... corn, corn, corn, corn, corn, corn, corn, corn, corn, corn, corn, corn, corn, corn, corn, corn & corn. Yippie Yeah, We arrived in York, Nebraska.
Thank you Ferdinand for absorbing all this corn while I was sleeping/reading/writing. At first in York we could not find the Wal-Mart where we were supposed to meet the Millers. Wal- Mart was located just off the highway, but we totally overlooked it. Instead we headed to the center of York and after texting the Millers we finally found our way to Wal-Mart. Having done this little detour we already knew all of parts of York. Located in Eastern Nebraska, York only has 8000 inhabitants and is not quite yet located in the Middle of Nowhere. Lincoln, the capitol of Nebraska, is just located 40 miles east of York. Omaha is another 40 miles to the East. When I say that York is not located in the Middle of Nowhere then only for the fact that if you head our further West to Sidney and then North to South Dakota you will experience how one must feel on the moon. Vast open land, dry and sandy. That´s what they call the Great Plains. While in York there is still so much corn, the West of Nebraska grows more wheat and cattle. The road doesn´t tend to become longer, but straighter and hillier.
When we drove back from our little detour around York´s center to Wal- Mart the Millers were already there. Keith, Rena, Quinn and Kenna were waiting for us. Keith worked for the US Air force and is now retired. He and his family got to move around a lot through the US and to Canada, which they enjoyed. They lived twice in North Bay for a few years. That´s where we met. When I went to High School in Canada in 2007 for three months the Millers were always around. We had a lot of fun together with the Fisher and Austin family. On the picture from left to right: Rena, Kenna, Keith, Quinn, Freddy and Ferdi.
Thank you Ferdinand for absorbing all this corn while I was sleeping/reading/writing. At first in York we could not find the Wal-Mart where we were supposed to meet the Millers. Wal- Mart was located just off the highway, but we totally overlooked it. Instead we headed to the center of York and after texting the Millers we finally found our way to Wal-Mart. Having done this little detour we already knew all of parts of York. Located in Eastern Nebraska, York only has 8000 inhabitants and is not quite yet located in the Middle of Nowhere. Lincoln, the capitol of Nebraska, is just located 40 miles east of York. Omaha is another 40 miles to the East. When I say that York is not located in the Middle of Nowhere then only for the fact that if you head our further West to Sidney and then North to South Dakota you will experience how one must feel on the moon. Vast open land, dry and sandy. That´s what they call the Great Plains. While in York there is still so much corn, the West of Nebraska grows more wheat and cattle. The road doesn´t tend to become longer, but straighter and hillier.
When we drove back from our little detour around York´s center to Wal- Mart the Millers were already there. Keith, Rena, Quinn and Kenna were waiting for us. Keith worked for the US Air force and is now retired. He and his family got to move around a lot through the US and to Canada, which they enjoyed. They lived twice in North Bay for a few years. That´s where we met. When I went to High School in Canada in 2007 for three months the Millers were always around. We had a lot of fun together with the Fisher and Austin family. On the picture from left to right: Rena, Kenna, Keith, Quinn, Freddy and Ferdi.
Our stop in Nebraska was just as much fun as it always has been. In 2007 in Canada we visited a Honey farm and the Museum of Science in Sudbury. This time the Millers invited us to their house, which they are refurbishing. We got to drive a 1948 tractor and a 4-wheeler. We shot a bebe gun and a real shotgun. We used water cans filled with colored water as targets as well as two wooden boards, which Ferdi and I got to keep. Right before shooting the shotgun, Keith showed us his workshop and how to refurbish a wood board. The Millers do everything themselves around their house. They even brought a lot of wood from Canada like black walnut tree wood, which they use to make their own custom railings, floor and furniture.
After shooting the Shotgun we got to try Taco Bell, another one of Americas numerous fast food chains. The day before we had Runza for supper (http://www.runza.com). The sandwiches are probably the richest and greasiest ones we have eaten, but they were good. The best meal was definitely by far the one on our last night in Nebraska. Keith put on some really nice steak on the barbecue. Together with home-grown corn (so delicious), a vegetable mix and potatoes we were enjoying a really good company. Keith´s mother was present that night, too. She is 91, travelled many places and was very inspiring to us as she shared her experience with us. She grew up in the South, I believe Georgia. In 91 years a lot of things had happened and many customs changed. We are glad we could meet her.
Talking of food, I should not forget to mention the pancakes Keith made for us in the morning. They were unbelievable good. Kept warm in the oven, we added butter and pre-warmed Canadian maple syrup. To make our parents happy, I think I should mention that after shooting the shot gun, we played four basketball games up to 10 and even went swimming afterwards. Keith used to play College Basketball and played against Pippin and Rodman, who later joined the Chicago Bulls together with Michael Jordan. To top our stay in Nebraska, Quinn and Kenna could give us a first-hand insight into the work at the cornfields. Both have a lucrative summerjob in the cornfields, they have to get up at 4.30am and are up all day walking through the rows of corn. Hard work, I really respect both of them for working so hard. Quinn is about to set up his firewood business next year. America is all about entrepreneurship! No social security, no safety net, you have to work hard!
Talking of food, I should not forget to mention the pancakes Keith made for us in the morning. They were unbelievable good. Kept warm in the oven, we added butter and pre-warmed Canadian maple syrup. To make our parents happy, I think I should mention that after shooting the shot gun, we played four basketball games up to 10 and even went swimming afterwards. Keith used to play College Basketball and played against Pippin and Rodman, who later joined the Chicago Bulls together with Michael Jordan. To top our stay in Nebraska, Quinn and Kenna could give us a first-hand insight into the work at the cornfields. Both have a lucrative summerjob in the cornfields, they have to get up at 4.30am and are up all day walking through the rows of corn. Hard work, I really respect both of them for working so hard. Quinn is about to set up his firewood business next year. America is all about entrepreneurship! No social security, no safety net, you have to work hard!
All in all, we enjoyed our stay with the Millers a lot. They were great hosts, making space and offering each one of us a single room. We had great conversations and watched The Princess Bride. One of our next stops in Salt Lake City, Utah is actually made possible by the Millers, too. Rena´s brother in law, Chuck, whom I met in 2007 in Canada is living in Salt Lake City and we are happy to visit him and his family after our Grand Tour through Yellowstone and Grand Teton.