This post is a little shorter than usual because my next one is about my three weeks in Minnesota so it will be quite robust.

OMAHA, NEBRASKA

On June 28, I drove from Topeka to Omaha where I was positioned for what should have been an easy flight to New Jersey for Fourth of July. Whenever I want to fly home, I set up camp in a city with a sizeable airport offering a direct flight to either Philadelphia or Newark. I booked my flight from Omaha before COVID hit and when the time came, the airline had cancelled the direct flight and substituted another that went to Denver first. Considering I’d been in Colorado just a few weeks before, it would have been easier to fly when I was there. Oh well.

I stayed at KOA West Omaha/NE Lincoln and hired a woman named Lynzee through the Rover.com app to care for my cats while I was away. I had a great experience with them last year near Kansas City, Kansas and this time was also positive. It took five tries before I found someone nearby who was available over Fourth of July but Lynzee came to the rescue and worked out very well and she even picked me up at the airport upon my return for less than Uber had cost for the departure trip. I guess with that name, it was kismet.

My site at the KOA outside Omaha, Nebraska.

While I was here, I visited the wonderful Lee G. Simmons Wildlife Safari Park, a 440 acre drive-through conservation park in Ashland, Nebraska. All the animals are in their natural habitats. Some, like elk, deer and bison, are in large open acreage areas while bears and wolves are in fenced in natural areas. So natural that I couldn’t find the wolves. I was disappointed when driving through the bison section because I didn’t see many. They were there but high on a hill, too far for decent photos. However, I was able to take that loop a second time and by then, they had moved down to the roadway and I ended up having to wait for them to cross the road in from of me.

Lining up outside the gate waiting for the wildlife park to open.

A female elk checks out the cars as they drive by.

This male elk thinks I can’t see him.

White-tailed deer.

A sandhill crane.

American white pelican showing off his black-tipped wings.

This big guy got pretty close but he seemed to just want to make sure the truck would stay put so he could cross in front of me.

Click on image for a short video of the bison crossing in front of my truck.

Bison at the watering hole.

TRIP TO NEW JERSEY

I spent the week of Fourth of July in New Jersey, staying with my companion (boyfriend sounds silly at my age) Mark and visiting with only a few people. COVID really hampered my social schedule on this trip. Restaurants had just opened for outdoor dining so we took advantage of that and patronized several of our favorite places. I even got to visit with my daughter Michelle for a little while since she was in town visiting a high school friend.

The Anchor Inn in Ocean Gate had a beautiful setup in their side yard and on the sidewalk.

My best friend Diana and I enjoyed the Anchor Inn‘s amazing pizza and the coldest White Zinfandel you can find.

Mark and I ate at the Sandcastle Diner in Beachwood twice this week.

Mark and I joined our friends Steve and Patty for dinner on the sidewalk outside The Office Lounge in downtown Toms River.

We celebrated July 4th at Steve and Patty’s with their annual barbecue and fireworks extravaganza, albeit a much smaller gathering than typical.

I returned to Omaha by way of Chicago and on July 14, I headed north to Minnesota, which I’ll feature in my next post.

My 3-hour drive from Topeka, Kansas to Omaha, Nebraska plus a flight to New Jersey by way of Denver.

Next post: Minnesota: Land of 10,000 Lakes.

My name is Lindsay Reed and I’m a photographer and retired graphic artist with a passion for both lighthouses and road trips. I am living as a full-time solo RVer in my 33 foot Grand Design Reflection Fifth Wheel trailer and plan to spend the next few years traveling the U.S. and Canada photographing not only lighthouses, but everything else there is to see in this wonderful land. I hope you enjoy my blog and will follow my adventures in the months and years ahead.