Nebraska Sandhills--TRIP 3 (2012)

"I want to be on the road by 8:30 a.m.," announced Andy this morning when we got back from breakfast. "The sun is out and we lose an hour today."
We pulled out of the motel at 8:28 a.m., but the entire sky had clouded--not a ray to be found.
"I thought you said sunny," I teased. I shivered in the 33-degree chill. Grey felt cold!

Many more cows are taken to market
in this year of extreme drought.

Last night our motel had a sign that I had never seen before. In case of tornado, take a pillow and blanket from the bed and go into the lower hallway. It made common sense, but in all our travels it was a warning we had never encountered.
Outside of Gordon, heading east, we saw the first snow fences, as yellow field upon yellow field rolled up and down toward the horizon. "The wind must really howl here," said Andy.  Little Red shook as gusts barrelled across the country road. "There is nothing to stop it here," he added. "These are the sandy hills of Nebraska."

For 10 a.m. on a Thursday morning,
there isn't much activity in Cody.

Cody, Nebraska, "the Town Too Tough to Die," had 169 people, according to the population sign. Nothing seemed very open. "These are the sites where the post office is losing its shirt," said Andy. The post office flag waved in a brisk 44-degree wind. "It must be open but the only evidence of occupation is that old car parked outside the Security Bank across the street," I told him. Cody, Nebraska may be losing the battle.
The next town of Nenzel had a population of 20! New grain elevators with ventilation fans towered just outside of town. "This town seems to be doing better," said Andy.
"I don't see a post office," I told him.
He laughed. "How can you justify a post office for 20 people?  And Cody is only a few miles down the road!"
We turned off the main road to drive south through the Samuel P. McKelvie National Forest. Even the sun came out to greet us.  Little Red turned over 119,000 miles, but all the roads here are paved. Cedar and blue spruce lined the dips in the sandy hills.  "I still can't believe so many roads in small towns are dirt." said Andy. "I think I'll want a jacket when I get out," he added.
"I know you will!" I told him. 

Near the road in the McKelvie National Forest,
trees start to turn in the autumn chill.

I'm the one who has jumped out to take pictures, and it's cold." Temperatures "yoyoed"--33 this morning, 44 in Cody, a predicted 50 this afternoon and 70's tomorrow.
The Blue Jay Trail in McKelvie National Forest, very poorly marked, was supposed to encircle the Steer Creek Campground. We tried to follow crushed grass over the dead sand for an eighth of a mile but turned back in frustration. "This is prime rattlesnake country in the summer," said Andy. "Maybe that's why nobody has bothered to maintain this trail." Even with the sun breaking through, it was way too cold for rattlesnakes now.

Leaving McKelvie National Forest,
the Nebraska terrain
again becomes rolling and sandy.

"This is a flyway for bird migration," said Andy as we drove east. He motioned to the tiny lakes on the map. "There is an aquifer under the sandy surface," he explained. "It pops up all over so birds follow this migration route south."
We stopped at the National Forest Boat Launch on the Merritt Reservoir for lunch. In the midst of brown sand hills and fluttering yellow-leafed cottonwood trees, the water glistened against the blue sky. White clouds moved in and out. What a contrast to the land and sky two hours ago!  The 3000 acres of water that form the reservoir result from the damming of the Snake River.

Beautiful, pristine and clean, the Merritt Reservoir still shows
signs of extreme stress from the current drought.

After checking into the motel in Valentine, Nebraska, a town with the population of 2820, Andy said, "We're going back out to explore one more area today."  He headed 17 miles south to the Valentine National Wildlife Refuge.
The Little Hay Road Wildlife Drive offered a glimpse of the Sandhills, wetlands and the 72,000-acre refuge, protected by the government for migrating birds, native fish and larger animals.
Andy turned onto the gravel road.
Nine lakes in Valentine National Wildlife Refuge allow fishing for northern pike, bass, bluegill and perch. The lakes and wetlands are the reason why the refuge was established in the Sandhills. It also provides important nesting, feeding and resting area for a variety of wildlife. In general, ducks, geese, swans, frogs, turtles, grebes, salamanders and a host of other wildlife, as well as the fish, depend on the wetlands. Just below the ground surface is the Ogallala Aquifer. It supports the grasses, wetlands and lakes so important to wildlife.

Sandy soil of the Valentine National Wildlife Refuge allows
water to penetrate into the Ogallala Aquifer just under the surface.

Closer to Route #83, rolling sandy dunes make up the 19,300-square mile area known as the Sandhills. The dunes formed about 8000 years ago from sand deposited by ancient streams that occurred in the area.  The dunes can be as high as 400 feet and as long as 20 miles. Due to the prevailing winds, most dunes run from northwest to southeast. The soil is predominantly sandy and supports plants characterized as mixed grass prairie.  In between the sandy hills, lush wet meadows are found because the water table is just below the surface. In spite of the drought, we saw areas of thick, grassy dampness in between the lakes. Prairie grasses send their roots down to tap into the water source. Even though the average rainfall is just over 20 inches a year, this area supports lush grass normally found only in areas with higher rainfall. Many birds nest in the dense and tall grasses.For 9.6 miles I read the informational pamphlet as we passed the numbered stops. "I never would have taken this road if I had any idea how badly it had been maintained," Andy swore, shaking his head. Poor Little Red! Everything in the car shook and rattled and bumped over the gravel washboard going only five m.p.h.  Andy tried to avoid the worst dips and rocks, sometimes to no avail.
But with the setting sun, the shadows lessened the harsh dryness and cast a soft glow over the landscape. No wonder wildlife takes refuge here.