Ok, I’ll admit it. We’ve had one major cold snap with snow, and I’m ready for spring. When thinking about books for this column, the books about travel and adventure just jumped out at me. The library has two wonderful new National Geographic books "America’s Western Edge" and "American Journeys: Weekends Across the U. S." both by John M. Thompson.

"America’s Western Edge" highlights the West Coast States of Washington, Oregon, and California. As with all National Geographic publications, the photography is magnificent. The chapter on southern California makes me remember why I thought it was America’s Mecca when I was growing up and listening to the Beach Boys. Spanish architecture, surfers, dune buggies, and "studly" guys on Muscle Beach--the dream of every teenage girl. Northern California features redwood forests, San Francisco, amazing coastlines, and sailing. I’m ready to go right now! Finally, the glory of the Pacific Northwest with its deep sea fishing, gray whales, seafood, and rain forest makes me long for America’s left coast. What was that about earthquakes?

The other National Geographic book that caught my attention "American Journeys: Weekends Across the U. S." covers vacation spots from New England to the Pacific. In Nebraska only the Platte River crossroads rated a mention; however, in Colorado, Kansas and Iowa several sites are covered. I’ve never been to Leadville, CO, but one of my goals is to travel to Leadville and play golf at the world’s highest elevation golf course. In Kansas a traveler should journey Highway 177 north of Strong City to visit the Tallgrass Prairie Natural Preserve. The tallgrass prairie is one of the world’s most endangered ecosystems and establishing this preserve was quite a fight. Iowa’s Amana Colonies, seven villages established 150 years ago, offer an opportunity to travel back in time and sample the life and crafts of German religious refugees. If planning a vacation this summer, checkout this book for some interesting and off the beaten track destinations.

"Greetings from the Lincoln Highway: America’s First Coast-to-Coast Road" by Brian Butko is a fun book, choked full of nostalgia. Before Interstate 80 the Lincoln Highway or Highway 30 was the main highway across the midsection of the United States and the first transcontinental highway. It is amazing to realize that less than a century ago no roads transected the United States. When in 1911 Packard Motor Car Company President Henry Joy asked for directions west from Omaha, he was told to take down fences until there were no more fences or fields and then follow the ruts west. Using period photos and memorabilia, author Butko travels the Lincoln Highway. In Nebraska some of the sites that the reader will visit on this journey down memory lane include the restored brick road between Omaha and Elkhorn, Kearney’s Covered Wagon, and Ogallala’s restored Spruce Street gas station. A variety of gas stations, ice cream stands, tourist cabins, and roadside attractions adorn this entertaining "coffee table book".

For the more athletically inclined, "Bicycling Magazine’s Guide to Bike Touring" by Doug Donaldson might be just the thing. This book covers everything a cycling enthusiast needs to know about bicycle touring—from selecting and planning the right trip, to equipment, to repair and maintenance. Probably most import is the chapter on training. Bike touring is a vacation adventure for the physically fit, not for those of us who just pedal around town. The section HOW TO SAVE YOUR BUTT (AND A FEW OTHER IMPORTANT PARTS) caught my attention. Why didn’t anyone tell me about "butt balm" before I road from Paxton to Kimball a few years ago? I am definitely going to spend some time reading this book before I ever go bike touring again.

Other books of interest to the adventuresome include the following:

"Off the Beaten Path Nebraska: A Guide to Unique Places" by Hannah McNally.

"thru hiker’s guide to america: 25 incredible trails you can hike in one to eight weeks" by e. schlimmer.

"Fishing on the Edge" by Mike Iaconelli.

"Birds of the Great Plains" by Bob Jennings and others.

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