Day 23, Topeka to Lincoln, NE

Day 23, 230 miles, kind of.

"Trust your own instinct.  Your mistakes might as well be your own, instead of someone else's."

~Billy Wilder

Because the RV park Saturday night was such a dump, we elected to drive yestrday and stand down today. So here we are in Lincoln, Nebraska. En route, we stopped at Beatrice. Another surprise! Not only is Beatrice a pretty coool town, the Homestead National Monument resides there. And bonus time, it is the 150th anniversary of the Homestead Act. The band played, people milled around in period dress, flags furled and it was a celebration. Wouldn't you love to see a picture? We'd love to have taken one too, but the battery died. Dur!

Congress passed the Homestead Act in 1862, allowing ANYONE the opportunity to acquire 160 acres for free. Just farm it, build a house, and five years later it was yours. It changed the makeup of America, removing the choking population of the urban areas, and promoted midwest farming. 

Quilter Girl brought out Ethyl (her featherlight sewing machine, built in the 50s or 60s), and I knew I was out of the picture for awhile. I went downtown to do some business, so thanks to (PP!) Fedex, got some faxes done. Knowing QG to be up to her armpits in fabric, I wandered about town, and through the University of Nebraska campus. So now is time for culture. If you're not into art and culture, STOP READING RIGHT NOW!

Still reading? I can't account for your judgement.

Our first entry is titled (by me), "Honey, I ran over my wedding ring, and if I run over it fifty more times, it may fit." -Paul Bunyan.

This next beauty is called, "Ironworker Nightmare." Any ironworker would wake up in a cold sweat dreaming about this baby.

This fascinating piece is called, "Demolition contractor left stuff behind." Remarkable. They are training our young people's minds in here!

"The box that sneezed." Somone put some thought into this all right.

This is "Nude woman in a box who can get out just by rolling over." I do give this one special credit because it really does look like a woman.

I found this one off to the side a bit. "Unappreciated Art."

Okay, here are ones that I do like:

This is cool. Pioneers and settlers moving West. And the next one was nearby:

She's standing by the wagon and looking back. Is she sorry? A Lot's Wife kind of a deal? I think she's weighing the cost and nonetheless moving on. Needless to say, this is good art. 

That it, enough culture. Back to biker trash.

Tomorrow we tour the International Quilt Study Museum. I may study a bit for it tonight so I don't sound ignorant.