As Terry said we were sad to leave Lincoln...a wonderful town with wonderful people. As soon as we couldwe got on the Lincoln Highway, US 30 which stretches from Philly to SF. Its A great old road winding through lots of nostalgic America still able to be seen.....old motels and gas stations, small towns struggling to remain alive. We drove US 30 for a couple hundred miles, finally returning to Interstate 80 to find somewhere for a quick bite for lunch.....the freeway seemed so sterile, void of personality, life and history.

We then headed north on US 26, another two lane road, not quite as smooth, interesting or well maintained as 30, but it paralleled some main Union Pacific tracls and there was a constant stream of 100 car trains full of coal heading for power plants throughout the west. I was told there were 100 trains a day....that's 10,000 cars of coal a day!!! We caught 385 and very soon were in Alliance.

After visiting Carhenge we returned to Dave Ocken's home for conversation and a very tasty dinner of brots. Dave told us that his brother-in-law had suffered a heart attack that afternoon and died yet he still wanted to prepare our dinner and visit. He said there would be time for mourning later and rather than sit around his house moping, he felt better spending time with our group. He and his wife Linda had prepared delicious baked beans and fresh fruit and wanted us to enjoy our time in Alliance. We certainly did and please keep Dave, Linda and their family in your prayers. Thank you Dave and Linda.

While we were chatting on the Ocken's back porch an tremendous storm brewed outside and suddenly there was a loud crack....a huge branch of the neighbor's tree had broken off the trunk. walked out front and it had fallen on my car!!!! A FREAKING TREE FELL ON MY CAR!!!!!! Fortunately it fell slowly and draped across the right fender and hood and there was no obvious damage but it was dark so I'll make a closer inspection tomorrow....I can't believe it!

Today was yet another example of perfect strangers putting aside their own lives for a while making sure other perfect strangers have a reat time. Woodie folks are the best.