Crossing Nebraska and Iowa

We left Wyoming and headed into Nebraska. Our destination was North Platte. The North Platte River meanders from Wyoming and into Nebraska. It’s the location of the largest concentration of Sandhill Cranes in North America. The migrating cranes all funnel through a small area. They stop to feed and it’s said that in the morning and evening flocks of ten thousand birds rise into the air as they go out to the daily feed. The number of sandhill cranes this spring was estimated at seven hundred and twenty thousand birds. I can’t’ imagine the sound of that many birds with their raucous rattling call.

They had already left when we got there but we did hear a few near the Audubon Society’s Birding Center. The volunteer told us that we could make reservations for next spring’s migration. She did say that the field trips always sell out early.

From Nebraska we drove into Iowa and met my cousin Pat and Her Husband Greg Hudson. They moved to where their children are located, in Ankeny, Iowa. We met them for lunch and of course I had to have a pork tenderloin sandwich. It was great to catch up on all the cousin gossip. We both forgot to take any pictures of the four of us definitely a senior moment…. After lunch we headed to Keosauqua, where Renita’s sister Pam and her Husband Camp Host at Lake Sugema County Park. We were going to surprise them but decided instead to call just before we got there. Arriving at their site a party was in progress, along with a huge corn hole tournament. Renita and I played against each other, and she won. We spent the night in the Grand Hotel in Keosauqua. The next morning, we stopped and said our goodbyes. They also come down to Texas and camp in the same park we do so we will see them soon. Clear skies

From York to Branson.

We left York with our fingers crossed and, hoping for clear skies and no more truck problems, headed for Keosauqua, Iowa. There Renita’s sister and brother were taking part in the Fall Festival. The campground was full when we arrived at Lacey Keosauqua Sate Park, but waiting patiently for people to leave, we found a spot with water and electricity. 

The park is such a beautiful spot and it always brings me into focus. There are few places as quiet and peaceful. Parking the rig we drove into Keosauqua and met Pam at their vender tables in the Firehouse. Roy was working at their artist coop in Bentonsport, talk about busy retired people.

Returning to the camper we watched as the campground emptied and the park returned to normal. The next day, driving to town we had to stop as a flock of turkeys blocked the road. A tom turkey paused to show off his beard and it was the longest beard I have ever seen.

That evening deer moved back into the campground and it was as it should be. We did spend the days visiting and of course sampling the pork tenderloins, of which Iowa is famous. Our favorite was at a place called Misty’s, but they were all good.

From Iowa we drove south to Lake of the Ozarks.. We are taking our time as we cross the country and using the, "2,2,2", rule we are enjoying our stops,(the rule is that you drive 200 miles, stop by two pm, and stay for two days).  The movie “Deep Water Horizon” was playing at the local theater. As we were camping at Grand Isle, Louisiana, when the rig exploded we needed to see the film, Suffice it to say that we both cried as we watched the films story as to how the disaster unfolded.

After the film was over Renita told me she had had the same image in her mind. That was of the crosses commemorating those lost. So I am reposting our feelings from 2013.

“We stopped to read the crosses, with the names of those lost during the Deepwater Horizon oil disaster. Three years ago, almost to the day and we were here as the smoky clouds covered our camper at the state park. Gary told me we had passed the deadline to file a health claim and I told him I would probably never live long enough before BP would ever pay a cent,(right now the trial to place the blame has just begin and the judge will now determine who is/was responsible).”

Oh and the charges were dropped. Companies and people with money are rarely held responsible for their actions! Now we are sitting in Bronson, Mo and the plan is to head to Montgomery, Alabama before continuing to Florida and our usual stop in St Petersburg. Clear skies

Catalpas, Harvest Time, and Reconnecting With Family

Leaving North Platte we and made a series of short drives. Along the way the corn and soybean harvest were in full swing and we passed many trucks carrying the harvest to the elevators. Crossing into Iowa we spent a night at a beautiful campground in Waukee, Iowa.

The private camp ground was dominated by tall Catalpa Trees and while I had seen them before, I had never seen so many! The trees seemed to take on an almost human form and some seemed to show their personalities in the gnarled and bent branches.

There were also apple and crab apple trees, all laden with unpicked fuirt. Perhaps the owners were waiting for the first frost After frosting the apples are imparted with a special flavor and are used to make a special brewed cider.

Our next stop was in Waterloo and Cedar Falls.  There we drove to the house where Renita grew up and it brought back memories, so many memories.

We stopped to pray at our parents graves and I was surprised to see that my folks headstone had been placed on the website One Billion Graves. I really think its a good service, this website provides and encourage you all to consider registering your families graves. I have so many Aunts and Uncles and if I could easily find their graves, I would try to visit them.

We next stopped at our Alma Matter and bought sports wear for the upcoming basketball season, "Go Panthers, (the University of Northern Iowa)"! Another task was to find the best pork tenderloin and we ate three monster sandwiches in four days.

The rest of the time was spent visiting family and we didn't have time to visit them all, (My parents were both farm kids and between the two of them had seventeen brothers and sisters, producing about ninety three first cousins). Still we reconnected with several families on my Dads side and were able to learn and discover what had been important in their lives.

Too soon it was time to head south to spend a few days with Renita's sister Pam and her husband Roy. They live in Keosauqua, a place filled with peace and Iowa's quiet beauty. That story is for another entry and so its time to sign off in this one. Clear skies.

