Hey Nebraska

Nebraska is a hard state to leave, and that’s because it pretty much has the exact same landscape from the time you cross the state line in any direction. So it’s hard because it all looks the same. Corn, cows, flat.

I had the pleasure of doing 2 nights in Omaha, NE. It was the furthest I could drive from Chicago IL without driving myself crazy. I’m doing something new this road trip that I didn’t do before. Last time when I trekked across the country for a year, I would overnight in pass through cities for one night, and then hit the road again in the morning. It was exhausting, and I didn’t have a lot of time to recover from the previous day’s journey. I knew I wouldn’t be able to survive doing that again this year, especially with less than a month to make the trek.

So now, pass through cities have a 2 night minimum. This helps me to chill out for a bit before hitting the road. The tough thing about any kind of travel is that you’re not going to be able to see and do everything. I no longer have that hustle to try (thinking back, not sure if I ever did).

Omaha, NE was a good in between location for heading further into the midwest to Denver and Boulder. It allowed me time to get some work done on my car. Since I wasn’t quite sure what to expect in Omaha, I decided to opt for a more unique living situation. I used airBNB to book a 2 night stay in a tiny house. Folks, this house was tiny!!! But, it was so much fun. I think the only thing that I didn’t vibe with was the composting toilet. It felt too much like I was camping instead of being somewhere I could post up for a while. Other than that, it was nestled on the property of the owners, which also included their own house, a garden, bees for making honey, and chickens. Definitely a good time.

I also got to connect with one of my favorite clients, Shannon Butalla of the Global Foundation for Peroxisomal Disorders. We met many moons ago while she was visiting Baltimore on a medical visit at Johns Hopkins with her son Sam. At that time, the GFPD was just an idea, and now, it’s a reality and it’s changing lives. I got to meet her husband, daughter, and pups too. Such a lovely evening.

If you do ever find yourself in Omaha, NE, stop by the Old Market for a nice stroll amongst fun shops and restaurants. Also make your way to Lauritzen Gardens, the Omaha Botanical Garden if the weather is lovely outside. And if you have little ones, I hear the Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo is totally worth the stop.