Ash Hollow

If you have never climbed this hill you may think it is as easy as pie. You would be mistaken! 

Grandpa has more energy than all of us combined.

You can see for miiiiiles

From the top looking down

For those of us where grew up in this area of Colorado/Nebraska we most likely know about Ash Hollow and if we were in the 5th Grade Class we got to go to Ash Hollow and make a day of it.  My kids (as much as they have seen and as many places as they have been) have never been here or even knew something like this exist.  So for those of you who don't know what Ash Hollow is here is a little lesson for you:

When settlers were moving from East to West they had traveled for days and many miles to get to this point.  This was a place where they could stop and rest and replenish supplies and fix wagons and whatever else needed to be done before they headed out again to face the Rocky Mountains as they got closer to their destination.  However, there was this big hill they needed to descend before they could go on their way.  Many many many wagons came through here leaving ruts in the ground where they descended down the side of the hill. Over many years of wind and rain and natural erosion those ruts became even larger and this has become a national historical site.  There is a trail you can walk up to the top with just a couple benches along the way for those who need a break (up or down) and it is a doozy (up and down)!

Now I am sure there is more to the story than that but 5th grade was a long time ago.