Getting the "Iron Butt" Award

Friends often ask me how I make the drive to Arizona alone.  Don't really have an answer for that, except to say that getting to Sedona is worth the effort.  You may have heard that I love it here.  I stock up on audio books and music CDs, snacks (I'm in no danger of starving), try to find some intersting routes, and hit the road!  I have made an amazing discovery - when I sing in the car, alone, I sound just like Natalie Maines of the Dixie Chicks! 

I mapped out a route that took me across most of Nebraska on I-80.  Between Grand Island and Kearney, Sandhill Cranes stop on their way to their nesting grounds in the north.  Estimates have been half a million birds!  Driving down I-80, they are suddenly in the corn fields along the highway, dozens - hundreds - thousands of them!  The down side is that you can't just stop along the interstate.  There is a wonderful nature center where a helpful lady sent me to some back roads - and the cranes were there in huge numbers!  I wish I could have seen them coming in for the day or taking off for the evening, but the timing wasn't right.  I was very happy to view them as I did.

A small group of cranes in a cornfield

One step out of the car, and off they go!



Saw a fun term recently, although it related to people who love Whooping Cranes - "Craniac!"  I think we birdnerds can appropriate it for Sandhill Cranes, too!

I stopped for the night in McCook, NE, at The Chief Motel.  It was clean, quiet and cheap - my kind of place!  I was on the road again by 5 a.m. yesterday.  Highway 83 was scenic and had little traffic.  It took me down into Kansas, where I saw this monumental sculpture of Willam Cody.  He earned his title of "Buffalo Bill" near here, after winning a buffalo-killing competition against some other guy named Bill.

Huge, bronze sculpture of Buffalo  Bill



My next venture was 7 miles down a gravel road to Monument Rocks (one of the 8 wonders of Kansas, you know).  It was quite strange to come upon these formations in the middle of the plains.  Nothing around for miles.  It was fun to explore around the rocks (altho chilly and quite windy).  And birds everywhere!  I have never seen (and heard) so many Meadowlarks!  They did not cooperate for photos, but entertained me with their beautiful song.  There were also Horned Larks, male and female Ring-Necked Pheasants, Song Sparrow,  Turkey Vultures, Red-Tailed Hawks and several Northern Harriers.

The "Chalk Pyramids"

My Jeep provides a sense of scale

80 million years ago, this area was an ocean.  These formations were carved by the Smoky Hill River and apparently contain many fossils.

Propping the camera on the hood of the Jeep does not make for the best composition...

Cliff Swallow nests - reminded me of my little buddy "Rocky" from last year's visit to Tonto Bridge

Male ring-necked pheasant

I had fun out there, but had many miles to yet to go.  I considered stopping for the night in Gallup, NM, but had good weather, lots of daylight, and did not want to wake up Friday and still be on the road.  Finally got into Sedona around 9 pm local time - that means I got on the road in NE at 5 a.m. (central time) and arrived at the condo at 11 pm (central time).  Wow!

It's very overcast here this morning - what's up with that?  Heading over to the house to unload the Jeep...anxious to set up the birdbath/feeders and see who comes to visit!