Lincoln to Niobrara State Park

This morning I drove north to Niobrara State Park . This area is still in the green part of Nebraska, and is situated on the beautiful Niobrara River. The location was also a stop for Lewis and Clark on their exploratory journey west.

For whatever reason, the day seemed to devolve into a series of low-level hassles, both here and at home. I received word that my home wifi was off; this is critical to several systems to keep the house and yard running properly. My techie neighbor M has agreed to go over to try to troubleshoot. Stay tuned. My green waste bin had disappeared; the why is a mystery. Fortunately, the company that runs that operation was timely with their response that they would replace it.

My computer was yet again apparently - and this turns out to be the operative word - failing to charge. I had this problem earlier in the trip and the Genius at the Apple Store identified it as a cable issue. However, it has continued to reappear and today, just as I entered the part of my trip that is the most remote, it appeared to completely fail. On the off-chance they could help, I called Apple support. I was pleasantly surprised when the rep suggested a software solution. It turns out that at some point, the operating system decided that it would “help” to save battery life by limiting charging when the battery was already full. The was a pretty silent “upgrade”. I learned that there is a setting to change this behavior and once I toggled it the computer is again charging normally. That was a pleasant surprise, and a good outcome as the next time I will be near an Apple Store will be a month from now, in Boise.

The Firestone in Fargo did confirm that they would have the needed part to complete my door repair when I arrive in a couple of weeks. No chance of doing it earlier as there is very little civilization between here and there. And of course, my maintenance light went on the day after I completed the oil change. That is just based on mileage, but it is annoying. I’ll have to live with it until I arrive in Fargo and they can turn it off.

After all of that, I decided the only solution was to go take a hike. When I checked in, the folks at the front desk pointed out specific spots in the park that would be good for sunrise, sunset and wildlife viewing. I walked a stretch along the Missouri River backwaters that I was told was a favorite spot for eagles. I did not see any eagles, although I did spot a nest. There were many other birds, so I contented myself with some scenic shots and a few of some common small birds. Even that short walk cleared my head; nature is an amazing palliative. And because my cabin is situated on a bluff above the Niobrara river, I was able to photograph sunset from the back patio.

The cabins inside this State Park are similar to others at which I have stayed. Basic, but clean and comfortable. They have a full kitchen and, importantly now that the temperatures have finally dropped, heat. Wifi is not available but, yet again, I have been pleasantly surprised that I can get by on a bar or two of cell signal.

Tomorrow I will spend exploring the park and surrounding area.