Follow the threads

After a slow start to the day we left our hotel and headed out to see the sights in Scottsbluff Nebraska.

First stop is JoAnn's. Chris has never been to a JoAnn's so we were in there some time. We had vouchers and the assistant gave us some more so we saved a great deal.

Here is the fleece aisle. There was a 70% promotion so we paid $2.99 a yard!

We bought these to back the jelly roll quilt we made at MSQC.

A few doors along is a quilt shop. Platte Valley Vac and Sew.

It was a lovely shop with some great ideas and lovely fabric.

This is a row quilt which was done as a row along during a shop hop.

Only quilters will understand that last sentence!

Love this kite wall hanging!

And this Nebraska cushion. The owner and her daughter were happy to chat with us and we were overwhelmed when they presented us with two projects to sew on our road trip. Quilters are the nicest people!

Just around the corner was another quilt shop ........

.....bought this pattern....

It was a bright and inspirational shop....

We admired this mini wall hanging and the assistant kindly gave us a quilt to complete it! It will be the perfect memento for the trip.

Enough of quilt shops and back on the trail now as it is already lunchtime...

Scottsbluff monument is run by the National Parks Service.

We drove to the top through the only three tunnels in the whole of Nebraska.

We ate our packed lunch looking at the view. The temperature is 97 degrees.

You could see for miles and miles I every direction, back along the Oregon Trail and into Wyoming.

The monument was an important marker for the travellers on the trails.

Their ghosts are everywhere.....

Back on the road, this sign says 'Welcome to Wyoming'!

Next stop is Fort Laramie. Another important stop for the pioneers. They were able to stock up here on food and they sent letters back to those at home.

We were just in time for an NPS interpretative talk.

Fortunately the skies are clear today.

The National Park Service are restoring all of the buildings.

This is a bedroom in the officer's quarters.

Nice quilt....

An elegant dining room.

Couldn't resist this friendly bunny...

It's getting late and we are still in Wyoming so we hurry along to Guernsey to see the famous Oregon Trail ruts.

We climbed a small hill to see them.

Thousands of pioneers passed this way....

A mile away is Register Cliff, on the banks of our friendly River Platte which we have followed these last few days.

We are the only visitors.

The river is calm and beautiful.

We spend some time reading the inscriptions as the sun sets.

It was a lovely visit.

Then we realise the time.....

So we get back in Hannibal the Jeep and head south, out of Wyoming and into Colorado along, you guessed, a very, very long straight road.

We arrived in Fort Collins at 10pm and after an impromptu tour we finally found the hotel......

Tomorrow Hannibal can have a day off!!

Posted with Blogsy

Before leaving Kearney we had a couple of stops to make.

Some shopping for the maths department. Therese would approve.

Several purchases were made. The assistants were delightful.

One of them shared her favourite acronym...

Just across the road is a quilt shop....oh dear.....

This one was on three floors and there were lovely quilts on display.

We picked up some good ideas for projects.

It was a busy, interesting shop and yes, several purchases were made....

On the road now and guess what - the first town along the route at Cozad had a quilt shop.... And this was a really, really good one.....

It was full of modern fabrics and ideas for projects.... And just inside the door was a bin with fat quarter bundles half off........

Love this bright version of the quilt that was hanging in our room at the MSQC.

Bought a kit in the sale to make this table topper....

This fabric below is 'Happy Go Lucky' by Bonnie and Camille. We found several bundles of 12 fat quarters in the bargain bin for $18. Needless to say they are no longer in the bargain bin ......