It's been many months since one of my routine junkets to New Mexico. As I finally complete some obligations and errands, it's time. I toss some gear into my GMC and head west across the Mississippi to Dubuque. Longtime pal from St. Paul, Tom, had wanted to join me. So instead of heading southwest of Dubuque on U.S. 151, I take U.S. 20 straight across the center of Iowa before turning north to meet him just south of Worthington, Minnesota where he is visiting his 99-year-old mother.
U.S. 20 is at about the same latitude as Monroe. The corn is approaching shoulder high. I roll past the fertile fields and well-kept small Iowa small towns, rural Midwestern America at its best. Dyersville, where the classic movie, "Field of Dreams," was filmed, Manchester, Waterloo, Ft. Dodge, all appears tranquil under the bright summer sunshine. U.S. 20 is a divided highway, but far less congested than I-80. The traffic is light, and the driving easy and pleasant. About three quarters of the way across Iowa, I head north to Sibley, Iowa where I will meet Tom.
The next morning dawns sunny and pleasant. After grabbing some breakfast, we head south - no morning rush or traffic congestion in Sibley. We head down the northwest corner of Iowa to Sioux City and cross the Missouri River into Nebraska. Most tourists would immediately latch onto I-29, head south to I-80 and get across Nebraska as quickly as possible.
Nope, that's not the way to travel. Like life, the goal is not to get to the end destination as quickly as possible, but to have some experiences along the way. So we zig and zag through eastern Nebraska on roads less traveled to our interim destination, Broken Bow, in central Nebraska. We take State Route 92 across the southern part of the Nebraska Sandhills.
The Nebraska Sandhills is an interesting, scenic, and ecologically fragile region covering nearly one quarter of the state. It is a region of mixed-grass prairie on sand dunes that have been stabilized by vegetation. The grass-covered dunes were designated as a National Natural Landmark in 1984.
The massive Ogallala Aquifer lies beneath much of the High Plains, including the Sandhills. Temporary and permanent shallow lakes are common in low lying areas between the grass-covered dunes. According to the World Wildlife Fund, a distinctive feature of the Sandhills is that as much as 85 percent of the ecoregion is still intact with its natural habitat. A number of wildlife refuges are designated with the intent to preserve the numerous wildlife species of the Sandhills.
As would appear obvious, the ecologically fragile region is unsuited for cultivated crops. Early attempts were disastrous, both as crop failures and effect on the natural fragile ecosystem.
In the 1870s, cattlemen discovered the region, with its lush grasses, as potential rangeland for Longhorn cattle. With proper management practices, the Sandhills remain as productive cattle rangeland, supporting over a half million cattle. As we travel the narrow highway that winds through and across the hills, the herds of contentedly grazing cattle form a peaceful picture of a remnant of the old west.
The Sandhills region, lying on the route of the proposed TransCanada Keystone XL Pipeline, is currently the subject of some interesting and intense political controversy. With its high concentration of wetlands, extensive areas of shallow groundwater, and highly fragile and sensitive ecological areas, conservationists and environmental groups side with area ranchers in vigorously opposing construction of the pipeline. As those ranchers are traditional Republicans, it poses an interesting conundrum and a reminder that "politics makes strange bedfellows."
The Chair of the Nebraska Democrats is Jane Kleeb, an activist with an impressive record of accomplishment, both on the national scene and in Nebraska. She is, and will continue to be, an articulate spokeswoman and advocate for Nebraska ranchers. We shall see what transpires.
We reach the "metropolis" of Arthur, population 117, county seat of Arthur County, total population 1,165. It's late afternoon and we turn south toward Ogallala, cross the Platte River, and roll past wheat fields that appear ready for harvest. We reach the town of Grant, population 1,165, and stop at one of our favorite haunts, DJ's Bar and Grill where we are usually waited on my Angela, the zippiest waitress ever.
Tom and I grab a table in the establishment, empty except for another table occupied by a couple of locals. We are greeted by a friendly waitress - not Angela. I ask her if Angela still works here. She replies that she does, but is off for the afternoon.
Before I can utter another word, she asks, "Are you the guy who wrote that column about Angela?"
Somewhat taken aback, I reply, "Yes, but how did you know?"
"Because you're the only one who ever asks about her," she responds.
"So you have seen the piece," I reply.
She responds by marching over to the bulletin board and removing my column of June 23, 2016 in which I had written about Angela - and, of course, had sent her a copy. The waitress tells me how thrilled Angela was to receive it, and how customers comment on it. It has been posted on the bulletin board of DJ's Bar and Grill in the far corner of Nebraska ever since.
I then ask the waitress her name. It is Melissa. Whaddaya know-it turns out that she is Angela's older sister who also has worked at that grill for many years. But we had never seen her before. Friendliness obviously runs in the family.
As she takes our order, I tell her that she might be a subject of my next column.
