Exploring Nebraska's Beauty Country: Can We Cover 1000 Miles in One Day?

Super Early Start - Day 4

Good Morning early risers and adventure chasers! So, with my sights set on getting back to Dallas a tad bit sooner than Tuesday evening, I kick-started my journey at the break of dawn – precisely 6:00 a.m. Why, you ask? To dive into the allure of Northern Nebraska and its majestic waterfalls and to make up some more time.

First things first, gotta start the day right. So, sandwich-making was the order of the morning. Can't embark on a journey on an empty stomach, right? Today’s menu was 4 simple ingredients: Bread, Butter, Cheese, Tomato. Almost sounds like a PIZZA hahaha.

Looking at the temp gauge in my car almost gave me a heart attack. A freezing 40°! And to think, just a while back, I was melting in the scorching 80°-100° range in Dallas-Fort Worth. Who even remembers what 40° feels like? Spoiler alert: It’s freaking cold!

Now, while en route to my first pit stop, I HAD to pause and capture the single most breathtaking sunrise I've ever seen. Trust me, no filters, no Photoshop – just pure, untouched beauty.

For the most part, today felt like an off-road rally. Gravel, dirt, a pinch of rough, a sprinkle of rougher, and oh, did I mention the livestock playing peek-a-boo from either side of the road? I swear, every where you look – there are cows staring at you.

As the clock hit 8:30 a.m., and I stumbled upon my first roadblock – a herd of cows doing the great migration from one side of a field to the other. What an amusing start to the day! They had a small black and white dog that did most of the work.

Merritt Reservoir

Think of a desert meeting the ocean. That’s Merritt Reservoir for you. The sandy shores, the strong cold winds, and the cold reminding me I wasn’t sunbathing on a tropical island. Being the only human for miles and miles added a special spice to the event. If the temperature was 90 degrees, I could definitely see myself jumping in for a refreshing swim.

Snake River Falls

If you ever wonder what serenity feels like, take the countryside roads lined with autumn-colored trees leading to the Snake River falls. Tip: The owners charge a buck for capturing memories. And yeah, I had my snug hoodie on. Brr!

The Actual falls reside on a private property called Snake River Club. So thank you for allowing us regular folks to get a glimpse of the waterfall. 😉 (even if there is a 1$ cost )

Fort Falls

Let me tell you – while the descent might be steep, but with the stairs and rails, it felt like a breeze. Don’t get me wrong, when I climbed back up – I was totally out of breath. Couldn’t even drink a sip of water from breathing so heavy. (maybe the altitude?)

Peeking at the base of the waterfalls in the pictures you can see blobs of ice, hinting at the snow that must've graced the area not too long ago, or it never warms up here and these are remnants from before?

Berry Bridge

Maneuvering the rugged dirt roads, the roaring Niobrara river at Berry Bridge was a sight. And a mini waterfall on the side for good measure.

Smith Falls State Park

No, you’re not seeing double. Berry Bridge was metallic silver, while the Smith Falls Bridge wore a rusty shade. The uncanny resemblance? Think Lego sets. Bet you the same contractor built both bridges. Only forgot the rust protector on the latter .

With an empty park, even more cattle for company, and birds that refused to budge, it’s the stuff postcards are made of. Maybe we can open up a postcard factory and supply them with all our pics.

Norden Bridge

Here’s a fun Nebraska fact – they love their black cows. Period. No variety. Just jet black, speckling the vast Nebraskan landscapes. And speaking of Norden Bridge, the soft clay riverbanks on one side and a mind-blowing waterfall on the other left me spellbound. Same as I was in Alexandra Falls – in Canadian Territories.

Have a glance at the pictures, and you'll spot three innocent deer treading the waters. That scene? Pure gold. In the Movie – they are all trotting along when the first deer falls straight into a deep water crevice. Look at how the other 2 deers reacted. Froze, advanced slowly – with caution…

Homebound

Time check: 12:00 noon. A 12-hour drive home from this beautiful spot. I should be home by Monday noon.

Although I had planned a pit stop at a hotel when my exhaustion kicked in, the adrenaline just kept me going like the energizer bunny. A scenic detour through a cornfield, followed by the expanse of Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. Mileage for the day? A cool 1,000 miles in 16 hours!

That beats even my own record, from the second day of the first trip, that was 836 miles in 13 hours from Columbia to Sault Ste Marie on May 15 2023.

New Designer Shoes – for Steele

Six months and a whopping 22,000 miles later, Steele (my trusty car) deserves a treat. Come next Monday, he's getting a fresh pair of Conti's DWS06 shoes. Imagine slipping into a pair of “Nike Airs” for cars. He's gonna roar with delight! Thank you Steele for taking me out and always bringing me back home safely !

That's it for today, folks.

Signing off, Shlomo