After the heavy storm yesterday evening, we were delighted to wake up to a glorious morning...once again clear blue skies and a comfortable 59 degrees along with low humidity. We did some talking with a longer term camper in the park and were told that most of the people there for the summer work on windmills. Apparently these folks, rather than following the crops, follow the weather where the work is done installing and maintaining the larger and larger number of windmills that are already installed or are in the process of being installed. I thought of it as being a village of people who travel more or less together following the work. The husband of the lady we talked to told us that her husband had been doing this for twenty years. They have been full time in their RV for 12 years. Who knew.

Just after leaving camp at 9:00 we stopped two blocks down the street and mailed a birthday card . You will know who you are when you get it next week! :-D

As we headed towards Grand Island, NE, as we tend to do, we started reminiscing about times past and experiences we have had in our over 50 years together. As some of you know, this past January marked our 50th wedding anniversary. I, just because I wanted to do so, decided to take a whole 18 months (starting in July of 2013 when we got together with children and grandchildren in Myrtle Beach to celebrate 6 months early) and ending this coming January 26 to commemorate such a big event in our lives. Therefore the trip this summer is also part of the Grand Celebration!

After discussing happenings in our lives, we started trying to figure out roughly how many miles we have traveled in this country and Canada through the years. John's very rough estimate is that we have traveled over 170,000 miles JUST in RVs. On top of that figure he thinks we have done at the minimum 30,000 miles in other vehicles plus any trips via airplane . John says that is is little wonder that he gets tired...just that estimated account amounts to going around the world at least eight times! Am I a good encourager or what!!?? Rita B., you may be right...I really DO have wheels on my heels!

The main point of our drive to Grand Island today (this is our third stop there) was to partake of a meal of hotdogs (that we consider the best we have EVER had) at Coney Island Lunch Room on 3rd Street in downtown Grand Island. The place has been in business in the same location since 1933. The grandson of the gentleman who opened it is still running the family business. The first time we were here several years ago, the son of the founder was there and we got to talk to him for several minutes. I think he has since passed away because he was in in 90's then. At any rate, we love their hotdogs and if we are anywhere near Grand Island we make it a point to stop and eat. Today was no exception. As usual, the hot dogs were delicious and one of us made a pig of himself . Just saying. There were THREE hotdogs involved. Sigh. The owner remembered us from the other two visits and asked us to stop by again when we were in the neighborhood. I think he thinks we are funny.

Before leaving town we stopped for fuel and paid $3.19/gal which is the least we have paid in a while. We got 10 miles per gallon. After that, we headed towards Lincoln, NE. Crossing the Platte River, the land became much flatter. There were huge fields of corn and other crops. As we traveled on I-80 E we discovered we were also in a much heavier concentration of heavy truck traffic. Passing Lincoln at 1:30, we turned south on Hwy 77 and crossed into Kansas once again at 3:05. By now it was 86 degrees. As we headed into Marysville, KS I saw by signs along the road that we were driving on three main historical trails: we were on the Oregon, the California, and the Pony Express Trails. Lots of history in this area.

In Marysville we stopped for a quick visit (it was almost closing time) at the "Pony Express Home Station #1 Museum" in downtown Marysville . According to the brochure, "Marysville was the first home station out of St. Joseph going west." That means that this was the first place that a Pony Express Rider from St. Joe (about 12 to 15 hours from St. Joe riding a horse) could stop and rest for five days as he waited for a rider to come through from San Francisco at which point he would jump on a horse and take the mail on to St. Joe.

The riders would change horses every ten to twelve miles at posting houses, but this was the first time they could get off of their horses and let someone else carry the mail forward. "When Johnny Frye threw the mochila (mail bag) over his saddle the night of April 4, 1860 and rode the next leg out of Marysville, he rode into a history that captured the imagination of America. The Pony Express lasted 18 months before Western Union's transcontinental telegraph made it obsolete. The records of the Pony Express were lost in the Civil war allowing legend to shroud history, but in its short duration the Pony Express kept California tied to the Union. It provided a quick efficient form of communication and made heroes of the young men of the Pony Express."

The head docent at the museum told us that Marysville has a nice city park and they even provide free RV parking spots that have both water and electric! Leaving the museum a little after 4:00, we drove down the street one block and we were here five minutes later! We are level, the electricity is excellent, we have a beautiful setting in a lovely city park. We couldn't ask for anything more. We will mail them a donation because this is certainly above and beyond what is called for to make travelers feel welcome. John is washing (again!!) Muf's face and when I get this posted we will take a good walk around the park. Today has been an excellent day.

We drove 243 miles today.