Scottsbluff, Nebraska

If you're looking for a relaxing place to spend a week in the Midwest, Scottsbluff, Nebraska should be on your list.

This sleepy little town has a couple of well stocked antique stores (my favorite kind of shopping!) but more importantly, we found an absolutely amazing tapas restaurant, The Tangled Tumbleweed.

Here you see a brussel sprout skillet, ahi tuna and a fig and brie brushcetta plate. Delicious!

Of course, the best part of this area are its beautiful and abundant rock formations. We stayed at the city run Robideux RV Park, which was so nice and tranquil itself, but has the added advantage of being a quick drive to two places we were looking forward to exploring, Scotts Bluff National Monument and Chimney Rock National Historic Site.

Scotts Bluff National Monument

It looks so easy....I mean just look at it. Does it look like it's a strenuous hike? No, it doesn't. So we thought, what the heck, we'll take an evening and hike to the top of the bluff from the visitors center via Saddle Rock Trail.

The evening was perfect for our outing, cool and overcast. The first part of the walk lulls you into a false sense of security with its mild incline and beautiful views, it's the next section that gets you. Before you realize it, the path narrows and the uphill has begun in earnest. The route may only be 1.6 miles each way but with an elevation change of 435 feet (most of it during the second half) it makes for a steep climb.

At the top of a hill is a short tunnel taking you from one side of the ridge to the other. You think, it won't get much worse, I'm halfway there as you pass through the craggy mountain interior. A quick look to the left upon exiting might make you groan when you see the steep switchbacks leading upwards.

Once you've reached the summit, you walk around and think wow...stunning in views. Totally worth it (and they are). You also think "I can't see any part of the trail from here. No...wait...there's part...and oh wow, that's a steep drop off."

Yep, the walkway in the first picture is hugging the wall in the second one. Yikes.

Don't worry, it's not as scary as it looks.

Our second outing in Scottsbluff was to the famous...

Chimney Rock

Traveling has broaden my knowledge so much, as it should. For instance, I learned that the spire known as Chimney Rock was a famous landmark for pioneers traveling along the Oregon, California and Mormon trails to the west coast.

Standing at 325 ft high from its base, it's so slender and looks so cool standing there alone.

The view from the trail head is a bit different though. All I could think of as we stood there surveying the way in front of us, was once we reached our goal one of us would have to yell Jumanji!

Sadly, during the two mile round trip trek no herds of wild animals chased us. There were no really cool buildings to wander through, risking life and limb. No crazed maniacs hunting us down. Just a few plant filled gorges that kept trying to poke and scratch us.

Disappointment that my life isn't as exciting as an action movie aside, the hike was still enjoyable and the view from the base is great. While it was tempting to climb to the spire, being a national historic site we behaved ourselves and stayed on the beaten paths below.

Yes, Scottsbluff is the perfect stopover for a quiet week.

Oh and JUMANJI!!!!!!!!!!!!