Dancers Start at Noon

On the road for a full 24 hours now. Cripes, who the hell decided Nebraska should go on for 400+ miles? If they cut 1oo miles off the western border, nobody would even notice.

We're currently sleeping off an insane amount of driving at the Hotel Boulderado, in lovely Boulder, CO. But while we sleep, please enjoy this brief recap of our accomplishments thus far:

* taking a photo every 100 miles, except during nightfall or when the windshield is covered with too many bugs to make it worth while.

* keeping a complete list of odd town names, including Tiffin, Iowa (sounds like a Dickens character); Brooklyn, IA (very disappointing for the lost tourist); Montezuma, IA (ditto); Sarpy County, NE and Ovid, CO.

* eating a fantastically good steak at Jesse's Embers in Des Moines, IA. Jean and Michael Stern's "Roadfood" is worth its weight in sirloin.

* subsequently eating a fantastically good veal chop at a Boulder, CO restaurant called The Kitchen. Also some kind of mild cheese that I remember as Hakuna Matata, which surely is the dessert wine talking. And a very good sticky toffee pudding.

* staying at the historic Omaha Sheraton, which has the nicest desk staff ever, although there are a few kinks still needing to be worked out. Like someone short-sheeted our bed. I thought that only happened at summer camp.

* establishing matching his and his epitaths for Michael and his dad. Greg Gerber:"I just want to catch the score." Michael: "Did the Cards win?" (I think Trish put in a vote recently for "Doesn't it smell like heaven?") Possible option for Kate: "Do you have a dessert menu?"

* living through the absolutely most foul cattle farm ever. Like a litter box/newt tank that has never been cleaned since the start of time. We smelled plenty of cow and pig and horse on our trip. This was different. It was like the planet was rotting from the inside out.

* discovering that Omaha is a heck of a town. Below, a brief photo essay of our travels thus far.