TWO RIVERS, HISTORIC TOWNS

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21

After I completed and posted my fourth blog last Monday (19^th), I rested.  I took a walk to the lake that’s on the grounds of the KOA I was staying at [in Waterloo, IA] and then sat outside to read my second book of the trip - Steve & Me, written by Terri Irwin, the wife/widow of “Crocodile Hunter” Steve Irwin.  While sitting there reading about Steve Irwin and his love and advocacy for all wildlife, I spotted and observed some wildlife of my own – a couple of small mammals chasing each other.  When they stopped and stood on their hind legs I thought they looked exactly like mini prairie dogs.  A Google search and review of photographs, especially of their backside, revealed that they are a species called the thirteen-lined ground squirrel, “…also known as the striped gopher, leopard ground squirrel, squinney…is a ground squirrel that is widely distributed over grasslands and prairies of North America.”  Cute little things!

Around 4:00 a.m. Tuesday (20^th) I woke up to flashes in the sky.  Unable to go back to sleep I watched, through my windows, the lightning slowly approach and stop, it seemed like, directly above my camper.  It was pouring rain, too.  The storm moved on, the flashes ceased, I dozed off and soon woke up again to a wet ground and a gloomy sure-looks-like-it-will-rain-again sky.  The online weather reports I checked seemed to predict as much.  A decision was made – stay at the KOA another day and use the time to review my spread of “Iowa” trip materials and make advance decisions for the remaining two weeks of this month.  Come September I’ll be making the rounds in Kansas.  As it turned out, the sky soon morphed from dull grey to a gorgeous blue – oh, Iowa, aren’t you fickle! – but I got a lot of research done and some preliminary decisions made.

This morning was a repeat of yesterday morning – a gloomy, cloudy grey sky.  Well, since truck camper travel like this requires acceptance of the elements (except snow!), I got going and left Waterloo, taking Rts. 20W, 63S, and 30W to a road marked CR T47 (near Marshalltown, IA).  Thus began my journey southeast on the 77-mile Iowa Valley Scenic Byway, described as taking “…you through rural agricultural land, Iowa River wetlands, and a rich cultural patchwork.” The gloomy sky, and the raindrops that eventually fell, really didn’t do justice to what I can imagine is a beautiful area.

The Colonies of Amana – seven villages in all - is at the eastern end of this byway.  The Colonies were “…settled in 1855 by Germans fleeing religious persecution…” and the Amana Guide Map is chock full of area attractions such as arts & handmade goods, antiques, breweries & wineries, restaurants, heritage sites & museums, accommodations, and shopping.  It was noon when I pulled up to the office at the huge, and I mean huge, Amana RV Park & Event Center and asked about a site for tonight.  They have something like 450 RV spaces here and they certainly did have one spot for me and my truck camper!

Before I left the office with my “site escort” the lady who registered me pointed out to me that the red dots on the Amana guide map were the restaurants.  Yeah, okay, thanks, I said.  After the 70-something fellow, sporting a full beard and wearing suspenders, led me to my site he asked me if I was going to go to town now for something to eat.  I said no but will plan on that tomorrow.  He smiled, nodded his head, and patted his enormous, and I mean enormous, belly!  We both laughed at that gesture!

THURSDAY, AUGUST 22

A perfect dawn…the sun rose to a clear day!  How does that song go - “…the rain is gone…”?  That was all I needed to admonish myself for griping yesterday about the gloomy weather.  Rain of course is good…it’s water, the substance essential to all life…the crops need the rain!

So this morning, since I’d already reserved, a couple of days ago, a site for tonight at a state park, I had plenty of time to visit Amana, just a few minutes down the road from the RV Park.  I found a place to park, walked around, took pictures, and stopped at the Ronneburg Restaurant for breakfast.  It was exactly 10:30 a.m. when the hostess greeted me and…yes, oh dear, they stop serving breakfast at 10:30 a.m. and switch over to the lunch menu.  But, as this tall, blonde, blue-eyed lady led me to my table she turned to me and said she’ll ask the chef… and I got breakfast after all!  Nothing fancy, just your everyday bacon and eggs and potatoes and toast.  There was, however, nothing ordinary about this dish – the way it was prepared was exceptional!  I immediately thought of the fellow yesterday who smiled, patted his belly, and shared a laugh with me!

