Nebraska – From East to West

Nebraska Shed and Skies

Nebraska Shed and Skies ©2008 Bo Mackison

The skies are wide, the grasslands rolling a bit, lots of rural buildings in Eastern Nebraska, and we keep heading west. Always west.

Orange Train Engine

Orange Train Engine ©2008 Bo Mackison

Not only are we heading across Nebraska. The trains are traveling too. Every half hour or so, one comes hurtling down the tracks, mostly heading east with full cars of coal, or occasionally heading west with empty grain cars, soon to be filled with this year’s harvests.

Goats in Nebraskas Sandhills

Goats in Nebraska’s Sandhills ©2008 Bo Mackison

And how many of you are as surprised as I am that part of Nebraska looks like this! Yesterday afternoon  we drifted off the Interstate so we could see more of the back country – and we found this. As we drove near Broken Bow in western Nebraska, the land turned into sandhills covered with grasses and we saw a herd of grazing goats. We also saw plenty of beef cattle on the grasslands, and on the sides of the road there were a few sandhill cranes, pheasants, hawks. Even five white-tailed deer that ran right in front of our car. Seems no matter where we go, the deer consider our car a moving target worthy of aim.

Another hundred miles of Nebraska today (Sunday) and then we head west across Colorado where snow is expected in the upper passes of the Rocky Mountains. Hopefully we will just run into rain.

About Bo Mackison

I'm a photographer, book-artist, traveler, naturalist, and creator of the Contemplative Creatives Journey, An Online Workshop and Community and Desert Wisdom Cards and Workshops. Though often not well known, I find the desert a welcoming place - a healing space. Its mysteries and gifts transformed me several years ago. Since that first encounter, I return again and again to fill my well in what most people think of as a desolate region. I'd love to share my desert discoveries and wisdom with you. Please subscribe to receive my five part mini email course The Gifts of the Desert. It's my gift to you.

Comments

  1. Hello!

    I’ve been following your blog for a while but I don’t think I’ve ever commented before. Just wanted you to know that I like how your writing and photos complement each other.

    We lived in Nebraska for a while, and I’m glad you discovered the well kept secret that the Platte River Valley of I80 does not represent all of Nebraska. We traveled two summers ago from PA to UT and back in the car and discovered so much about each state. If I had been a stranger to NE, I would have considered it as boring as most people do when they drive through. I knew that if we drove just a few miles off the interstate, we would find what you did.

    Enjoy your road trip, and keep posting. I’m enjoying it too! I am oh so jealous that you are heading into the Rockies in autumn.

  2. Having never been to Nebraska..am loving these images. The farmland with its rolling hills is beautiful.

  3. Love these captures especially the train. The sandhills are great! Looking forward to more…. 🙂

  4. I was expecting Nebraska to look flat. The hills were a surprise to me, too.

    Beautiful captures. I’m looking forward to following along on your trip.

  5. Beautiful series. The bottom one is particularly spectacular!

  6. Great shots! I’ll look forward to more as your trip progresses.

  7. lady.percy says

    Goats! I love the goat shot! :-]

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