| The route through Nebraska | ||
| AKA: We're not in Kansas anymore |
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Leaving Kansas, and on to Nebraska. | |
| Rock Creek |
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Approaching the Rock Creek Station park. | |
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Looking past the Visitors' Center at Rock Creek. | |
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The spirit of the Pony Express captured in a carved wooden mural at the Rock Creek Station center. | |
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Saddle and mochila on display in the Rock Creek Station center. | |
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Looking out over the Rock Creek area NOTE: This is not the original Rock Creek station. However, the buildings have been recreated as authentically as possible, and this is very close to where the station actually stood. |
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Plants native to the area are clearly marked on the trail down toward the recreated station buildings. This one is BUCK-brush! | |
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There might not be any giant saguaro cactii near the real Rock Creek, but the Prickly Pear cactus does grow here. | |
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The indented area near the center of this photo is a wagon rut left behind by the impact of the thousands of covered wagons that passed this way. | |
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That's another view of the deep ruts left behind by the wagons (look along the top of the photo). | |
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Overview of the prairie area surrounding Rock Creek. | |
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Looking down toward the recreated station buildings. | |
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The recreated freight station building at Rock Creek -- run by "Hickok-McCanles" (see the close-up of the sign on the building a few photos farther down). | |
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Rock Creek was where "Wild Bill" Hickok's reputation as a gunfighter got its start. He killed the freight station owner David McCanles in a gunfight mired in controversy. Although acquitted of murder, many people remained convinced that it was a cold-blooded killing. | |
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The Rock Creek post office. | |
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Heading toward the stables -- the bridge actually crosses the real Rock Creek. | |
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This is the actual Rock Creek. | |
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Rock Creek | |
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Rock Creek slows here, forming a perfect swimming hole. (This photo inspired the TYR story "Gone Swimmin'") | |
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(Yes, you can actually walk all the way down to the barn and the other buildings. But when it's over 100 degrees, not a cloud in the sky, barely a hint of a breeze, and it's the hottest part of the day -- well, the telephoto lens on the camera does a pretty good job!) | |
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