100 Things to Do in the Nebraska Sandhills Before You Die

Book excerpt: Some destinations claim colorful monikers like Big Sky Country, Sportsman's Paradise, the Sunshine State, Land of Enchantment, or the Last Frontier. The Nebraska Sandhills, which makes up about a quarter of the state of Nebraska, can honestly claim all of that-and a whole lot more. Paddle past more than 200 waterfalls while kayaking the Niobrara River or hop into a livestock water tank and float through the dunes on the Calamus, Cedar, Loup, and North Platte rivers. Tour the remnants of tunnels associated with Chicago gangster Al Capone in O'Neill, meet the locals at a volunteer fire department barbecue at Wood Lake, and sample the Sandhills' Finest craft brews in Ord. And don't forget to explore the ranching culture of this vast region where cowboys still ride horses, cattle outnumber people, rodeo is a lifestyle, Cornhusker football is tradition, and God and family mean more than anything else. Follow along page by page as writer, photographer, lifelong Nebraskan, and travel expert Alan J. Bartels takes readers on a tour of the region he's loved since childhood. Along the way, he points out well-known events and attractions, and off-the-beaten-path curiosities and small-town celebrations discovered through chance and dogged exploration. With 100 Things To Do In The Nebraska Sandhills Before You Die as your guide, you'll have all the insider information needed for memorable Sandhills adventures of your own.