Bruce

Wildlife Safari?

The family put on a very beautiful Celebration of Life for Jeanne. Over 75 folks came from across the country, and the locals numbered several times that. It was very touching to see so many people showing their love for Jeanne and support for Steve and the family.

A group of people gathered at a podium in a church setting, wearing floral shirts and leis, commemorating a person named Jean. A large screen in the background displays a tribute with tropical-themed graphics.

Dayna read a scripture, and Charlotte sang.

A woman with curly hair, wearing a floral dress and a lei, stands at a podium speaking into a microphone. In the background, there are colorful artworks displayed on stands, including photographs and a quilt.
A woman in a striped dress performs at a piano during a memorial service, with a large digital display behind her featuring tropical flowers and the text 'In Loving Memory of Jeanne 1959 - 2026'.

Steve accompanied Casey on a beautiful song.

A singer-songwriter playing guitar and performing with a harmonica player on stage, both wearing floral-patterned shirts, in front of a wooden backdrop with musical instruments.

We had tons of family and friends around! Wael and Kristy, with their three sons, and Becca and her family all stayed in our rental house.

A group of twelve people, including children and adults, standing and sitting together on a patterned rug in a bright living room.
A family of five sitting on a brown couch, smiling and posing for the camera. The mother on the left, three boys in the middle, and the father on the right. They are casually dressed, with a cozy living room ambiance.
Four people pose for a photo at a gathering in a well-lit room, with tables and decorations in the background.
Group photo of diverse individuals posing together at a gathering, with a decorated table featuring flowers and cups in the foreground.
More family and friends

We also had some fun with all those fun people around! Wael rode with me to get some errands done, including gassing up “Willie Mac.” We also found time to introduce his sons to old fashioned open air touring!

A man and a woman are refueling a vintage car at a gas station on a sunny day, with a gas pump visible in the background.
A group of four people, including two children and two adults, smiling together in the back of a vintage truck parked in a driveway. The adults are standing while the children are sitting inside the truck bed, all enjoying a sunny day.

Somewhere in the rush of visiting people we got to see Peter’s new bass! It seems bigger than he is, but he’s going to do really well with it!

A young boy kneeling on the floor, playing a yellow electric bass guitar, wearing a gray t-shirt with a cartoon design. The room has plants and a cozy atmosphere.

After we took Karen to the airport Monday morning, Cherryl and I drove through the Wilderness Safari Park. Halfway between Omaha and Lincoln, it bills itself as the number one Safari Park in the country. I’m not sure how they get that rating… I seem to remember a pretty cool park in Southern California, affiliated with the San Diego Zoo. This seems far more rustic than I remember the CA park.

A dirt path leads to a hillside featuring a flagpole with an American flag, a wooden shelter, and several trees amidst a green landscape under a blue sky with scattered clouds.

Right inside the gates we encountered a herd of gorgeous Elk.

A close-up of a male elk with large antlers resting in tall green grass, with another elk in the background and a clear blue sky above.
A male elk resting in a grassy field under a clear blue sky.

Further into the drive we found a dozen or more Pelicans.

A group of white pelicans swimming in a calm pond, surrounded by lush greenery.
A group of white pelicans swimming in a calm water body surrounded by green vegetation.
A serene landscape featuring a calm river bordered by vibrant green algae, with a flock of white birds swimming peacefully. A winding pathway lined with grass and trees runs alongside the water under a blue sky with scattered clouds.

I generally don’t take pictures of animals in cages, but this Bald Eagle, one of four in a walk-in aviary, was too striking to ignore.

A majestic eagle perched on a tree stump surrounded by greenery, with leaves and soft plant fibers visible.
A bald eagle standing on a stump in a wooded area, surrounded by greenery and fallen leaves.

OK, and same for these two…

An owl peeking out from a hollow tree trunk in a natural habitat setting.
A hawk perched on a branch among greenery and dry ground, with trees and grass in the background.

The majority of the park is drive through, but there are about 1.5 miles of trails in the center for exploration on foot.

A scenic trail winding through a wooded area with a wooden bridge in the distance, surrounded by lush green trees and fallen leaves on the ground.

Supposedly there are Wolf and Bear exhibits along the trail, but we saw no Wolf and only one Bear from a distance.

A dirt trail winding through a forest with trees on either side, surrounded by greenery and patches of sunlight.
A serene natural scene featuring a calm pond surrounded by lush greenery and trees under a bright, partly cloudy sky.
A serene view of a wooded area with a body of water in the foreground, framed by lush greenery and trees under a partly cloudy sky.
A tranquil scene of a riverbank surrounded by lush greenery, with clear blue skies reflected in the calm water.

A meadow full of Bison is interesting… those are really HUGE animals!

A herd of bison grazing in a grassy field near a small pond under a clear blue sky.
A herd of buffalo grazing in a grassy field with trees and a blue sky in the background.
A group of bison grazing in a grassy field near a water source, with trees and a clear blue sky in the background.

The Mynard Road Bridge was built in 1900, and has been in the National Register since 1992. The bridge is a Warren Truss Leg Bedstead design. A popular design around the turn of the last century, it features long beams supported by angled crossmembers forming isosceles triangles. This bridge was moved to the Safari Park in 2000.

A wooden bridge surrounded by trees, leading to a forest path. Shadows are cast on the bridge, and there are fallen leaves on the ground.

Before we took Karen home (Yes, this is out of chronological order) (live with it!) we went on a short shopping trip in the Model A. “Willie Mac” did us proud!

A joyful group of three people smiling inside a classic car, enjoying a ride on a sunny day, with trees visible in the background.

It’s said that you don’t go anywhere anonymously in a Model A. Folks are always waving or commenting. A guy in the white pickup below stopped to ask us about it, and tell us stories of cool antiques in his family.

Elderly couple walking in a parking lot with a shopping cart, looking at a vintage car driving by.
Two people talking by a white pickup truck in a parking lot, with a vintage green vehicle in the background. The setting shows a clear blue sky.
A person placing a box into the bed of an olive green vintage pickup truck while another individual stands nearby holding a shopping cart in a parking lot.
A man with glasses stands next to an antique Ford truck, which has a vintage trunk and several grocery bags in the back. A woman is seated in the truck's cabin, with a parking lot in the background.
Our first grocery purchasing load

Karen had fun in the truck, and shot a couple videos of the journey. Here they are, unedited…

One comment

  1. Thanks again for the fun insights into your adventures. What a cool experience for the kids, riding in the back of a Model-T pickup. My uncle had an old Chevy pickup and I loved riding in the back with my cousins and brothers. I have memories too of pathfinder days, riding in somebody’s pickup to a camporee.

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