You Can Get There From Here and You Get Here From There

Do you recall that old joke about a man who stops to ask another man for directions (no, that's not the joke part) and is given a long list of turns and road markers to follow? He is finally told, "But, you can't get there from here." (You can chuckle now, or guffaw. Whatever you're comfortable with.) With the recent flooding in Iowa, Nebraska, and Missouri, some may be wondering if they can get to the west side of the flood waters from the east and vice versa. Can I get there from here? I recently asked myself that question when considering an adventure into Nebraska. Well, of course you can! But, there may be detours.

Don't think of them as detours, however. Think of them as . . . new vista opportunities. The minor changes in travel routes will introduce you to new locations, new scenery, and some small towns you may not pass through otherwise. Detours - er, vista opportunities - can prove fun and educational at the same time. There are a lot of things to explore in the quad states, but you have to get off the more beaten (and presently flooded) pathways to experience them.

I received an email today from Nebraska's tourism site reminding me of all the things happening in their state this year. They're neighbors of ours, so I visit occasionally. Their calendar of events details a lot of interesting things, and I am still seriously considering doing some camping and cycling there over the summer. In order to get there from here, I may have to jot a little to the north of my usual route and cross over at Council Bluffs, Iowa, or go south to Kansas and then back north again. If I wanted to take the usual direct route, up I-29 and then across Hwy 2 to Nebraska City, I would have to duct tape pontoons to the bicycle and trailer and float across  . . .  nah, too dangerous. But, there are other ways to get there, safely, from here. I'll choose one of those.

Kansas and Iowa both hold promise for additional things to see and do. I invite you to visit Nebraska's site and check out their Calendar of Events for 2019. And while you're planning out your new route on how to get there from here, check out Missouri, Iowa, and Kansas's pages, too. It's the neighborly thing to do.