Often it could be said I travel for travel's sake. Saturday, December 20th was just such a day. With my home inspection behind me, the fate of my loan in the hands of my lender, there was no time to worry, so instead I decided to take my artist child within on a date -- to Omaha, Nebraska.
I discovered that the California Zephyr line on Amtrak is direct from Denver to Omaha, so I hopped the train and away I went. This would end up being a great adventure and perhaps I will be able to write a few travel articles.
Omaha greeted me with a brisk negative 25 degree kiss and a swift fall to my rear--one of those falls you have no time to prepare for. Of course, little did Omaha know I had been adding padding to my ass for a few years just for such an occasion!
Undeterred I marched on into the the Old Market Square for a cup of coffee and some breakfast. In a storefront window, I fancied some more appropriate footwear for the weather and noted in my journal to return to this store of wool later.
With breakfast behind me I set out on the blistering three-mile walk to look at a 20-foot tree assembled using over 700 poinsettias, wrapped gifts and toy trains scurrying about. The tree was quite amazing and the full-room display of 5,000 poinsettias, toy trains, and antique sleighs was worth the walk and cab ride back to town!
My day continued as I walked the streets of Omaha from museum to museum and gallery to gallery. Despite the cold and several attempts and beginning ice walking my day out with my artist within was wonderful. I saw paper mache boxes constructed and painted by artists from Russia, oil paintings from Mexico, sculptures amazingly crafted by high school students, and the Eyewitness exhibit from America's National Archives, shown in only five cities--Omaha the last of the five.
I did return to the great wool store with the fabulous footwear. The trouble was that the store wanted $180 for the boots and I wanted to pay $80. The boots are resting safely on the shelf in Omaha, and my bruised rear has healed.
Afraid that dust may settle on my travel gear, I scurried to Ouray, where I write this.
To all a wonderful day and may many new adventures await you in 2009.
.JPG)
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