!!!

Note that I could not POST this BLOG on 06/14/2013 because I was camped in an area that had no WIFI, nor cell phone service, nor E-Mail service!!! It was like being in the woods --- oh, ya!!! I was in the woods!!! Anyway, I am posting yesterdays report today (06/15/2013) and will post another report that covers today (06/15/2013). Okay, have you got all that??? I knew you did!!!

Today I had my route all planned and I started driving to the first town. I started noticing some signs that I had seen before, but hadn’t paid much attention to because I was getting to see a lot of the Oregon Trail sites using my plans. But, in this part of Nebraska the roads all go East/West and North/South were The Oregon Trail goes northwest to southeast!!! The signs I am talking about say “Oregon Trail Auto Tour Route”!!! Since I wasn’t seeing any Oregon Trail stuff, I decided to follow the signs and sure enough, they led me to the same place I wanted to go, but they crossed the trail and identified all kinds of interesting things about Nebraska and the way it was settled. Anyway, I will still plan my day of driving, but I may just follow the Auto Tour Route instead of my own.

I saw a lot of country today!!! Did I tell you that Nebraska is mostly FLAT!!!! At one point, I swear that I could see the curve of the earth on the ground!!!!???? Since the corn was just planted --- there are no high spots!!?? Okay, I will quit, for now!!??

Today was a beautiful day!!! The sun was shining and the sky was blue!!! There was a wind that made driving a little tiring (the wind moves the trailer around --- a lot!!!). The temperature started at a hot mid 70s and grew to be just below 90 degrees. It was pretty humid after the rain last night, so it felt overly warm when I was walking around. And, no, the wind did not cool me down. Around here, the wind acts like a blast furnace!!! It just heats you up!!!

 I drove from Minden, Nebraska to a place just outside Fairbury, Nebraska. It is a site where the Oregon Trail, The Pony Express, The Stage Coach Lines, and the trains all seemed to run through. It is called “Rock Creek Station”. It has an RV Park, so I just decided to stay there for tonight.

 Rock Creek Station was just a farm where all these trails and lines ran through. The state has been reconstructing the site and doing archeology digs here to put it back the way it was in the 1800s. The farmer who started it built a toll bridge over Rock Creek as a way to help the Oregon Pioneers and himself!!! Here are some photos of the area ---

This is the original Rock Creek Station farm that was eventually rented by the Pony Express and Stage Lines ---
 

 
Here was where the Post office was located ---

 
This was the owner's first log house before he rented it and moved his farm houses ---

 
This is how the inside of the house looked ---

 
Here's the toll bridge the farmer built and charged the wagon trains to cross (he made good money!) ---

 
Here is the toll booth the farmer built and used for the toll bridge ---

Here is inside the toll booth - it also served as a bunk house ---

 
Here's the farmers new location for his farm houses - just on the east side of the toll bridge (the toll booth is on the right side) ---

Here is the farmer's barn ---

 
Inside the barn are the tools used to work with horses, etc. ---

 
It even had a little blacksmith shop ---

 
And places to store his carriages ---

 

 
Here is a bunk house for the hired hands ---

 
Then, there is the main house ---

And the inside of the main house (not much as compared to our houses today!!!) ---

 

 

 There was a story that Wild Bill Hickok got his notorious reputation at Rock Creek Station (in the above farmer's house) when he killed three men – the farmer/owner and two of his hired hands. The story sounds like murder to me, but Wild Bill Hickok went to trial and it was declared “Self Defense”!!?? Here is a photo of the story --- you be the judge!!??

 

 

Well tomorrow I will be driving through Marysville ------- Kansas!!?? It’s on the Oregon Trail Route!!

 Well, I am getting tired, so, with that, I will go for now, but I will see you all again tomorrow. Again, to quote that great comedian, Red Skelton, "Good Night and May God Bless!"

Happy Trails ---- Jon