Fort Robinson to Mitchell, SD

July 12, 2011

Fort Robinson State Park is a jewel.  It is an old military post from the late 1800s and is filled with history.  I chose not to go see where Crazy Horse was killed.  Yuck!!  Who needs to see that!  Anyone who knows me really well, knows that Native American history is not my strong point.  I think I grew up too close to  Baugo  Creek and all the Indian (yes—we had Indians then) tales my dad would tell me and how he would tell us to duck when we went near the creek or that he saw an Indian in the woods. Anyway—I have been maimed for life when it comes to Native American history by my father's sense of humor.

Fort Robinson also had a POW camp for German soldiers.  Several thousand went through here during WWII and many of them returned to the area after the war.  They were impressed with the farmland and wanted to return.  There was also a large military dog training camp during the same time period.  At one point 1700 dogs were in training at one time.  They would butcher three horses a day to feed the dogs.  They mixed horse meat with other food.  They would use old military horses that were worn out.

After WWII the post was decommissioned and used by the USDA and has gradually given way to a Nebraska State Park.  The park itself is very well maintained and very family oriented.  Most of the original buildings remain.  Families rent old officer’s quarters and barracks.  They have one area that will sleep 60 with a full kitchen that rents for $200 a night.  Very reasonable for what you get.  They also have a lodge—the enlisted men quarters—which is where I stayed.

I finished my paper for my class my first day here and then stayed an extra day to relax and get some reading time in.  It is amazing as to how busy I stay during the evenings.  Probably too much computer time, planning the next day, writing this blog, etc., but it works for me.

They have a post playhouse and I went to see The 25^th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.  It was cute and nicely done.  The actors are from all over.  They spend the summer at the park and perform several different plays.

Severe storms were predicted for Monday so I made my jeep ride reservation for early in the afternoon before the storms would hit.  My driver –a young man whose mannerisms really remind me of my nephew John, did a fabulous job zipping me around the buttes.  The park contains 25,000 acres, most of which are wilderness areas.  The views are spectacular.  My driver is a student at the University of Wyoming majoring in anthropology with aspirations of owning a micro-brewery. He is a very intelligent young man who will no doubt be successful.  He is from the area and told me that his high school had about 70 kids in four grades.  Most kids are from ranch families and many board at the park during the winter months so they can stay in school.

I met up with a couple from Terre Haute who are traveling US20 as part of a caravan of five VW vans. They are camping in their vans and headed for Yellowstone.

AND today—while heading towards South Dakota—I saw the grocery cart bike man again.  I figured he is riding about 25 miles a day, but he might’ve stopped for a rest like I did.

Today (Tues) is probably my worst weather day.  Fog and mist this morning which finally gave way to a nice day.  I was hoping for better weather as today I drove through the Sand Hill area of Nebraska.  What I could see was beautiful--gently rolling hills with grass covering sand hills.  This area is huge for ranching.  The story is that early on,  a rancher’s cattle strayed into the hills, a blizzard hit, and he had no hopes of finding them.  When spring arrived he went into the hills to see if he could find out what happened to them and he not only found them, but they were thriving.  Hence, a new era of ranching on the sand hills began.

I stopped at the Quilt Cupboard in Valentine.  The store owned by a woman about my age, is in a home that was built in the early 1900s.  The owner re-finished all the woodwork, re-finished the floors, new windows, etc.  She said it was her husband’s idea for her to have a quilt store. Can you believe it?  Laura and I often dream , scheme and talk about how fun it would be to own a quilt store and I don’t think either one of our husbands would encourage this idea. Her husband took her to town on Christmas Eve and asked her if she wanted to own this house.  She thought he wanted it as a rental, but no, he thinks it is a  great location for a quilt shop.  He is a rancher.  The store is beautiful and features a wide array of fabric.  I was a very good girl.

My chuckles today include discovering the world’s most boring job—holding the stop sign during road construction on an empty road with no traffic.  I was the only car and this person—couldn’t tell if it was a male or female, stood there holding the stop sign in front of me and only me, until the lead car returned about 12 minutes later. I shut the car off and read a book.

