What makes Nebraska Special

Columbus, NE — As I’ve mentioned before, in preparation for this trip I’d asked several people what I should see in Nebraska.  Other than the comment about 2″ steaks, I mostly got blank stares.   The landscape near the South Dakota border was actually quite nice, but was not, admittedly, something one would travel some distance to see.

With 2-inch steaks as my only lead, I decided to have a steak dinner in Columbus.   I finally found the central district, which seemed kind of quiet, but two nice old ladies pointed me to the Husker House.  It was perfect.   The ‘Jack Daniels Sirloin’ wasn’t quite two inches thick, but it was very good, and I kind of like the fact that they don’t appear to have remodeled since 1960.   It was in the Husker House that I discovered what makes Nebraska Special.

Not long after I ordered, a man and his wife sat down with their daughter and son-in-law.  They were there to celebrate a special event.  Almost immediately after being seated they started pulling me into the conversation.   Upon telling them my story about searching for things to see in Nebraska, they too tried to come up with something without much success.   The dinner conversation touched on many other topics as well making for a thoroughly enjoyable meal .  Good food, and great company.

It was getting late.  I finished my meal and was anxious to get going and find some place to stay for the night.   When I went to pay the bill the waitress told me that the gentleman next to me had already paid for my dinner.   It was then that he told me that they may not have much to see in Nebraska, but the people here are really nice.   I told him I couldn’t agree more!   That’s when I understood.  Everyone I’d met, from the two old ladies downtown, to the waitress, to the people at the table next to me had been very friendly.  What makes Nebraska great is the people!

Miles Today: 381
Total Miles: 2099
Avg Miles/Day: 233

The Nebraska sunrise picture at the top of this post was taken near Columbus. I needed to get an early start if I was going to make it to my sister’s house before dark. The sunrise was my reward.

Next stop:  Columbia, Missouri