"Yes, but not to New Hampshire".
We had to post Day 11 today, as we were having too much fun on Saturday. Left Bellevue about 9:00 AM after one more swing thru town. Then on to Kearney and Pleasanton. We didn't need an early morning wakeup at the motel, as the fire alarm woke everyone in the motel at 6:30 AM. No fire, but it was a hell of a way to start to the day.
Got to Kearney and checked into the Ramada Inn, got unpacked and freshened up, and headed for Pleasanton. My family originally came from the Pleasanton area, and my parents and brother are buried here, so this place has very special meanings in my life. When we arrived in Pleasanton, the street into the town, population 310, was filled with cars and people lining the street. Of all things, they were having mud races with modified pickup trucks. People were trying to get me to pull the Vette into the racers' entrance, but I passed up the chance the beat these guys. (Yeah, right!)
Drove over to my cousin Norman and his wife June's place and were greeted by June. Shortly after my cousin Rex arrived and then Norman arrived. They had been down at the mud races. Talked and laughed over old times and then we went to the races for a while. Really interesting race track. Just a short strip of mud and dirt, and then a quick car wash if you don't stop in time. If you don't stop in time, you will land right in the river at the end of the strip.
Back to Norman and June's and Norman invited Sheila and I for an air boat ride with him and his brother Rex. Of all things, we forgot to take a camera with us. Norman has a new air boat with a 425 horsepower Chevrolet engine (that's 75 more hp than our Vette), and he took us for several miles up and down a small river called the Loop River. What a beautiful ride through some of the most scenic areas we've ever seen. The river is too shallow for a regular boat, so an air boat, especially one with 425 hp, is the only way to see the river. Not much in the way of shallow water or sand banks is going to slow a 425 hp air boat down. Even saw bald eagles nesting along the river and Rex saw a deer watching us from a bank on the river.
When we got back o the house, Rex's wife Betty joined us and the stories of the adventures of Rex and Norman began. The things these two have done would fill volumes. We laughed and laughed over old and new stories. Its amazing these two have survived some of their exploits, but they and their families are wonderful and amazing people. We finally had to leave for the night and headed back to Kearney. Along the way back, the Vette was attacked by a killer racoon that literally ran into the side of the car while we were traveling along at 60 mph. That thing, when I saw it at the last minute, looked big enough to mate with a Shetland pony! I figured I would be in serious need of a car wash Sunday morning, but lucked out. The driver's side of the car was actually cleaner than the passenger side - Probably due to the racoon fur treatment. K
Kearney, pronounced Carney, was named after Fort Kearney here in Nebraska. The ride from Omaha here again was flanked by corn, wheat, and soy fields, beautiful fertile country. The ride from Lincoln to Kearney is a long flat road, I wonder if Nebraska in Native American means road flat as a pancake after Lincoln. Kens family is very nice and a lot of fun, I've enjoyed spending time with all of them.
Visited the cemetary and Kens parents and brothers graves. Cemetary is a very peaceful place maintained by town residents. Kens grandparents are also buried there. Have purchased some flowers to place tomorrow at gravesites.
Visited Pleasanton 10 yrs ago and have to say some changes have been made. Still a small town but the town has moved forward.
Kens cousins really enjoy teasing us about placing the Vette, in mud races, tractor pulls etc.
Last night they had a rodeo in town big excitement for small town.
Will see Kens family again tomorrow, more to follow.
Yes I did get my OPI nail polish pretty color and all. S
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