My radio stations were limited to the Native American station or NPR’s classical stuff that grated on my nerves.  I enjoyed the local station.  Especially when they did the birthday list:  John Lame Arrow, Susan White Deer, and Mary Bluebird all had birthdays today.

I ended my day in Mitchell, SD and am looking forward to starting the Laura Ingalls Wilder portion of my trip in the morning.  I will head to DeSmet fairly early and end my day in Mankato, MN.  Minnesota’s government is still shut down—I’ve heard people complaining about it.  Rest areas are closed as well as all state parks.

It is hard to believe that I have been away from home for almost a month.  My how time flies when you are having fun!!!  I am so lucky to be doing what I am doing.

Scottsbluff to Fort Laramie to Fort Robinson

July 9

Fresh off of a lovely stay at the Barn Anew B&B located literally on the Oregon Trail I headed west towards Fort Laramie.  Fort Laramie is in far Eastern Wyoming and sits on the approach to the Rocky Mountains.  This fort has surviving buildings dating back to 1849 mostly because homesteaders purchased the buildings and lived in them.  Finally public agencies took the necessary steps to preserve the buildings that are filled with history.

Many of the buildings are only ruins, but several survive intact and there is an active restoration process on many buildings. You can’t help but wonder what these old walls would say if they could talk.  I found it interesting that the Old Guardhouse from 1866 is one of two tornado shelters on the property.  These people take tornadoes pretty darn seriously. 

The Old Guardhouse has been a part of a recent archeological dig and the researchers found traces of the Old, Old Guardhouse.  They located the foundations for the cells where the chronic, repeat offenders stay for weeks at a time while living on bread and water, no furniture, heat or light.  It is approximately 5 feet long and three feet wide.  Imagine if we did this today…

Heading through Northeast Wyoming towards Fort Robinson, I happened upon a quilt store.  Okay—I admit—I planned it this way.  Anyway, the little shop had an owner that is like my soul sister.  I loved everything in her shop, but I only bought enough fabric for one throw quilt.  I really like being on the road and still having MSD drop money into my checking account every two weeks—it is like magic money.  Oh—to be a member of the privileged elite in the state of Indiana!  No, I don’t get paid for when I don’t teach.  I don’t take a full wage so I can get paid in the summer.  Horses eat all 52 weeks of the year—not just the 36 weeks we are in school.  It still sounds pretty good though doesn’t it?  Until you figure in all the unpaid vacation weeks during the school year.  But---I can’t think of ANYTHING else I would rather be doing—with the exception of what I am doing this summer. J

Anyway—I had a lovely drive on HWY 20—the same one that goes through Angola.  It is much narrower here and doesn’t have a gazillion semi-trucks on it.  Don’t think I came across any trucks.  I did pass a cross-country bicyclist and wondered just where he was going to sleep tonight.  What would possess someone to ride a bike that far?  The front wheel of his bike looked like a grocery cart and carried all of his gear.  There are very few trees in the area from Lusk to Fort Robinson.  At one point I could see for miles in every direction and not see any trees.  Don’t get me wrong—I love trees—remember my Arbor Day Farm visit?  However, I LOVE the wide open spaces and just the quality of life people live in this area.

On several occasions I have had teenagers strike up conversations with me about trivial things that most kids wouldn’t even notice.  It is like there is another set of values in Western Nebraska that we don’t have in Angola.  No mention of meth— or thug looking kids—lots of rodeos and FFA/4-H signs.  The schools that I have passed are very small.  I saw one that was about the size of AHS, then I realized that it was the elementary, middle, and high school for a tri-county area. 

As I crept closer to Fort Robinson the hills began to look like those found near the Badlands and I began to see more trees. The hills leveled out and began to look more like buttes.  The grass became greener and there were more horses instead of cattle on the open range.  I did go about 50 miles without cell coverage which didn’t bother me a bit.

