The best word for this state is “lackluster.” That’s the conclusion after we visited the “inhabited” southeast side of the state, which includes the cities of Omaha and Lincoln. These cities are clean and somewhat lively, but they exude a definite lack of inspiration. It came as a surprise because we had read that Lincoln’s population is youthful (median age of 31), so we guessed it would translate to “fun.” Not to be. Now, technically we didn’t visit the other half of the state, but that’s the flat half that’s all prairie and barely peopled. The state’s one shining gem is the extraordinary campground we made ourselves at home at: Mahoney State Park. The place has mondo acreage, rolling hills, stocked lake, massive lodge and house-sized cabins. We secured the “penthouse” campsite of the grounds, located on the water’s edge. The site happened to be adjacent to a Canadian Goose nest, so the cats were hip to it, too. The bird was too large to mess with, but it proved hypnotic to the boys anyway. The park has extensive trails and—at least until Holly tripped and fell—we took full advantage of them.