Adventure 638: Rawlins, Wyoming Heading West

Our pleasant lunch spot at the city park in Dix, Nebraska.

Because we had all day to get to Rawlins, we decided to leave Interstate 80 for a scenic jaunt along the Lincoln Highway, which was the earliest transcontinental highway built in America. Completed in 1913, the route started in Times Square in New York City and ended in Lincoln Park in San Fransisco. Although the route has changed over the years, the highway passes through 14 states, 128 counties, and more than 700 cities and towns. In 1926, at the dawn of the highway numbering system, the Lincoln Highway became Route 30, and remained vital until the 1950s when Interstate 80 replaced it as the main transcontinental route along the Northern tier. We passed through much less than 700 cities and towns, but those we did pass through offered a slice of Americana not found on the freeway. We took our time, walked around a little bit in each town we passed through, had our scrumptious lunch next to a lovely park serenaded by a large and raucous flock of birds in the very tiny town of Dix, Nebraska. We returned to I-80 at Pine Bluff, which is right on the border between Nebraska and Wyoming. We arrived in Rawlins around 3:30 only to be greeted by what looked like the whole town turning out for Homecoming. State troopers blocked the roads, Kings and Queens rode floats, the band marched, the cheer girls danced, and a very large maskless crowd lined the streets. It's part of what makes small town America amazing. After we hooked up, we walked into town to the local Thai place to pick up a take-out dinner of summer rolls, pad thai, and yellow curry potato vegetable soup. Absolutely delicious, which can only mean that we were once again blessed with traveling mercies which makes life is good, especially today.

We've stopped in Rawlins five times now. We've eaten food from this restaurant three times. Truly excellent.

On the way to pick up our take out food, a walk of four miles round trip, we saw fourteen deer which were not in the least bit skittish.

The population of Dix is around 316.

We walked a couple of miles around the big park and fairgrounds in Sidney. Judy was rattling off the names of flowers and shrubs growing in the town'a arboretum.

Who says reading isn't important. I thought this sign was an ad for active dancers in Rawlins. I thought it said, triple A disco units. Judy corrected me with a more logical interpretation: AAA discounts.

Loved this sign in Paxton, Nebraska. Ole's restaurant took up the whole block.

These three bucks merely sniffed as we walked by, but they better not let Ole see them.

Some 70,000 Mormons traveled along the North Platte River. This sign in Ogallala commemorates their efforts.

This life sized diorama reminded Judy of the gas station her dad, Abe K, owned in Beatrice, Nebraska.

There was still a blue mail box out front. Not sure about the pick up times.

Falcon photo of the day: Here, Mimi, let me rub that.