No trees!!  For miles!!

 I did come up with a project for someone looking for a Lilly grant idea.  They could document the artwork of the ranch signs on the open range areas.  Most ranches have a fancy iron sign either in front of their place or in an arch that goes over the driveway.  That could be an interesting project.  You could photograph the signs and talk to the owners about the history of the ranch.  I’m sure they would have many tales to tell.

Fort Robinson is an old military post that is now a Nebraska state park.  It is big and beautiful.  More details on the park tomorrow.  It is time for bed—I just read this post and it sounds like my dear friend Cody wrote it with his ADD going strong.  Sorry!

Scottsbluff, NE

July 7, 2011

My first night at Barn Anew B&B was spectacular.  Slept like a baby.  I am looking forward to two more nights in this history filled restored, repurposed, converted barn/historic home.  The owners, Allan and Cher are delightful people.  Both are retired teachers.  Allan is the history buff and taught high school, while Cher is a fiber artist and middle school Language Arts teacher.  Insert “It’s a Small World” from Disney here—now you will all be humming that song in your head for the rest of the day.

The picture is a view from the balcony overlooking the Oregon Trail which runs past their house. 

I shared my plans for a story quilt for The Outsiders with Cher and she told me that she taught that book the first year it was published and for every year thereafter.  She also confessed that she got tired of teaching it, but the kids loved it.  Which is exactly how I feel.  When I told her what I was thinking of for my quilt design she chuckled and said that she would probably be thinking about it all night long.  She did promise to share any ideas that she generated with me.

After a delightful breakfast and while the air was still relatively cool, I headed for Scottsbluff National Monument.  The bluff is almost unimaginably huge.  I cannot imagine being a pioneer walking beside the wagon and realizing that you have to go around the bluff, because there is no way through it.

My visit began with the one of the rangers driving me to the summit trailhead of the Saddle Trail.  Then I began my 1.6 mile decent to the bottom.  Of course, there are signs warning of rattlesnakes in every direction.  They told me not to be surprised if I saw one as they are plentiful, but they would not seek me out.  I didn’t see any—thank God for small favors.  The hike was unlike anything I have ever experienced.  The wildflowers are blooming and everything is still green as the area has had an overabundance of rain this summer.  The acoustics were amazing.  I could hear people talking at the top when I was nearing the bottom and I could understand what they were saying.  I thought they were right behind me. 

I started at the top of the picture and worked my way down.  It was strenuous because of the steep slope.  You can see the path that cuts across the picture.  This was the easy part.  Cher from the B&B goes up and down the trail a few times a week.  I don't know if Anita and I could do that, but it would be fun to try.
 

 With one trail completed, I was eager to do the Oregon Trail loop that would take me on the actual trail and I would be able to walk through the swale that was formed by the roughly 250,000 pioneers.  Examples of the different types of wagons were also on display.  The one I found most intriguing is the Mormon hand cart (below).  Can you imagine pulling or pushing a handcart that is slightly larger than an oversized wheelbarrow----for months across the prairie?  A family would have to have more than one and the kids would also have to take a turn.

The Scottsbluff area is magnificent.  The sky seems so big and you can see for miles and miles and miles. The bluff area is quite large. Pioneers would see the bluff and get excited about the change in landscape only to realize that it would take a couple of days to reach it and then they would have to go around it as there was no way through it.  Eventually, some brave souls figured out a tight way through Mitchell Pass.  The wagons scraped through the rocks on both sides and by the end of the westward movement some 250,000 pioneers went through this area.

July 4th Happy Birthday America!!

July 4     Happy Birthday America!

The Stuhr Museum in Grand Island, Nebraska is noted for its July 4^th Celebrations.  The festivities take place in the restored prairie railroad town.  The museum focuses on the expansion of the railroad into the west; Grand Island is the town it is today because of the railroad.

