Fort Robinson - Crawford, Nebraska

After a long & drawn out week of therapy, a trip to Scottsbluff (here forever abbreviated SB), ministerial association meeting, EMT classes and piano lessons, we loaded up the camper on Thursday afternoon and headed north to Fort Robinson for a weekend of camping. It was the Douthits, and the Strawn’s. This is Mark’s hometown (Crawford, not the Fort) and having a tour guide to the area was a bonus. Also having two little babysitters while we camped was genius. They may be going with us more often!

Thursday, actually, we were on our own and spent the time standing in line to check in, setting up camp, getting supper on the table, and enjoying a campfire. The kids enjoyed all the mole hills of sand, as it made an instant sandbox in several locations. Eden tried out her biking skills again and Lars followed diligently on his tractor. After a quick bath, both kids went down pleasantly enough and at 0530, we were all awake and ready to go. Well, awake, at any rate. By 0930, we were in the car for a drive, hoping the kids would sleep. We drove up Smiley Canyon for a scenic drive and praised God that it was paved. They fell asleep shortly after the buffalo were spotted. Hoping for an hour’s nap, we drove 30 miles over to Chadron & saw the State Park and all the hiking trails they had to offer. We’ve got our next trip planned.

When the kids woke up, we found a hole in the wall diner, “Don’s Burgers, Pizza & Ice Cream” and went in for lunch. The food was awesome! It was the closest thing to a pizzeria I’ve found here in Nebraska. Complete with hand dipped ice cream. Since I didn’t want to flaunt the ice cream in front of Lars (can you believe it, they had Mackinaw Island Fudge from Michigan!), we instead got chocolate shakes in paper cups & got Lars the same cup, filled with water. Everybody was happy.

Back at camp, while we waited for the Douthit’s to arrive that afternoon, we wandered around the Fort, gathering some history and looking at the sites. The still sunken swimming pool from the 1930s, the infantry housing & site where Crazy Horse was killed the captains’ quarters, Fort HQ, the dog kennels from WWII’s training center, barns & vet hospital, along with servant’s quarters, horse stables from cavalry days & the large halls that accommodated all the working and civilian life when the fort was active. With sidewalks around the parade grounds, it made for a nice walk with the stroller.

As more campers started to arrive for the busy weekend, we decided to check in for the Douthits so they could come right in and set up camp. We made our way to the check in hall which is a huge brick building with rooms to rent, original to the era, filled with photos of the day & oak staircases. Well maintained floors added to the beauty. Not that you could see much of the floor with the dozens off guests checking in, but I had 45 minutes, so saw enough of it!

Albeit hot and bumblebee ridden, our campsites were in a nice, shady location on the end of a middle row. The kids had lots of room to run & play and we were a 3 minute walk from the shower house, which is idea

Once they were in and set up, we plunked down a hard shell taco dinner with all the fixings and enjoyed the campfire. Eden wanted to sleep in their camper, so we trudged her stuff over there and they all fell asleep. She lasted until 0115.

Saturday, we were off to the Douthit Ranch, which was a working ranch until a very short time ago and now is partly rented out. Mark’s parents moved to town earlier this year, but still have a functioning house & boarding place on the ranch. His dad and him still tinker with big machinery any opportunity they get. When we got there, the chocolate chip cookies were already in the oven and the house smelled wonderful!

While all the kids stayed with the grandparents, the four adults set off on the 4-wheelers for the hills & buttes & open prairie land. Since homesteaders were the first to settle here, at a span of 40 acres apart, we could see holes where hand dug wells were attempted & found, as well as rock & raised ground foundations for sod houses. Pretty much where-ever you saw a grouping of hardwood trees, you know a homestead once sat, as those trees are not native to the land and would have been planted by hand.

We crossed many muddy cricks and walked around an area where a saw mill once sat. No sign of the saw mill, except a rusted out piece of metal, leaning against a tree. Found some sort of fruit or nut tree, planted near what is called the garden pasture, as, naturally, that was the spot where the large vegetable garden sat. A big, mossy pond for watering was found to be enjoyed by a single, quiet duck.

Only a couple shabby buildings remain outside the main house & barn area. Mark remembers clearing away many buildings in his younger days, making room for cattle to roam & land to farm. Of the nearly 11,000 acres, I think my butt would agree that we traversed almost every square inch of the ranch, minus the top of the buttes, which I was too pooped to climb.

Everyone slept well Saturday night.

Sunday morning, the preacher (Al) & the parishioner (Mark) got up early and headed back to Bridgeport to preach & visit an elderly man who was in his final days of life on earth. The rest of us got up late, had a big breakfast, stopped to see the giant Tee-Pee that was set up to honor Crazy Horse (today was the anniversary of his death) & went to church in the town of Crawford, three miles from the fort, which is where Mark’s parents live now.

Lars napped all afternoon while Laura took the girls to the museum. When Lars woke up, we met them at the building that is a replica of where enlisted men called home at the turn of the century. It was open to the public today and a man was at the entrance, whittling spoons & butter knifes to give away to the kids. Eden was thrilled to get a butter knife and told her daddy later that “I got a butter knife and it cost $60!” We think she was confusing the costly carriage ride with the price of the free whittled bark.

The guys got back around 4:00 and we got in the car to go for a drive on the north side of the buttes. We took the walking sticks & hiking boots, as well, and found a short trail to hike before supper.

Supper, unfortunately, was delayed because we started the skillet on fire. Looking on the bright side, the food was not yet in the oiled skillet, so we were spared char-fried food. By the time we ate, darkness had settled over the land, Lars was bathed & in his jammies & the bugs were joining us in full force. We were all hungry & the moms were spared from having to feel guilty about what to do with the leftovers, because there were none.

Al & I took a walk around the grounds after Lars went down and Eden fell asleep with Lexi & Kyra on their bed. She made it till 0145.

Monday was up for a big breakfast & time to break camp. We said Goodbye to the Douthits, as they were headed in their separate directions, and we walked up to the museum of the fort. Once we came out, the humidity was high & the little boy was tired. Instead of finding another trail to hike, we headed for Bridgeport, arriving shortly after 2:00 p.m. Naturally, the kids didn’t fall asleep until we were 30 minutes from the parsonage.

We spent the afternoon unloading the camper & cleaning out the car, watering the flowers & grass, and picking vegetables before supper. The preacher headed out shortly after that to be with the family that needed him. He arrived home shortly after 10p to get ready for an all day meeting on Tuesday in Alliance.

Our week to come is promising to be a busy one….until then, I rest my fingers!