Yesterday, I left the Flint Hills and headed west and north toward the Sand Hills of Nebraska. I stopped for a visit at Konza, but for the most part, it was a travel day. During that westward run the land changed; perceptibly, but not necessarily in a way that I was been able to clearly verbalize. At one point I just got the feeling that it looked more “western.” I think it was in the shape of the land. The hills were lower and farther apart. The soil was sandier and less productive.
My destination for the night was central Nebraska; Platte River country just west of Grand Island. I picked this area intentionally as my friend Brice lives here and the Nature Conservancy has an active program here. Brice works for the US Fish and Wildlife Service at the Rainwater Basin Wetland Management District. I had dinner with Brice and his children, and Chris Rundstrom (TNC’s land steward in this area).
Roslyn, Brice, Cale, and Hayden.
The boys were very interested in my motorcycle and my riding gear.
In northern Kansas, I passed the geographical center of the conterminous US. This is one of three geographical centers I hope to pass during this trip.
While this area is not one of my specific destinations, I had the opportunity to meet Chris Helzer with TNC to talk about restoration efforts in and around central Nebraska. Like my home in southern Wisconsin, the historic ecology of this are has been severely altered, so the restoration (and in many cases complete reconstruction) of the prairies can be a huge challenge. I saw Chris give a couple presentations at the Prairie Conference last summer and was interested in his work. When he offered to show me around his restorations, I jumped at the chance to get his perspective and insight.
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