As I crossed over into Nebraska the sun began to illuminate the sky. I drove down Route 79 in Nebraska, a quiet scenic road, or at least that is what it felt like. I hadn't seen another car in hours. I got out of the car to stretch and try and wake myself up after driving for five hours. The sky became lighter and lighter revealing the most beautiful colors, blue, purple, red, orange and pink, colors so vibrant it awoke my senses. "The morning is the most memorable season of the day" (HDT) I no longer felt tired. I stood admiring nature's palette and listening. The first thing that struck me was total silence. Complete and total silence, so quiet it was loud. Not a sound except for the clicking of the old style windmill silhouetted against the orange sky and the quiet hum of my car's engine, which I turned off just to listen more intently. I love those old wind mills, the sound, soft clinking, ticking, like a clock, the shape, the lines, the contours beautifully silhouetted against a perfect morning sky.
This is when you feel the spirit of the other world. It was the most beautiful moment I had experienced in a very long time. So peaceful and serene. I don't know how long I stood there. The silence and peacefulness was so nice I wanted to take in all in. This was one moment that I kept with me throughout my journey.
I thought about my sisters, one of them was turning fifty-seven today. I hadn't sent her a birthday card.
The road is farmland on both sides. "No Hunting" posted every so often. This struck me as sorrowful that a farmer has to post no hunting, isn't it obvious? The road stretches out in front of me bringing to mind Walt Whitman's poem "The Open Road," which I have thought of often on this trip. I have it with me in my car, his book I mean, "Leaves Of Grass."
The cows march along the fence in single file. Horses stand in the field swatting flies with their tails looking at me curiously when I slow to take a closer look at them.
I stopped at the Agate Fossil National Monument. Watched the video, walked through the grounds which they have interpretative sign posts about the animals that lived there 20 million years ago. Twenty million years ago, that astounds me, what has occurred in that time. Reminds me of a line in the movie "Grand Canyon," something like the amount of time we've been here is so small compared to how long time is. "You know what I felt like? I felt like a gnat that lands on the ass of a cow chewing his cud on the side of the road that you drive by doing 70 mph." One of my all time favorite movies, Grand Canyon, so many great quotes and observations on life, love and societal changes. That was just how I felt. I wondered what the landscape looked like at that time. They have an idea, and exhibit drawing of what they believe it looked like, but I wondered what it really was like then. What was occurring on this day 20 million years ago? The ranger in Ohio discussed how the land had changed at the mounds.
On the way back to Scott's Bluff I stopped to take pictures of the cows. At first they just went about their business, sauntering along the fence line toward their destination, if they have one, as I stood watching them. When I pulled out my camera one stopped and looked at me, then another. The way they gathered together, nudging the other out it was as if they were saying "take my picture, not his." I laughed, they have so much character. After a while I realized I was creating a cow traffic jam and thought it best I say good bye. What beautiful creatures. I love looking into their eyes.
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