All of the buildings are original time period buildings that have been moved to a new location and restored.  It is similar to Conner Prairie rather than Sauder Farms.  The main attraction on July 4 is the parade down the main street.  Think Disney 150 years ago.  The townsfolk all dressed to the hilt wearing their Sunday best including elaborate hats.  The Christian Women Temperance Association was politicizing the event and all the businesses carried banners to advertise their wares.  The museum people nabbed little kids from the crowd to carry banners and flags.  It was fun to see.

My favorite building has to be the prairie farm house from the 1880s.  The restoration process was nicely done and the docents were in their period clothing, sweating, and ever so friendly.  It is interesting to note that most of the museums that dot this area appear to be well funded, but not so well attended.  I’m thinking it is because it is the dead of summer.  Perhaps more people attend during the school year.  When I inquired about the quilts in the house the docent asked me if I had read the book No Time on My Hands by Grace Snyder.  It is a book written to document the quilting of her mother,   Nellie.   The docent explained that as a young child of the prairie Nellie begged her mother for scraps of fabric and began to spend all of her idle time making quilts.  One of her quilts is now on display at the International Quilt Study Center---it contains thousands of  fabric pieces—none larger than a dime.  I knew exactly what quilt she was talking about.  She was quite the stitcher.

I did finish putting the borders on my wall quilt and now it needs to be backed and quilted.  I still need a backing yet.  I usually look for clearance or end of bolt bargain fabric for the backs of my quilt as nobody really sees them.  Laura and I both purchased several (Nick—do not read this) bargain backings the last time we went to our favorite quilt store in Cedar Rapids.  Oftentimes you can spend as much on the back as you have in the front, which to me seems wasteful, so I prefer to look for bargain fabric.

Tomorrow it is Westward Ho---as some of my “friends” are calling my trip.  It is wonderful to work with people you love and who love you enough to refer to you as a “ho.”  Gotta love’em because they are all so darn special and I wouldn’t be who I am today without them.

The Silver Coronet Band at the Stuhr Museum

My new wall quilt.

My little house on the prairie.

July 2, 2011

Saturday was a day of rest, relaxation, fabric shopping and laundry.  I went into Grand Island and hit the antique mall and quilt store.  The antique mall had scads of cool furniture at reasonable prices—a trailer would’ve been handy.  The quilt store was small, but had a nice selection of Kansas Troubles, one of my favorite fabric lines.  Of course I needed to pick up some of the new End of Summer line for fall.  I picked up enough to make a simple wall quilt for my kitchen area.  Then I went home and made it---from start to almost finish.  I ran out of thread.  Bummer.  But I only need to add six border pieces and it will be finished. 

My home is in the KOA campground.  I am living in one of the lodges.  Camping at its finest—queen size bed, flat screen TV, private bath, micro, fridge, gas grill, nice table for sewing, patio furniture and a great view of the corn across the way.  I love it here.  Quiet, nice people and really sllllooooooowwwww internet.  What did we do before the www?

July 3, 2011

Today dawned nice and clear after a night filled with one thunderstorm after another.  You have no doubt heard about the flooding of the Missouri River.  Well, upstream the Platte River is starting to flood.  They have not released water into the Missouri and things are starting to back up.  The locals were not happy to pick up more rain.

I hit the road fairly early and headed to Red Cloud, Nebraska to visit the Willa Cather History Center.  I’ve only read a couple of her books, but I have found them interesting.  Her life was very interesting as well.  I enjoyed my personal two hour tour given by someone near my mother’s age.  Which is fine, however, she moved painfully slow and it was hotter than heck.  At one point I thought I was going to have to finish the tour without her.  It was a town tour and we went from building to building.  Each building played a role in one of Willa’s books.  By the end of the tour, I was unlocking and locking the doors for the poor sweet woman.  I told her that I admired her spunk and she told me volunteering was what kept her going.  I believe her. 

I have made an interesting observation.  Introductory movies for historical sites are boring.  Laura told me that at one of her conferences she learned that movies for such places should be very short.  Nine minutes works for me—twenty minutes doesn’t.

