Posts from the ‘RV Trips’ category

Friday in Iowa

I was up at just before 4 a.m. this morning, sitting quietly with Karl at my feet, when the motorhome rocked slightly…a couple of times. I lived in California for 13 years and experienced a number of earthquakes – they don’t all “feel” the same. Some were sharp jolts accompanied by a loud crack of noise. Some were a rolling sensation, not unlike being on a boat in a long swell. Some were actualy shaking that went on for some time.

So, this morning, the rocking – and no wind, it was very still – “Earthquake!”, I thought…”But I’m in Iowa???” It was an earthquake – 5.2 according to the last thing I read – centered in Illinois 3 miles underground and approximately 350 miles from where I sit parked. It never fails to astound me to think how much force, energy and movement it takes for so much of the earth and the stuff sitting on the earth to move – even slightly…a scary, awesome, incredible force of nature.

A bit anti-climatic but Karl and I took a walk shortly after, even though it was very early. Thunderstorms rolled through early last evening and Karl decided the evening walk was unnecessary. It was quiet and NOT raining at 5 a.m. The weather map and forecast looked like it wasn’t going to stay that way for long, so I coaxed Karl out with me for a walk. All was accomplished in short order and we returned just in time.

Rain

No sunrise photos today! A good day to sit and work. We roll tomorrow for Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Iowa workday #2

The wind stopped and the clouds came back this morning. I am not complaining as the returning clouds made for a most glorious sunrise that Karl and I watched as we finished our morning walk.

Sunrise

Sunrise

In between fighting my fledgling knowledge of C# (C-Sharp – programming language) I tried out a new electric kettle…

Electric Kettle

I went hunting for a small crock pot yesterday and came home with this. It reportedly slow cooks, steams, deep frys and ??? – I guess anything else you need a medium large pot to do. So far it has dealt with one of those pasta-chicken-veg meals in a bag and today it was home to the makings for Italian Beef Sandwiches. About 3:30 after no lunch and living in close quarters with the smell of roast beef, italian sausage, green peppers and au jus on the simmer, I succumbed…

Sandwich

I think I’ll make it through the rest of the work day…

…but it did break my heart to make this without Bill – one step forward, two backward or something like that…

Work Day Evening

Just photos…a long work day ending with an evening walk…thinking, wishing, watching…

Barn

The barn I like in Iowa…

Barn

again…

Clouds

another favorite “subject” – sun rays through clouds…

Karl

after the walk…

Karl

My Good Dog.

Work Day

I am working today… just taking a little break from dealing with frustrating code to play with photos…

I’ll spare everyone yet another barn photo, but I could not resist a few sunrise photos from this morning. This part of Iowa has rolling contours and right now the fields are mostly dirt. There were no clouds this morning – I’m fairly sure that yesterday’s wind blew them all away…and it is not done as it is supposed to be even windier today.

Back to this morning, I was walking Karl – there was light but the sun had not crested the top of the field to the east.

Iowa Sunrise

Iowa Sunrise

And then….once the sun was high in the sky…

Crocuses

so much fun to see these guys bloomin’!

Well, time to get back to work…

Karl

not everyone on this “ship” is working…

Across the Mississippi

First, Welcome to new visitors from Big Sky Blogs who clicked to From the Front Porch for the first time. And thanks to Big Sky Blogs for including From the Front Porch and extending the nice welcome! My About page is current and explains my current run for home.

Captain Karl and I crossed the Mississippi and are glad to be on the west side of it! No disrespect intended to the eastern U.S. – but my heart is in the west and the closer I get to Montana, the better I breathe… And just so I don’t leave out alienating even more of you – I’m also glad to be north – I was like a fish out of water in the south. The entire U.S. is beautiful and I can enjoy visiting any part of it, but for “home” well, more on “home” in another post.

Today’s travel started at just after 7 a.m. The idea was to get to Iowa City ASAP before too much of the forecast high wind kicked up and decide about going further.

Karl

Karl was ready on time…

We had a short bit further on the two lane, then hopped on the Interstate at Peoria and crossed the Mississippi about 10:30.

Mississippi River

I stopped at the welcome center on the Iowa side and after a walk with Karl, decided that I would stop at the Coralville (just west of Iowa City) park I knew from my last trip.

Karl

The wind was holding the flags straight out – gorgeous for flag flying, not so good for motorhome driving…especially as my route was to be due west and the wind coming from due south – directly broadside. The 65 miles from the welcome center to the Coralville exit was plenty of wind fighting fun for one day. I pulled in to Colony Country Campground just after noon.

Colony Country Campground, so named as it is near the Amana Colonies for the family who owns it – by name of Colony, is a small rural park – 2 miles from the interstate so no traffic noise. But at the exit is a large mall, several shopping centers and a Wal-mart Super Center – all I need! There are nice grounds to walk Karl and the rural roads are quiet and beautiful as well. Oh, CCC has excellent Wi-Fi AND my aircard works so the work scenario is good for the work week. I’ll stay here until Friday – leaving at noon for a short driving day on Friday, driving Saturday and Sunday to get to Spearfish, SD – next week’s work venue.

Site

RV site du jour…isn’t that house in the background beautiful?

Barn

Today’s barn photo…

Now – time for work.

From El Paso

Surprised??? Ok – El Paso, Illinois. We also passed Peru and Mexico – in Indiana.

Karl and I are on the roll west. It was a hard start, leaving my dear friends’ home but headed for the place I – and I think Karl – love best…

We rolled at just before 9 a.m. with 9 as the target departure time. It was cool at just above freezing but got to 40 in short order and above 50 through the day and still 52 now at 6:20 p.m. CDT in El Paso.

It was a different drive than my norm as I was determined to skip Chicago and the Ohio-Indiana-Illinois turnpike. I took Route 24 which was mostly a 2 lane – sometimes 4 but NOT limited access. We cruised through town after midwest farm town – nearly all quaint, beautiful old homes, gorgeous farms, farmhouses and barns. It is not the quickest way to go but it was pleasant – under a blue sky dotted with fluffy white clouds. No motorhome glitches, no operator error – a good travel day and we rolled into Hickory Hills Campground in El Paso at just after 4:00 p.m. CDT having gained an hour from our EDT start.

Tomorrow is a bit of a question – high winds are forecast…I thought to head for northwest IA which is a 452 mile day …10-12 hours depending on how many breaks I need. I have enough daylight and that gives me a really short weekend the following weekend to Spearfish, SD… The backup plan is Iowa City, IA and a rural campground where I spent a week last trip east. The sticky point is the high winds – gusts to 40 mph are forecast for afternoon- more stress than is “fun” to drive a high profile vehicle. I’ll stop in Iowa City tomorrow and evaluate.

But to wrap up – photos, of course!

Karl

Karl – last evening in Ohio

Barn

That barn again!

Road

The road…I had been wanting to get a photo that illustrated exactly how narrow these rural roads are…and how DEEP the ditches! No room for error – corners are fun…

Hickory Hills

The site at Hickory Hills. Karl and I had a wonderful long walk along the rural road that accesses the campground. Post walk – a few treats for Karl, a glass of wine for me and some outside time. We actually had a lot of walking today – normal long walk this morning before leaving, nice long walk around a Wal-mart stop midday and the evening walk. We should both sleep well.

Barn

Farm scenery from my site picnic table.