For day two, my co-workers and I met in the lobby of the hotel. Our goal was to find a place for a nice Omaha lunch. We ended up at the Upstream Brewing Company, a restaurant in the downtown market district.

I recommend the restaurant for a nice afternoon meal. We missed the "premiere" steak houses because they all opened after we were due back at the Qwest Center. We ate a nice business lunch and talked a lot, especially about the Wrangler National Rodeo Finals (WNFR).

To answer a question ten people have asked me : No, steaks in Omaha don't really taste better than steak anywhere else.

Anyone visiting Omaha should put the old market area on their list of destinations. Many of the old downtown buildings were converted into shops and restaurants with cobblestone streets. There was a farmers market Saturday morning as well as street vendors. If you are interesting in learning more, visit omahaoldmarket.com .

In addition to the rodeo, there was a livestock exhibition and carnival occurring on the same grounds. I took the opportunity to visit some familiar farm friends and found the atmosphere to be quite similar to a dog show.

There were possessed farm people shaving, primping and blow-drying cows and sheep and hosing off pigs. The goats seemed about the most pampered as most were wearing goat coats. They were very friendly too, though, I suspect their friendliness was due to the expectation of food.

The piglets were too cute. In all honesty, when I see them sleeping it makes me reconsider bacon and pork chops. Cute piglets for dinner sounds unappealing. I guess I am not as fond of chickens. Holding one of those newborn fluffball chicks is kind-of funny, if they don't poop on you. Standing in the exhibition hall you get to feel very large compared to chicks, and very, very small compared to cows.

The sheep were like strange aliens. I wonder if their head shape is partly responsible for their less than stellar reputation for intelligence and independent thinking.

Out in the lobby area of the Qwest Center, there were vendors packed in with all types of western décor, belts, hats and other items. One of the items always standing out is the decorated belts. There are plenty of those to choose from with all manner of fake glitz attached to them.

I had intended to pick one out but my favorite packed a price tag of $95.00 which is about $75.00 out of my price range for a fashion statement. My belt serves its main purpose which is to hold my pants up, not to make people stare at my mid-section.

Included in the photos, there is a shot of myself and a co-worker Johnna. She made shirts for Friday night's performance so we could be identifiable in the press room. She is a reporter, and I am one of the computer geeks, hence "words" and "technology" were printed across the back of our respective shirts. We wore the shirts for the entire day and had many fun comments from people trying to figure out what they meant. Thankfully Johnna bought me a size small so I didn't have tuck the shirt in down to my knees!

Day three, next...

Previous entries
1) River City Roundup : Preamble to a Yee-Ha
2) River City Roundup : Pink shirts, starched jeans