This area of the Colonies of Amana is fascinating.  I would have missed this unique cluster of villages if I didn’t drive on the Iowa Valley Scenic Byway.  “The history of the Amana Colonies, a National Historic Landmark and one of America’s longest-lived communal societies, begins in 1714 in the villages of Germany and continues today in Eastern Iowa.” These seven villages of the Amana Colonies “…represent an American Dream come true; a thriving community founded by religious faith and community spirit.”  The people of these Colonies have preserved and restored many of the homes, barns, and other artifacts that speak to the way of life of their ancestors.  These historic structures, many of which are still residential homes, are now shops, restaurants, inns, and museums.  The Ronneburg Restaurant, where I had my breakfast, is described as “…located in an original historical communal kitchen house.”  Worth a visit, these colonies are – no fast food or novelty stores here!

The main street of Amana, the largest of the Colonies.

One of the eateries along the street.

Barns, a pump, and an immaculate green field.

A barn converted to a Quilting and Needlework shop.

Flowers along the walkway.

On my way by noon, I took Rts. 6W and 63S to the Lake Wapello State Park, near Drakesville, IA.  This is my first Iowa state park of this trip and an excellent find.  It’s very close to the Historic Hills Scenic Byway, which I’ll be driving on tomorrow.  The site that I selected online - taking a wild guess, really – is just steps from the edge of the lake.  There’s a lot of lily pads - the largest I’ve ever seen – practically under my nose and some of them are adorned with large pale yellow flowers.

Lake Wapello.

Lily pads…and a flower.

My camp site.

My view as I work on my blog.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 23

Before leaving the Lake Wapello State Park this morning, not long after sunrise, I pulled into the park’s dump station and dumped my tanks.  Thirty minutes later I was on the “Historic Hills Scenic Byway” and, checking the sky, anticipating another lovely day for this drive.  To quote, “Don’t be surprised to find yourself sharing the road with horses and buggies on the Historic Hills Scenic Byway.  It’s just one way of feeling you’ve stepped back in time on this 105-mile route winding through rolling hills, extensive forests and 20 towns with no fast food restaurants to be found.  Historic Hills is home to communities of both Mennonites and Old Order Amish…”

Signs posted along the byway – with the horse and buggy symbol – advised drivers to be alert, go slow, and share the road.  Not only did I encounter a few buggies but I also passed Amish homes, easily discerned by the clothes hanging out to dry.  One young fellow waved as his horse trotted by on the lane to my left and when I looked back from my driver side mirror I had to smile when I saw that he also turned to look back at my camper.  Tis universal, the curiosity of us humans!

At the town of Bonaparte I noticed old brick buildings along both sides of this one block of street.  I decided to park and walk around -- so very glad I did!  The Des Moines River is right there and a sign at the bridge informed that Brigham Young and his group of Mormons, on their trek to Utah, crossed this river at this spot on March 5, 1846.  I also noticed that the buildings that I was looking at – some still in a dilapidated condition – all had plaques designating them as historic.  One was a gas station and as I approached I was greeted by three large, beautiful, and friendly dogs -- German Shepherds!  The owner, a very nice lady, was in the tiny office and she was very happy to answer my questions about the gas station.  She said that the station used to have two pumps and a pit in the garage where the mechanics of that day would stand to work on the undersides of vehicles.  They don’t provide fuel anymore but they still do mechanical work…the modern way now.

Walking on further up the street, I met another lady who told me more about the town.  She pointed over there and said “…that’s my house…it’s 130 years old…and that man there cutting the grass is my husband…and that right there is my store…”  She led me to the rear of her “Antiques and Junk” store, which was practically next door to her house, pointed to some swing benches in her backyard, right in front of the Des Moines River, and told me that she and her husband sit there all the time, evenings mostly, and enjoy the ambiance of the river.  Come fall, before it gets cold here, they head down to their other home in Arkansas.  I learned from her that what I’m seeing along this block is the Bonaparte Historic District.  I checked out the still operating grocery store and had a nice chat with a third lady who was sitting outside her store.  I must have been in that area for a good two hours…just walking around and bumping into these lovely ladies!