The highlight of my day was visiting the Willa Cather Memorial Prairie Restoration.  850 acres of restored prairie!!  It was stunning.  You could look out from atop the hill and see wide open space for what seemed like miles.  There were also a couple of loop trails.  I tackled one—even though it was in the mid 90s.  There was a sign at the simple gate that asks you to be sure to close the gate because the prairie is also pasture land for cattle.  Sure enough, I found evidence at my feet a few steps down the path.  Fortunately I was observant and didn’t have to scrape my shoes.  Several prairie flowers were blooming and the birds were chattering.  As I walked down the mowed path, I couldn’t help but wonder what the pioneers thought as they walked through the untamed prairie.  What a risk they were taking, yet they were so determined to go on.  I could see cattle when I reached the second walking loop gate.  I opted out.  I found it interesting that I could have walked with the cattle if I wanted to.  I’m thinking I used good judgment.

I ended up sewing for several hours on Sunday night.  I finished my wall quilt and pieced together three sets of eight blocks each for another quilt.  Once I got started it was hard to stop.

Imagine walking through this for miles each day to get to your new soddy---that you have to build.

So long U of N...

July 1, 2011

Whew!!!  What a week!!!  I finished my class at 4 PM today and then headed west to Grand Island for the next four days.  It was over 100 today.  People kept complaining about the heat and humidity.  Trust me it was nothing like Indiana humidity---I didn’t think it was humid at all—just hot—plus there is always a breeze blowing which really helps

My class was amazing.  I will never look at fabric the same way again.  There were seven of us in all.  Everyone is in the textile masters or doctorate program except for me!!  I’m proud to say that I held my own.  Everyone was very helpful.  I have a much better understanding and knowledge of how textiles were dyed and printed in the circa 1700 to 1900.  I also learned a bit about conservation and restoration—which was very interesting.  Each student picked out a quilt to research from the backlog of quilts the museum needs to process.  Our research and analysis will be used in the archives of the International Quilt Study Center in Lincoln, Nebraska.  How cool is that!?!?!?!

I was also able to confirm the time period from my great-great-grandmother’s quilt to pre-1850s which aligns with the information we have on the quilt.  My instructor also gave me some hints as to testing the fabric to determine if I can clean it.  I’m looking forward to checking out additional pioneer quilts over the next few weeks---I will test my fabric dating powers.

One thing that really challenged me was to evaluate a quilt on the fabric only—not the construction or other “quilty” features.   My quilt (above) was interesting in that the maker obviously made do with the fabric she had on hand.  Several pieces are pieced together and the fabric doesn’t all match in her blocks.  I also noticed that out of twenty blocks, nineteen were quilted with alternating patterns:  bunches of grapes and a heart motif.  The odd quilt  blockhad a rooster in one corner and hearts in the rest.  There is only one rooster motif---which appears to be complicated.  Did she decide to include the rooster as a teaser as it is called Turkey Track or did she quilt one rooster and decide it was too time consuming? 

One of the gals in our class was just a little older than I am.  She is the extension educator for three rural counties in Central Nebraska.  There are 4000 people in her three counties.  Isn’t that interesting?   Of the 4-H kids in her home county 78% are in 4-H.  She said “the other two counties lag a bit—only about 60% of the kids participate.”  She is a go-getter and probably does a tremendous job for the extension.  She runs a statewide quilting program for 4-H kids and has them making Quilts of Valor and documenting their own quilts that they make.  I feel certain that we will keep in touch—she invited me to stay with her if I end up going her way.

I’m going to spend a few days near Grand Island and finish my paper for my class, sew a bit, visit a few historic locations, do laundry (yuck) and get some R&R in.  Of course, I also picked up a few books to read about Nebraskan pioneer families.

It was fun to be on the University of Nebraska’s campus today and join in the celebration of UofN’s first day of being in the Big Ten Conference.  There was an air of excitement all around.  EVERYTHING is all U of N.  They don’t have any pro-teams and they only have one big school to cheer for and they show their Big Red Pride everyday--there are red shirts--everywhere!!