Day 5: Sidney to Lincoln through North Platte

Our fifth day of travel began in Sidney, Nebraska the birthplace of the outdoors outfitter Cabela's. I have to confess to feeling a bit out of my element amidst so much hunting, fishing and camping gear, but Brenda and Julie were sure in their element:

Back on the road, Ken and I spent a few hours in North Platte, Nebraska while the ladies sped along to Manhattan, Kansas to visit some friends there.

I first came to know about North Platte from the book, "Once Upon a Town" which told the story of the World War II canteen that the people of North Platte ran for all four years of the war. Every troop transport train moving east or west across the country came through North Platte, and every one of those trains was met, day or night, by the townspeople who brought sandwiches, cakes, and most importantly support for the troops.

The canteen was demolished years ago, but stood across from this grain silo.

Today, the local historical society tells the story of the canteen in their exhibits, so we were sure to visit that museum. That also gave us the chance to do some driving through a classic Midwestern town - a cultural immersion I thoroughly enjoyed.

Then we proceeded to the Golden Spike Tower, owned and operated by the Union Pacific Railway. It provides amazing views of their Bailey Rail Yard - the world's largest.

We enjoyed watching a few coal trains roll through the yard and got a bunch of great information from a very friendly guide. I've never been much of a train enthusiast but it was a neat stop we were glad we made.

Then we guys were back on the road, heading to Lincoln to spend the night with Nathaniel and Staci Cunningham, dear friends from my Notre Dame London Program days. More on that part of the trip later. But briefly, another discovery . . . we stopped along the way for lunch and discovered the Nebraska tradition: Runza.

It's the name of the chain, and their main product: a hot pocket like sandwich stuffed with ground beef, onions and cheese. Not bad - but not earth shattering either.