7/10/16 - Lincoln, NE

We left Junction City, Kansas today and drove to Lincoln, Nebraska. We got a nice campsite at Pawnee Lake State Recreation Area.  On the way we stopped by Homestead National Monument of America in Beatrice, Nebraska.  This is the first homestead granted under the Homestead Act of 1862.  When we walked in, the lady at the desk wanted to know where we were from.  We told her Texas, and she said her husband was from Tyler, Texas.  When we let her know that Jim was born in Tyler, she went to get her husband who was the National Park Service Ranger.  When he came out they knew each other and had common friends from school.  They both graduated in 1962 from Robert E. Lee High School.  It was such a surprise to see Richard Austin for Jim. We looked at the exhibits displaying homesteader life.  One was a goat powered washing machine.  In the evening we drove in to Lincoln and went to four breweries.  At Blue Blood Brewing there were five stools leaned up against the bar with the names of the five police officers who were killed in Dallas.  Blue Blood Brewing is owned by former police officers.