2019-17 Iowa City to Winterset Iowa

2019-17

Coralville Iowa

Iowa City, Iowa

Campground:  Coralville Dam Overlook.  Army COE. $10 senior rate.  30 amp electric.  Other sites have water and full hookups.  Nice swimming beach.  Dvonian Fossil Gorge.

Campground;  Winterset City Park.  $22 most sites are full hookup.   campground boarders a very nice park with a covered bridge and a stone bridge built and used for the movie, Bridges of Madison County.  Hedge maze and stone tower are also in the park.  Wonderful shaded walking trails along single lane dirt roads.

Distance traveled:  65 miles

Kathy and Randy

This is my last major stop visiting friends before I head out west.  Iowa City and surrounding area are growing with a large, very large health facilities, hospitals, training universities, etc.  If ever one needed good care this would be a good place to come.  Lots of places to explore in the surrounding area as well.  This is my second or third time in the area and we still have more to discover.

A visit to Cedar Rapids with good friends Kathy and Randy brought us to the art museum, History museum and the Grant Wood Studio.  Grant Wood painted "American Gothic" becoming a true American style artist and painter.  Grant Wood is a favorite artist of mine and it was great to see a few of his original works in the art museum and then go to the studio apartment where he lived and worked before passing away at an early age of 52? 

imagine seeing statues from ancient Greece
100 BC to 200 AD

and some not so ancient

the carriage house where Grant Wood lived
for a couple of years

Kathy and Doug (me)

Driving back to Coralville, passing all those lush farm scenes he is noted for painting couldn't have been better. And thanks to Kathy driving today, I was able to capture two painted barns.  Score!

Another day in the area brought us down to Riverside where we went to a casino, (no luck there...) and drove into the small town that is known as the future birthplace of Capt Kirk of the Enterprise.  Their museum has been able to add a few additional authentic pieces from the original TV show along with local history.  The drive back was through extensive Amish country, visiting as Amish country store and driving down dirt farm roads that were like a free roller coaster.

Riverside Casino, beam me up Scotty

Riverside is known as the "Future Home" of Capt. Kirk

Kathy, just before she blew up a galaxy

after blowing up the galaxy

Amish country

And a second trip to Cedar Rapids to see the National Czech and Slovak Museum and Library.  The drive through green productive farms stretching all the way to the horizon are so uplifting.  Seeing such large expansive fields that were once prairie land.  Cedar Rapids was hit devastating floods in 2008.  By 2011 the museum was moved and raised 11 feet to higher ground.  This area was heavily populated by Czech and Slovak and the museum covers their history, culture and devastating years when Russia took over their countries and built the Berlin Wall.  The history really comes alive with their many exhibits, library and interpretive displays.  I found it quite a moving experience.

painted on one side of the Berlin Wall

The Check, Slovak Museum

photos of babies in elaborate Chek costumes

describing what it was like to be behind
the Iron Curtain
The red speakers were for intimate listening
to each of the people represented by black and white cut outs 

the displays were quite emotional and moving

each red speaker told a story of life
under communist rule

an original 1880 Chek, Slovak home

Christine, John along with Randy and Kathy are in charge of the West Overllok campground at Coralville Lake, along with caring for the 7 adopted kids we call Christine's Tribe.  Before the kids go back to school on Friday, they all came over for happy our which of course included smores over the campfire.  Each of the kids has their own special needs but more importantly, they are all happy and giving kids.  A couple brought me their favorite rocks they'd found let me have a couple of them.  Wow, what a gift.  purple and blue rocks, imagine!

John and Christine's Tribe
around Doug's "propane" fireplace

Distance traveled:  154 miles (3 hours driving)

Winterset Iowa

Winterset Iowa Courthouse

I chose this destination thanks to recommendations from Kathy, though I believe she said she'd never been here.  But it was in the right direction, had a few interesting attractions such as the covered bridges and the birth home of John Wayne.  On top of that they have a nice city park ($22) for camping and it's very close to the town square.

Used in the filming of the Bridges of Madison County 

one lane road can drive on it, or bike and hike along it

enjoyed a long walk along this shaded road

inside the park next door the the city park campground

The park next door has some very nice walking trails through dense forests providing lots of shade for those summer days when it can be so hot.  Though surprisingly with this beening near the end of August, the tempratures are in the mid 60's to 70's.  Imagine that.  A covered bridge and stone bridge used in the movie Briges of Madison county along with a hedge maze and lots of picnic areas make for a great summer spot to enjoy the day.

Now I've toured most of the covered bridge sites, and after seeing a half dozen of them, it became a bit boring.  Only because there are only two designs used for the remaining bridges, a basket weave and lattice design as well as having painted all of the bridges to look alike.  Red and white.  Oh well, it was a fun day just driving around Madison County taking pictures of all the bridges.

I'll tour the John Wayne home that be was born in tomorrow and may include more into with an upate to this blog or the next.

They have a stunning court house in the center square of town and some nice shops and restaurants, though not too many around the square.

I should have another week, maybe two before exiting Iowa.  Till then I hope you are having a great summer.

More Pictures from:

WinterSet Iowa, Covered Bridges

Riverside and Cedar Rapids Iowa

Iowa, the land the People

and I didn't even mention the fossil hunting we did at the Coralville campground.... some over a billion years old, wow.... you can see them in the Iowa, the land the people pics