Meek’s Grist Mill (1878); Des Moines River in background.

The Des Moines River.

Meek Pants Factory (1892).

That lady’s 130-year old restored and renovated house.

Hanback Pottery Works (1866).

Moving on I took the bridge across the Des Moines River and continued my drive on the byway, which ended at Donnellson.  I made my way, on Rt. 2E, to a gravel country road to the Wilson Lake Park, in Donnellson.  Today is Friday but I arrived at Wilson Lake early enough to find several pick-your-own-self-pay sites, with electricity, to choose from.  I filled out the registration form and inserted cash payment in the envelope for two nights here.  None of the sites at this campground have a view of Wilson Lake so, wanting to get off my bum and take a walk, I got on the gravel road and proceeded to walk around the entire lake.  Along the way I exchanged a few words with a lady who was fishing – “not catching anything” she said – and another lady who was painting a serene scene of a fallen log in the water.  I also encountered a mother walking with her two children, one of whom was carrying her pet chicken.  The things you see, and the people you meet, on a trip like this!

SATURDAY, AUGUST 24
Since I’m leaving my site for the day and coming back later, I again placed my collapsible orange cone in the middle of my site.  It’s Saturday and who knows if there will be more people coming and looking for sites here.

The plan for today is to visit Fort Madison, the hometown of my friend Penny Atlee.  She was born here, grew up, went to school, and got married here.  Her two sons, Kurtis and Tony, and her father, who was killed on D-Day, were all born in the same hospital in Fort Madison.

My first stop was the museum, located on the shores of the Mississippi River, the train station, and near the restored Fort Madison, “…the first U.S. military fort in the upper Mississippi region.”  When I opened the door and entered the museum this gorgeous dog with soft brown eyes approached me.  I stared at it for a second or two and then exclaimed, to nobody in particular, “That looks like a Wheaten.”  The dog’s owner, surprised either by my proclamation or my spot-on observation, said that, yes, it is indeed a Wheaten!  I got all excited because Jesse, the dog my brother Bill owns with Todd, is a Wheaten Terrier and this is a breed that’s not commonly seen by many people.  I asked the lady who owned “Rose” if she would be willing to take my iPhone and take a picture of me and Rose.  She took three!

Rose, six-year old Wheaten Terrier.

We like each other!

While I was in the museum I discovered, much to my surprise and amazement, that one of the older guys working there actually knows Penny.  They went to the same high school – he was a freshman and Penny was a senior.  He pulled out from a shelf Penny’s Senior Class yearbook and showed me her picture.  I was like, wow, to actually meet somebody that day and that minute, who has lived in Fort Madison all his life, and he knows and remembers Penny!  He was difficult to lipread but, when he looked at me at one point, I understood him clearly when he said, “Her name is Penelope, right?”

What an incredible start to my day!  From the museum I drove around this historic town and soon came upon a “boat ramp” parking area where I parked and walked right up to the lapping waves of the Mississippi River.  From that spot I had a great view of the Fort Madison Toll Bridge, which was completed in 1927.  To quote from Wikipedia - “The Fort Madison Toll Bridge (also known as the Santa Fe Swing Span Bridge for the old Santa Fe rail line) is a tolled, swinging truss bridge over the Mississippi River that connects Fort Madison, Iowa, and unincorporated Niota, Illinois. Rail traffic occupies the lower deck of the bridge, while two lanes of road traffic occupy the upper deck. The double-decker bridge, which is about a mile long with a swing span of 525 feet (160 m), was the longest and largest double-deck swing-span bridge in the world at the time it was built.”

