h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I totally agree with all of the statements made in this article but one. Nebraska, contrary to popular belief, is not flat. It is not mountainous either, but it is far from flat. Just travel off the main interstate (I-80) and you will discover many large, perfect for sledding, hills. We have the Sandhill to the west, these are the largest burried sand dunes in the world, and northeastren Nebraska is nothnig but hills. Trust me I grew up there.

I think the misconception of a flat state comes from the fact that most of the people who see Nebraska only see it from I-80. Since most of I-80 follows the Platte River it lies in a flat flood plain, hence the misconception.

So in the winter bring your sleds, but not skies, and have some fun.

Wedge

I think Nebraska is flatter than most states I've lived in, or visited.

Ha, try Kansas, or the Dakotas--flat, flat, flat. An interenting geographic feature not mentioned is that accross the Missouri River in the small city of Council Bluffs, Iowa, (directly opposite Omaha) lies the second largest mass of loess soil in the world. This soil is the dust that blew off the glaciers as they were melting and the ice age retreating. It is very unusual soil: yellow in color and very compact. You can carve your initials on one of the loess cliffs and return 5 or 10 years later and your initials will still be there. The largest mass of loess soil in in Xianxi Province, China. In 1934 Mao tsedung led his followers there from south China to escape the depredations of Chiang Kaishek. It took 2 years to complete the trip, but once there Mao and his followers literally carved their homes into the loess cliffs. Today, Xian, Xianxi, is an outdoor museum of which the Peoples' Republic of China is quite proud. Micheal Mole (the "late" as I expect to be ejected from h2g2 due to a recent posting). PS, I have lived in the Omaha area for over 45 years.