Monday June 25, 2012

Hi again!
Today we were up and about early and went to breakfast with friends in Goodland, KS.  Pam Murray Varney is a forecaster at the National Weather Service (NWS) and her partner Al Pietryka is a SOO at the NWS.  We were instructed to meet them at the Butterfly Cafe at the airport and we were both a little skeptical but once there were pleasantly surprised at what a nice place it is and I would actually say it is the best kept secret in Goodland.

Renner Fields is THE airport in Goodland KS

Our friends Pam and AL

We left Goodland around 10 am and headed north setting down in Gillette, Wyoming a mere 572 miles along a variety of roads with a lot of different views and vistas to enjoy.  Here are some pictures to enjoy.

Wheat harvest in Nebraska

Burlington Northern train hauling...

Coal back east

We went from seeing the flat or rolling plains of Kansas and Oklahoma to the mountains of
Pine Ridge Mountians in Nebraska.

You can see for miles in this flat country!

Pine Ridge Mountains in Nebraska

Just so you don't think we are just running around having fun on a road trip I thought I ought to show you a couple pictures of some weak storms we saw towards evening today.

iPhone radar

a gap between storms

fluffy outflow dominated clouds

a storm over Spearfish South Dakota

Anyhow that's what we saw as pitiful as it is it was still nice to see some storms and lightening today!  We are at a Day's Inn in Gillette WY and contrary to some online reviews that were negative I find it to be a really neat and clean place if a little older and more then worth the money we paid.

Off to Montana tomorrow!