No Age Limit - Piaggio MP3

On our early-AM tour of Kearney, we wondered if the town abandoned its historic center for the north section of 2nd Ave, a sprawl of strip malls, including fast-food restaurants, Starbucks, Wal-Mart, and most every chain store you can think of. Included with downtown’s original red brick road & 1890’s buildings are two abandoned movie theaters. Oddly, one old film palace’s marquee advertises that it’s been converted to a dentist’s office. Certainly a strange venue for a root canal. Kearney’s focus seems to be on the new 2nd Avenue strip malls. All this just off of America’s legendary highway. Does prosperity mean leaving the past for a character-free present?

At a stoplight we were approached by a fiftysomething runner asking about the MP3. Traffic or no traffic, ever-patient Bob gave his spiel on the specs and benefits. I asked the runner how he did in the morning’s 5K race. He thought a moment & said, "I finished and that’s good enough". Sounds like he’s a candidate for the Bob & Buddy Club.

In Gibbon, we found the graveyard of 40’s & 50’s pickup trucks. Interned along with the pickups a was a 1948 Buick Roadmaster with — as Bob pointed out — a Dynaflow transmission. These vehicles were rusting away in their final resting place. We ruminated over their history and remembered the joy our families experienced with the purchase of cars in this era. Old cars, like old highways, have lots of stories to tell. 

When we arrived in Shelton, we met Cindy Ryan who runs the Lincoln Highway tourist office. A sign on the door has Cindy’s phone number and she appeared in minutes. She’s an expert on the Highway’s life in the Shelton area, and when asked about her interest in the Lincoln Highway, she spoke of her great, great grandmother who migrated west with the early settlers in 1857. Cindy holds on to and treasures pieces of inherited furniture. At a family reunion of 250 plus people, Cindy’s collection intrigued familiy members and helped to establish a connection to their roots. The Lincoln Highway serves a similar purpose. When it was time to leave, Cindy pointed us to an early brick portion of the highway and we were on our way.

Ate lunch in Central City at the the waffle capitol of NE: Waffles & More Cafe. Not caring for a waffle, a choice was offered of a Nebraska Scramble, Iowa Scramble, Kansas Scramble or Western Scramble. Since all had heaping portions of meat & cheese (this is cattle & cow country) I asked for a New York Scramble. Bob did his look-the-other-way eye roll as I explained the New York Scramble would be egg whites & all veggies. The young waitress stared. Then she stared some more. I urged her to present the chef with the challenge. After much consideration, everything was agreed to…except the egg whites. When in Columbus, NE, stop for lunch at Waffles & More. You can now ask for the New York Scramble.

Just east of Grand Island, pumping gas at a 1938 Art Deco service station, we met Dick Grudzinski, Dick’s been working at the Kensinger Service Station since 1958 and it’s clear that he & the station aren’t done yet. Behind the station we celebrated the find of an original section of the Lincoln Highway that dead ends against a Road Closed sign.

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Days remained jam-packed with people to talk to, sections of the Highway to be discovered, and a wonderful 3-wheeled bike to ride. Today we rode for the first time in 73-degree weather under a deep blue sky with billowing white clouds. As usual the MP3’s responsive, consistent performance contributed to a day when we owned Nebraska.

Good night to all. We’re not done yet.

Buddy 

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