May 29, 2019 Wednesday Day 11
We a woke early and made our own big breakfast at the lodging. Packed up the car and got out by 9:30. After driving through Cheyenne directly to I-80, contrary to Google Maps directions to go out of the way west and south on I-25 to get to I-80, we headed east for the longest drive of the trip.
We had a 350 mile trip ahead of us to Omaha and a one hour time zone change so we did not have the opportunity to make stops in Nebraska if we were to get to my son's house before bedtime. The terrain leaving Cheyenne continued to be wide open spaces with lots of bluffs and rolling hills. I-80 follows the Outlaw Trail scenic Byway through Nebraska. Initially not much farming, it seemed to be lots of ranches. I guess I was so engrossed in the landscape that I missed the welcome to Nebraska sign. We passed under the Archway spanning I-80 near Kearney. There were several Electrify America fast charging stations strategically located along the freeway, usually in Walmart parking lots, but the Volt is not equipped for that. This network is a product of Deasilgate and Volkswagen's penalty for its fraud.
We stopped in Gothenburg and toured a restored Pony Express station that was set in a pretty and very green park. These stations were set up every 12-15 miles and were basically just horse changing stations. The larger stations were about 90 miles apart and the riders changed at those sites. The riders made $25/week.
The volunteer was very knowledgeable and spent 30 minutes explaining its history. He claimed that for a long time Congress had been deadlocked over a charter for such a service between the north and south, each of whom wanted a route that began in its area. A similar dispute held up the authorization for a transcontinental telegraph line and railroad. All these projects were authorized and moved forward only after the southern representatives left Congress. The service sought , young, light weight and preferably orphans as riders. They wanted speed and riders whose deaths would not cause a stir. In fact only one rider died in service and that was in a snow storm in the Sierra Nevada Mts. The youngest rider was 11 and he lived to be 105 when he died in 1955 in NYC. Buffalo Bill also rode for the service. The service was never profitable. It was started by a group that was already losing money on a stage coach service and thought that it could get financially healthy with US mail contracts. It did not work out even thought the Express received those contracts and others from the government and delivered on its promise to deliver the mail within 10 days. $5 for a letter. It was purchased by Wells Fargo who shut it down after 19 months in operation, 2 days after the telegraph line became operational.
The town seemed to be a picture postcard version of prosperous, small town, middle America. Mature trees lined its streets and covered nice sized and well maintained homes that were set back from the streets by large front yards. It had a two block commercial center that had no bordered up shops.
We ate dinner at the Nebraska Bar and Grill, in Gothenburg, a large barn like building. Terrific steaks, but way too much food. It had a single level 2 charging station that provided us with 16 miles of charge, as well as a multi port Tesla charging station.
We exited the interstate before Omaha and took some back roads through farm country to get to my son's house in Bellevue, which is south of Omaha. Those 30 minutes at the end of the drive were very dark. So we got to visit with son number 3 and I got to charge up the car in his garage.
We a woke early and made our own big breakfast at the lodging. Packed up the car and got out by 9:30. After driving through Cheyenne directly to I-80, contrary to Google Maps directions to go out of the way west and south on I-25 to get to I-80, we headed east for the longest drive of the trip.
We had a 350 mile trip ahead of us to Omaha and a one hour time zone change so we did not have the opportunity to make stops in Nebraska if we were to get to my son's house before bedtime. The terrain leaving Cheyenne continued to be wide open spaces with lots of bluffs and rolling hills. I-80 follows the Outlaw Trail scenic Byway through Nebraska. Initially not much farming, it seemed to be lots of ranches. I guess I was so engrossed in the landscape that I missed the welcome to Nebraska sign. We passed under the Archway spanning I-80 near Kearney. There were several Electrify America fast charging stations strategically located along the freeway, usually in Walmart parking lots, but the Volt is not equipped for that. This network is a product of Deasilgate and Volkswagen's penalty for its fraud.
We stopped in Gothenburg and toured a restored Pony Express station that was set in a pretty and very green park. These stations were set up every 12-15 miles and were basically just horse changing stations. The larger stations were about 90 miles apart and the riders changed at those sites. The riders made $25/week.
The volunteer was very knowledgeable and spent 30 minutes explaining its history. He claimed that for a long time Congress had been deadlocked over a charter for such a service between the north and south, each of whom wanted a route that began in its area. A similar dispute held up the authorization for a transcontinental telegraph line and railroad. All these projects were authorized and moved forward only after the southern representatives left Congress. The service sought , young, light weight and preferably orphans as riders. They wanted speed and riders whose deaths would not cause a stir. In fact only one rider died in service and that was in a snow storm in the Sierra Nevada Mts. The youngest rider was 11 and he lived to be 105 when he died in 1955 in NYC. Buffalo Bill also rode for the service. The service was never profitable. It was started by a group that was already losing money on a stage coach service and thought that it could get financially healthy with US mail contracts. It did not work out even thought the Express received those contracts and others from the government and delivered on its promise to deliver the mail within 10 days. $5 for a letter. It was purchased by Wells Fargo who shut it down after 19 months in operation, 2 days after the telegraph line became operational.
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| Pony Express station |
The town seemed to be a picture postcard version of prosperous, small town, middle America. Mature trees lined its streets and covered nice sized and well maintained homes that were set back from the streets by large front yards. It had a two block commercial center that had no bordered up shops.
We ate dinner at the Nebraska Bar and Grill, in Gothenburg, a large barn like building. Terrific steaks, but way too much food. It had a single level 2 charging station that provided us with 16 miles of charge, as well as a multi port Tesla charging station.
We exited the interstate before Omaha and took some back roads through farm country to get to my son's house in Bellevue, which is south of Omaha. Those 30 minutes at the end of the drive were very dark. So we got to visit with son number 3 and I got to charge up the car in his garage.
Did the volunteer opine on why he thought the Pony Express captivated, and perhaps still captivates, the American imagination even if it only existing for 19 months and was never profitable?
ReplyDeleteThe volunteer was very enthusiastic about the Pony Express Express, citing the bravery and fearlessness of the riders, the entrepreneurial and can do spirit of the founders, and the results it achieved in getting documents across the country in then unheard of speed. However I do not recall him speaking about the Express's impact on the American public other than to say that visitors seemed to enjoy visiting the museum. Sorry for the belated response
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