I thought it would be cool to drive on the bridge, step foot in Illinois for a few minutes, and drive back to Fort Madison.  But when I initially passed the sign at the ramp to the bridge I thought I saw something about a width restriction of 8 feet.  Um, maybe I better not -- my overall truck camper width is 8 feet and height is just under 12 feet.  Checking online later I found this -- “As of 2018, the upper deck of the Fort Madison Toll Bridge is open to automobile traffic. It is closed to semi-trailer truck traffic.  The BNSF, which owns and maintains the bridge has posted the following limits: Gross weight posted as no more than 16,000 Pounds (8 Tons). Width: 8 Ft. Height: 14 Ft. 4 In. Length: 60 Feet."

The Mighty Mississippi.  Songs and stories have been written about the Mississippi River.  This river, when I see it, always conjures up images of “Mark Twain, Huck Finn, Tom Sawyer, Jim…”  I’d sure love to know, however, the stories the river could tell.  Not wanting to ignore the opportunity to do so, I squatted down on my haunches and put my hand out to touch, for the very first time, this enchanting river.

Moving on I then drove through a lovely neighborhood and parked on 9^th Street, near the intersection with Avenue E.  At my right was the park Penny had told me about and there at the corner was the house where Penny grew up.  The house, built in 1888 and “…known around town as ‘The Castle’…” is truly magnificent.  An online search of Public Records indicates that this 2-story house has 14 rooms, eight of which are bedrooms, and Penny remembers the house as having five fireplaces and five bathrooms.  Penny gave me her blessing to include pictures of this house on my blog.

As seemed to be the norm of the young women of her generation, and probably especially in the rural Midwest, Penny did become a “farmer’s wife” and a cherished member of the Congdon family.  Penny hasn’t lived in Iowa for many years now but I think, having seen where she grew up, she will always be an Iowa girl at heart!

The Fort Madison Museum, my first stop.

The Fort Madison Toll Bridge…

…a train going through the lower deck.

Penny’s childhood home…

Taking Tony, Penny’s son, up on his recommendation, I had a delicious Tenderloin Sandwich lunch at the Buffalo Bar & Grille, located on the outskirts of town.  Just as I was paying for my meal I had an idea.  My camera doesn’t function anymore so I’ve been taking pictures with my iPhone and transmitting them to my email address to download on my laptop and sort out for my blogs.  The download process is successful when I have access to the internet.  However, I’ve been without that access for several days now.  If there’s a way to transfer photos directly from iPhone to laptop, without needing the internet, I have no idea how to do it.  So, anyway, I asked my server and she said “Sure, bring in your laptop…,” she set me up at corner table and gave me the restaurant’s password.  The downloading took about an hour (thank you so much, Debbie!), after which I returned to my site… my orange cone left untouched!

SUNDAY, AUGUST 25

By way of text the other day, Penny introduced me to Bonnie Congdon and Dot Drummond, who live just a few miles north of Fort Madison.  Bonnie is the younger sister of Glenn, the fellow Penny married years ago.  Although that marriage didn’t last, the entire Congdon family, including Bonnie, maintained their deep and heartfelt affection for Penny and continued to embrace and welcome her to family gatherings.  So, through the wonders of texting I accepted Bonnie and Dot’s invitation to visit them at their home this morning.

I found their lovely home with no problem, thanks to Dot’s texted directions, plus my GPS, plus the fact that Dot parked herself in her white minivan on the turn to their street and waited for me to appear on the horizon (there’s no missing my camper!).  We sat in their sunroom with our mugs of coffee and the first question Dot asked me was “How do you know Penny?”  “Through Darol,” I replied and from that point on the conversation flowed freely and we talked for two hours about a wide range of things.  Soon, I regretfully had to leave to get to my next destination, a three-hour drive from their home.

Saying good-bye to Bonnie I then followed Dot to see the house where Bonnie’s parents lived with their children.  As it is with the Atlee family, theirs is a story, a history, we can all appreciate.  Because, to some degree, whatever our individual backgrounds, it’s our story, too.

Behind me – Dot at the left and Bonnie at the right.

Around 3:15 p,m, after driving along on Rts. 61N, 34W, 218N, and I-80W, I arrived at the KOA in Newton, IA and got a site for tonight.  I’m planning to be here tomorrow as well…and get this Blog #5 posted!