The ride from Winter Park to Denver was a downhill run, but soon we reached the Colorado prairies and then Nebraska. We passed through Kearney, NE where the westward push of the railroad as the Civil War ended gave new birth to this community. More important Kearney is known as the best place in Nebraska to view the annual spring sandhill crane migration. At the start of our trip, Bill Harley recommended we listen to The Echo Maker by Richard Powers, a novel intertwined with the sandhill crane migration.

We staid at another amazing state park – Eugene T. Mahoney State Park. Beautifully maintained with great Otto morning walking trails. Next morning we headed to the International Quilting Hall of Fame in Lincoln, Nebraska. WOW! I now better understand the difference between quilting and a quilt. Our tour guide was terrific and the various exhibits were amazing. After watching Melinda making her last quilt, I am blown away by the skill needed, time required, and the tender loving care infused.

From Lincoln we headed to the F. W. Kent State Park in Iowa. Another winner. Very few RVs and our first Tornado Safe Safe Room. Otto and I had a great walk around the Park’s lake.

After packing up we headed to Amana Colonies, one of America’s longest-lived communal societies lasting until 1932 when it became an unincorporated and census-designated community. Overall these German colonies were self-sufficient and we were able to appreciate how members lived and the skills they passed down to today’s community members.

We next traveled to the Indiana Dunes State Park in Gary, Indiana located within the Indiana Dunes National Park. The National Park hugs 15 miles of the southern shores of Lake Michigan including rugged dunes, wetlands, prairies, meandering rivers and forests. The dunes reminded us of Martha’s Vineyard and the main beach area included a Dunes Pavilion built in the late 1920’s.

Today we drove hard from Gary, Indiana to Erie, Pennsylvania. Tomorrow we will do our final black and gray water dump and our final night will be a Lake Placid Hotel and dinner out. We are looking forward to getting back to Jackson.