The Last Part

"Time to go"

When the first Saturday of this journey began, I was glad to be going but the welfare of my Dad was on my mind but I knew he was I good hands with my brothers and our helper Cobe.

When the second Sunday came around, I had finished visiting my good friend Jenn wishing her and her Mom safe travels for the following week to the Mayo Clinic for some medical work. Fingers crossed and prayers to Mom for a good prognosis. And then the tire trouble.

On the second Tuesday and second Wednesday, the rental car with its new right rear tire was put thru its paces as I investigated some great mountain locations.

And on those days respectively, I met up with old friend Cheryl-Ann and her family and my ham radio buddies Nate and Terry complete with some good food and great conversation.

And here it is, third Monday, and time for the last 2 legs of my journey in getting back to Eppley Field in Omaha, Nebraska and head back home. And my good luck with the weather has run out as the temps are in the 60s and the skies are overcast and it is quite windy.

I thank God for his good graces and the incredible weather that I have been blessed with. I am thankful and grateful for a job that gives me the opportunity to save for 2 years for these trips. I am thankful to my family back home to make sure that Dad is OK. And thankful to be able to travel in this great country of ours. It sure has been fun.

And some final snapshots before we go: my very weird rental car at the Kearney, NE municipal parking lot:

Golden Spike Tower in North Platte, NE:

A high and wide load heading to Canada at the NE/SD border:

The veterans memorial on the grounds of the state capitol of Pierre, SD:

The top of Buckhorn Mountain in Bellvue, CO and the tower of KUNC-FM:

The colors of Fall in Colorado:

One item marked off the railfan bucket list: Moffat Tunnel in Winter Park, CO: 

On location with Spencer Christian & PBS at the Colorado Model Railroad Museum in Greeley, CO:

A Union Pacific Autorack train and the colors of Lodgepole, NE:

My future "retirement: homestead in Gothenburg, NE:

 Sunset over Kearney, Nebraska:

 

 And my favorite type of freight train: a double stack near Silver Creek, Nebraska:

And so ends On the Road – Nebraska 2014. Thanks again to my son Chris and my daughter Caty for helping me with setting up the blog. Thanks to my younger brother Paul for the name of the blog. Thanks to my youngest brother Jay for helping out with our Dad while I have been on vacation. Thanks to those who covered my shift at News8.

And thanks to all of you out there for following along. It has been an honor and a privilege. Take care. Have a safe ride wherever you go.

I’m Philip J Zocco. On The Road. In Kearney, Nebraska.