Keosauqua, Iowa, A Beautiful and Peaceful Break from the Road

We left Ogallala and headed east on Interstate 80. A strong cold front was approaching and so we wanted to be across the plains. There we would stop and visit family, while enjoying the peace and quiet of southeast Iowa.
Three days of driving saw us parked in a beautiful pull through in Lacey Keosauqua State park. Renita's sister Pam drove out, we are about three miles from the town, and the sisters were soon having a nice sister chat. Later Roy arrived, who also enjoys lapidary and makes and sells jewelry, oh and of course I inserted images of gourds instead of rocks as its harvest time here and I like the gourds).

Of course I had to show him the rocks we are taking to Texas, and he couldn't wait to show us the private collection he had just purchased. It included several neat fossils and some really nice crazy lace rough, but was mostly composed of desert chalcedony roses. We had to laugh as we had been offered the same roses in Wyoming. Apparently Arizona snowbirds can not resist them and feel compelled to collect them by the pail load,(some do contain fire agate and some have a natural rose shape but there wasn't any of the fire in the buckets.

The next day Pam took us to Bentonsport where she showed us the artist coop where they sell their work. We spent a pleasant afternoonthere and were treated to meeting the Artist in Residence, Gin, who shared wiith us one of her stained glass painting. She told us that the glass face required seven firings to get all the detail.

While she doesn't do any stained glass in Bentonsport, she does work in pastels and oils. I told her of our pastel artist friends Sharon and Alan. It was a nice way to spend a sunny afternoon and we actually bought a beautiful wire tree, set on a walnut plaque. It was a unique wrok and beautifully done, and of course we are suckers for wire work.

The front finally arrived and we got four inches of rain in one evening. This forced us to prolong our stay but we were safely on top of a ridge and in a nice and new and empty section of the state park campground. The front is passing and so tomorrow we are headed to St Louis and an rv oark snmack dab in the middle of the city.
Clear skies

Taking a Family Break in Iowa, at Lacey-Keosauqua State Park

 

Renita called her sister Pam, and as they were going to be home we decided to stop and visit them. Now we usually stay at Lake Sugema but we decided to try Lacey-Keosauqua State Park and it turned out to be a great choice.

You kind of forget how peaceful a small town in Iowa can be and the state park is even quieter. Added to this was the cost at eleven dollars a night and that was for  a site with electric and water. So we took a spot in the new campground section and set up for three days of family catching up.

Roy and Pam visit us in the winter in Texas and Roy does lapidary and makes jewelry, (He started shortly after I did). We were both surprised at how much we enjoyed working stone and they even have a place in a local art store in Bentonsport, Iowa. It’s an artist coop, where the artist donates his/her time for a big discount in the stores commission.

So we went there and enjoyed visiting with other artists and viewing their different styles and mediums. As the Des Moines River is at an extremely low level I soon wandered off to look for rocks. I  quickly found a beautiful fossil rugosa coral. It’s the same coral that is called Petosky stone in Michigan and as we have collected and worked that, it’s a welcome addition to our collection!

Of course Iowa means breaded pork tenderloins and I had to try both of the town’s restaurants. Misty’s, the local malt shop was first and their tenderloin was the largest one I have ever eaten. It actually was so big that Renita tasted some and I had enough for another day’s lunch.

The next day we went out to the other restaurant in town and the tenderloin was also excellent but I do have to award Misty with the best tenderloin in Keosauqua award. However if you are ever there be sure to try both as they were both great!

We also took time for some site seeing and drove to Ely Fords Crossing, where the Mormon migration crossed the Des Moines River. It was a quiet spot and a great blue heron waded in the slow moving rivers current where thousands had once crossed on their way to Utah. Just a week before we had been at the Oregon Trail, at Sweetwater Station in Wyoming, another river crossing for the Mormons and while we are Catholics it is neat to view the history of another religion.

So we rested and visited and talked rocks and jewelry, Roy is now making multiple cabochon necklaces, like we are, and of course they are beautiful and unique. It’s Folk Art and is so unlike the jewelry mass produced and sold most places. It’s really about the joy of creating and making each piece, and that’s what it should be! Clear skies

 

(The last image shows the reintroduced long grass prairie in Lacey-Keosauqua State Park. The grasses are taller then I am and its so different then the western short grass prairie we are used to.)

Running from Snow

The doctor said my electrocardiogram hadn’t changed and so with some adjustments in medications we were good to head out. A massive storm front was approaching and so we left early on Thursday, driving over four hundred miles in a day, which is a really long day for us, but it was a wise decision.

Lander, the city we had been at, was forecast to receive 2-4 inches of snow but instead it got fourteen. We later met a couple that drove across the Loveland Pass and had to stop to remove all the snow, mud, and ice from their toad,(which for non rvers is what you call the vehicle behind your motor home).

So we made it to Sidney, Nebraska, and of course that meant Cabelas. I was able to try on different chest waders and bought a great pair that should last me for years. We also came across a great deal on a smaller Yamaha generator. The new one weighs less then fifty pounds which is way less than the one hundred and fifty plus pound weight of our old one, (hmm now I can add more rocks).

We stayed in Sidney for another day as the front blew through and then headed east across Nebraska. Interstate Eighty parallels the Platte River and the Platte was in flood stage as all the Colorado flooding had moved downstream to Nebraska.

Another day and we made it to the middle of Iowa where we are spending the night at a nice Casino Rv Park. Tomorrow we should make it to Pam and Roy’s, in Eastern Iowa and then it’s off to Indiana to get our rig rebuilt. It will be so nice to get it done as right now we are unable to use all of our slides.

So there’s not much else to speak of, we have all of our doctoring done for the year, and we are looking forward to our winter in Florida and Texas. Most especially we are looking forward to the new times with friends and family. Clear skies.