Day 13 - Labor Day in Nebraska

Hi all,
Today was a very exciting day. My knee has been feeling fine, hoping in and out of a Model T, and airboat, so today was going to go up in a 1949 Ryan Navion, what an exciting treat. Ken's cousin Norman, a pilot, owns this plane and invited us for a flight. We were at the airport at 8AM. Ken and Norman rolled the plane out of the hanger onto the cement. I looked at the plane and thought how will I get into it. Norman said to step on the footstep, grab the handle, then pull yourself up on the wing. Well I stepped on the footstep, grabbed the handle, and reached for Norman's hand. Well thinking and doing can have a synapse lapse. My knee bent and there I was kneeling on the wing, but not standing. I was able to pull myself up and climb into the back seat of the plane. Hooked my seatbelt and was ready for takeoff. Ken and Norman got into the front seats.

Well off we went into the wild blue yonder. So beautiful, but after about 5 minutes I felt very hot, unbuttoned my jacket, but no better. I than became very nauseous and had a blast from the past. Every time I rode in the back seat of an old car I became car sick,ugh!! Here I was in a vintage plane in the back seat with no airsick bag, and how can I tell Ken and Norman, I love the ride, but may have to hurl. Just as I was thinking that Ken turned and looked at me as did Norman, I must have been a lovely pea green. Norman flew back to the airport and after a wonderful soft landing, opened the canopy so I could get some air. Ah, I was going to make it after all, but how was I going to get out of the back seat. Norman taxied to the hanger and said it would be easier getting out than in, and he was right. He brought out a small stepstool, I climbed out of the plane, stepped on the stool's top step, sat down and slid my feet to the ground. Norman's a great pilot, and such a gentleman.

After a delicious lunch, Ken's cousins Norm and and Rex and their wives, Ken and I took a ride. The plan was to see where Ken's grandfather farmed, which we did, some buildings still standing. It was like a walk back in time. We then decided to visit a cemetary in Hazard. Well the road sign said limited maintenance but that didn't deter our staunch driver Norman. We went on dirt roads that looked like Federal Assistance Rejects. Everytime we reached the crest of a hill we expected to see our destination. Alas, this was not to be, at one point I thought I saw the ocean, maybe wishful thinking. After much laughter and comments about how you can't trust a GPS we arrived. S

Today was another wonderful day with my cousins and their wives. I don't know when we have laughed so much and enjoyed ourselves more. Norman and June and Rex and Betty are such wonderful hosts and have showed us such a great time, that it will be hard to leave this part of the country. A ride in the front set of Norman's Ryan Navion was a real treat. I had flown in his museum quality WW II restored Piper L14 before, but had only seen the Navion about 10 years ago before it was restored. This ride was a little rough, but Norman is one of the finest pilots you have ever seen. What views of the Nebraska fields and country sides, but it was cloudy, so the brilliant greens were subdued.

To see the town and countryside that I started my life in from the air was a thrill again after all these years. The last time I flew over Pleasanton, I was probably 14 years old and Norman was the pilot then too. I remembered flying over the town into a stiff headwind and then realizing we were actually flying backwards over the town. We had air speed, but not ground speed, and when I had looked at Norman, I remember he had this mischievous grin on his face that I can still see after all these years.

After landing, we drove over to Rex and Betty's home and saw more of Rex's toys, including his airboat and a 1928 John Deere tractor that his dad had bought new. Of course, it was in perfect running order, so he cranked it up and drove it out of the garage so we could look it over. Quite a machine and hard to believe it is still operational after all these years. It only had 19 horsepower, but it was a real workhorse back in the days.

Back to Pleasanton for lunch with the cousins. Rex and Norm were still wanting me to take the Vette for a ride through the mud race track since it looked like the track had dried out a little, but I still refused. They took us for a ride in the country side and we saw the farm that my grandparents had farmed so very many years ago. The house is still there, as are some of the buildings. Until I saw the farm, I hadn't really remembered it, but I did recognize features again after all these years. Traveled on to see more of the countryside and over roads that are not regularly maintained. Rex and Norman sure were wanting to take me back to get the Vette to follow them thru the countryside. Also visited a cemetary in Hazard, Nebraska, where my great grandparents are buried and saw another farm where the great grandparents had homesteaded land so many years ago. Their first home was made from sod.

We will sure miss all the laughs, stories (both old and new), and the fun we had while we were here and hate to have to leave to continue our journey. This visit with all of my cousins will never be forgotten, nor will we ever be able to thank them for all the experiences this weekend. We will miss them all and are certainly glad we were able to have a reunion after all these years. We have to plan for another reunion soon.

Well, we have now traveled 2452 miles on "the Great Adventure" and will be hitting the road for Mt. Rushmore tomorrow morning. Stay tuned for our continuing saga... K