Nebraska National Forest Near Halsey, Nebraska

Middle Loup River

Bald Eagle

Bald Eagle

Bald Eagle

Bald Eagle

Bald Eagle

Thedford, Nebraska

Thedford, Nebraska -- Cowpoke Hotel, built in 1914

First Congregational United Church of Christ, Thedford

Ewoldt's Grocery

Entering Nebraska National Forest

Marigold

Marigold

Marigolds

Spotted cucumber beetle

Spotted cucumber beetle

Spotted cucumber beetle

Larry and Victoria on four-wheelers

Larry and Victoria on four-wheelers

Victoria

Red sumac

Red sumac

This road was clearly once a main thoroughfare, as there are still painted stripes visible here and there on it.  But today we didn't see another solitary vehicle on the road in the hour and a half we drove it.

After-season yucca

The cattle way out in the boonies -- especially youngsters such as this one -- are a whole lot more curious about passersby than cattle along well-traveled byways.

Pronghorn antelope

Pronghorn antelope

Pronghorn antelope all decide to flee -- even though they are a very long ways distant from us.

Poor ol' granny gets left behind...

...but when they all begin turning, she cuts the corner and catches up with the rest of the herd.

Can you still see them there?  Antelope are so curious, they can't stand to run for long before they have to circle and look back to see if you're still where they left you, and what you're doing now.

Middle Loup River

In Thedford

Heading toward Mullen, Nebraska, to eat supper at one of the cafés there.

Dickman's Rainbow Llamas

Scenic Byway #2

We chose...  Big Red's Café.  It was dark when we got there, so this photo is a screen grab from Google Street View.

I got chicken noodle soup and a chef salad, with blueberry pie ala mode for dessert.  Larry got a humongous ribeye steak, baked potato, lettuce, and a dinner roll.  Victoria had chicken fried steak (not too awfully flavorful until we slathered it with ketchup), onion rings, lettuce.  I shared my soup with Victoria, my salad with Larry, and had a few bites of their meat.  I got full when there were two small bites of blueberry pie left, so I gave them to Larry.  I’m generous like that.

The menus had the interesting story of Mullen on front and back covers.  Back in 1917, driving the road between Mullen and Valentine, called a ‘trail road’ or a ‘pasture road’, though only 91 miles long, required the opening and closing of 119 gates or fences.

Our motel in Thedford has a nice little refrigerator and a good microwave.  Trouble is, I didn’t bring a microwavable cup for coffee!  This is a dire strait to be in.  In which to be.  Anyway, I noticed some white ceramic mugs on the counter, holding pens, candy sticks, etc.  They had black cows and calves etched on the sides.

When we paid for our food, I asked the lady if she ever sold any of those mugs (gesturing down the counter toward the white cow/calf mugs). 

She smiled, “Sure!  Let me go get a new one for you.”

She came out, after some rummaging around, with a black cup with ads for every business in town printed in gold all the way around.

Well, it wasn’t what I’d asked for or envisioned; but I decided, Oh, well; it’ll be a nice keepsake.

Now I suddenly notice:  The ad for Big Red’s Café says “BIG RED’S CAFÉ & LOUNGE – A (bleep) of a Place to Eat.” 

Well.  Isn’t that just charming.  Guess I won’t be giving it away for Christmas.

At least I can now warm up my coffee in the microwave.