Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
ing out of town toward the northwest on Rte. 2, the drive passes through a pastoral mid-
western landscape in which fields of corn and beans eventually give way to grasslands
wherehorsesandcattle graze.Thisshiftfromcropstolivestock reflects thefactthatsoilin
the area tends to be low on nutrients and vulnerable to the effects of strong winds.
Indeed, blowing soil, sand, and snow are a major concern on these open plains, where
gusting winds meet few obstructions. That's why windbreaks occasionally parallel the
highway. One of the longer ones, between the towns of Cairo and Ravenna, is made up of
a mixed planting of ponderosa pines and eastern red cedars.
Did you know…
Nebraska Nature Center, located 6 miles west of Grand Island, offers crane-
viewing tours late February to mid-April. They also provide maps for self-
guided crane driving tours and host various events in the region throughout the
year.
2.
Broken Bow
BrokenBowissonamedbecause,quitesimply,settlersfoundanIndian'sbrokenbowhere.
Thecomparativelynewshopsaroundthetownsquarearequiteacontrasttothesodhouses
and dugouts of the pioneers, whose struggles to build new lives on the prairie were often
fraught with hardships. Although modern-day travelers have most difficulties solved for
them, it is always a good idea to fill the fuel tank and pack some food. But don't go over-
board; there's plenty of places to stop and grab a meal along the way, even in this sparsely
populated stretch of countryside.
OnceagainfollowingRte.2,youwillnoticethattheplainsbecomedrier.Manyanimals
nonetheless manage to survive in these surroundings, including pheasants, grouse, quail,
and wild turkeys. And remember to look skyward from time to time: you might spot soar-
ing hawks and eagles, as well as huge flocks of ducks and groups of geese flying in their
characteristic V-shaped formation.
3.
Victoria Springs State Recreation Area
Rte.2soonleadstothesmalltownofAnselmo,wherealargebrickchurch—completewith
a Gothic-style tower—provides a welcome vertical relief to the far-stretching horizon of
theplains.AsidetripofaboutsixmilesalongRte.21Apassesthroughmorecattlecountry
and takes you to Victoria Springs State Recreation Area. Its spring water, like that of many
others in America, was once considered a tonic and a cure. Today there is no promise of
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