Day 71 Scotts Bluff

A beautiful drive across Nebraska.

Today was the day of Imaginative Names.  The Emigrants and fur traders named many of the landmarks along their route.  This is Frog Heads Bluff.

Ash Hollow named because of a grove of Ash trees.  The wagon trains often stopped here for respite and repairs.

Chimney Rock.  This was the most noted landmark in the diaries.  It had several names.  The Indians named it Elk Penis but the emigrants didn't like using that name so changed it or refered to it as EP.

A suggested list of necessary items to fill your wagon.  Many people brought along furniture, pianos, books, china, much of which was discarded along the trail.  Often those traveling east would pick up the discarded items and take them back to Missouri where they would sell it to new travelers that didn't know it would make their wagon too heavy for the oxen.

                                                 Courthouse rock and Jailhouse Rock.

Scotts Bluff  This marked 1/3 of the trip behind the "overlanders" or emigrants.  This is beautiful but if I was walking, hot, windblown I would want to just keep going.

More of Scotts Bluff.   There are Five Rocks of Scotts Bluff.  This is Saddle Rock.  There is also Sentinel Rock, Eagle Rock, Dome Rock, Crown Rock.  We are camped on Five Rock Road with a view of these Rocks.

There are cap stones on top of the rock that have kept these rocks standing.  Here you can see the erosion that is taking place.  Also there was a rock slide that has closed the hiking trail up the bluff.  It most likely will not be rebuilt as the slide undercut the area above the trail.  Gravity and the elements are having a time with these rocks.