Petersburg Press

Leifelds complete five-year trek on Beaver Creek

September 20, 2016
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The Leifelds stand in the shallow Loup River at the completion of their voyage. Their boat is in the lower right.
The Leifelds stand in the shallow Loup River at the completion of their voyage. Their boat is in the lower right.
On a Sunday, in June, 2011, Jim and Jennifer Leifeld launched a small boat onto waters near the source of the Beaver Creek, in the Sand Hills of Nebraska and floated down several miles.
They repeated this process many times during the past five years, and on Sunday, Aug. 28, 2016, they reached the point where waters from the Beaver Creek flow into the Loup River east of Genoa in Nance County. On that day, their boat and many memories of the cruise were pulled from the Beaver Creek. Some of those memorable moments are described here.
During the cruise, the Beaver Creek provided contrasting experiences. Its clean and clear water, florals, trees, soils and wildlife are an elaborate show of nature and peace. Human efforts, such as bridges, railroad trestles, irrigation and fence lines, contrast with erosion, pollution, portaging and even some danger.
Read the Leifelds’ story in the Sept. 21 Petersburg Press, Print and E-Editions.