You just don't meet people like that and touch peoples' lives when you take the Interstate. You have to take roads less traveled.
Next week: To romantic Old Mesilla.
- John Waelti of Monroe can be reached at jjwaelti1@tds.net. His column appears Fridays in the Monroe Times.
U.S. 20 is at about the same latitude as Monroe. The corn is approaching shoulder high. I roll past the fertile fields and well-kept small Iowa small towns, rural Midwestern America at its best. Dyersville, where the classic movie, "Field of Dreams," was filmed, Manchester, Waterloo, Ft. Dodge, all appears tranquil under the bright summer sunshine. U.S. 20 is a divided highway, but far less congested than I-80. The traffic is light, and the driving easy and pleasant. About three quarters of the way across Iowa, I head north to Sibley, Iowa where I will meet Tom.
The next morning dawns sunny and pleasant. After grabbing some breakfast, we head south - no morning rush or traffic congestion in Sibley. We head down the northwest corner of Iowa to Sioux City and cross the Missouri River into Nebraska. Most tourists would immediately latch onto I-29, head south to I-80 and get across Nebraska as quickly as possible.
Nope, that's not the way to travel. Like life, the goal is not to get to the end destination as quickly as possible, but to have some experiences along the way. So we zig and zag through eastern Nebraska on roads less traveled to our interim destination, Broken Bow, in central Nebraska. We take State Route 92 across the southern part of the Nebraska Sandhills.
The Nebraska Sandhills is an interesting, scenic, and ecologically fragile region covering nearly one quarter of the state. It is a region of mixed-grass prairie on sand dunes that have been stabilized by vegetation. The grass-covered dunes were designated as a National Natural Landmark in 1984.
The massive Ogallala Aquifer lies beneath much of the High Plains, including the Sandhills. Temporary and permanent shallow lakes are common in low lying areas between the grass-covered dunes. According to the World Wildlife Fund, a distinctive feature of the Sandhills is that as much as 85 percent of the ecoregion is still intact with its natural habitat. A number of wildlife refuges are designated with the intent to preserve the numerous wildlife species of the Sandhills.
As would appear obvious, the ecologically fragile region is unsuited for cultivated crops. Early attempts were disastrous, both as crop failures and effect on the natural fragile ecosystem.
In the 1870s, cattlemen discovered the region, with its lush grasses, as potential rangeland for Longhorn cattle. With proper management practices, the Sandhills remain as productive cattle rangeland, supporting over a half million cattle. As we travel the narrow highway that winds through and across the hills, the herds of contentedly grazing cattle form a peaceful picture of a remnant of the old west.
The Sandhills region, lying on the route of the proposed TransCanada Keystone XL Pipeline, is currently the subject of some interesting and intense political controversy. With its high concentration of wetlands, extensive areas of shallow groundwater, and highly fragile and sensitive ecological areas, conservationists and environmental groups side with area ranchers in vigorously opposing construction of the pipeline. As those ranchers are traditional Republicans, it poses an interesting conundrum and a reminder that "politics makes strange bedfellows."
The Chair of the Nebraska Democrats is Jane Kleeb, an activist with an impressive record of accomplishment, both on the national scene and in Nebraska. She is, and will continue to be, an articulate spokeswoman and advocate for Nebraska ranchers. We shall see what transpires.
We reach the "metropolis" of Arthur, population 117, county seat of Arthur County, total population 1,165. It's late afternoon and we turn south toward Ogallala, cross the Platte River, and roll past wheat fields that appear ready for harvest. We reach the town of Grant, population 1,165, and stop at one of our favorite haunts, DJ's Bar and Grill where we are usually waited on my Angela, the zippiest waitress ever.
Tom and I grab a table in the establishment, empty except for another table occupied by a couple of locals. We are greeted by a friendly waitress - not Angela. I ask her if Angela still works here. She replies that she does, but is off for the afternoon.
Before I can utter another word, she asks, "Are you the guy who wrote that column about Angela?"
Somewhat taken aback, I reply, "Yes, but how did you know?"
"Because you're the only one who ever asks about her," she responds.
"So you have seen the piece," I reply.
She responds by marching over to the bulletin board and removing my column of June 23, 2016 in which I had written about Angela - and, of course, had sent her a copy. The waitress tells me how thrilled Angela was to receive it, and how customers comment on it. It has been posted on the bulletin board of DJ's Bar and Grill in the far corner of Nebraska ever since.
I then ask the waitress her name. It is Melissa. Whaddaya know-it turns out that she is Angela's older sister who also has worked at that grill for many years. But we had never seen her before. Friendliness obviously runs in the family.
As she takes our order, I tell her that she might be a subject of my next column.
You just don't meet people like that and touch peoples' lives when you take the Interstate. You have to take roads less traveled.
Next week: To romantic Old Mesilla.
- John Waelti of Monroe can be reached at jjwaelti1@tds.net. His column appears Fridays in the Monroe Times.
