Luckily for us there was a cancellation just as we arrived at Eugene Mahoney State Park. We got the only empty spot otherwise we would have been turned away. This is the newest state park in Nebraska and while not on the list of the top 200 in the country it should be. Again there is a lodge and cabins but unlike Starved Rock, which has no swimming, there is a pool with a water park, a very popular attraction in the MidWest. The park is open all year and has an ice skating rink as well as a stable and theatre. We went to the theatre which performs melodramas during the summer months. The highlight of the performance is the exchange of pop corn between the audience and the villain. Every body was throwing pop corn and it seemed to us that many in the audience especially kids were return visitors who had a grand old time.
Next door to the park was a Strategic Air Command and Space Museum which I toured alone. There were a lot of planes from the "cold war" era and several rockets. A special display (maybe traveling) commemorated 9/11 and made a connection to "drugs and terrorism" they were also running a special movie about the NYC Fire Department and 9/11. Unfortunately, a private program was using the auditorium so I was unable to see the movie. I can't help wondering how many Americans realize that their President and Congress have carved up the "homeland security" pie in such a way that NYC had to close three fire houses.
We stayed at this park for two nights and were planning to stay at another Nebraska State Park which was on the list of the 200 best parks but the rains came so we headed into Colorado and camped at the North Sterling Reservoir State Park. Colorado has some real nice state parks but our walk around was interrupted by more rain as was the Ranger led interpretive program scheduled for that evening.
The next morning we drove further south and camped at Lake Pueblo State Park just outside Pueblo Colorado, this park is a boater's paradise but hikers and bikers can find plenty to do. There are both paved and non paved trails and paths and a 35 mile mostly concrete river trial to town.
On the first day our walk was again interrupted by rain. The water didn't bother us but the thunder and lightening suggested that we return to the trailer. The next day we climbed the bluff and walked the Arkansas Point Trail above the park. After breakfast we went into town and walked the newly created River Walk in Pueblo
and visited a new library and historic district. We were both impressed by the linotype machine and history of the local newspaper in a small museum atop the library. Too bad current news providers, tv, radio and print media are more interested in profit then they are in the accuracy of the news.
From Pueblo,after overcoming the roadblock that fell out of a nest onto the road, we kept going South and up. Normally we consider going south to be going down but Pueblo is about 5000 ft above sea level and our next stop was the high desert city of Santa Fe, New Mexico at 7000 ft above sea level.