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Grim Reality

7/29/2015

This post will be less light-hearted than usual. Yesterday morning, heavy rain kept us indoors; finally about noon we decided on a road trip to Camping World. We found a few goodies we couldn't live without. When we returned, the radar looked like there was a big enough window before the next rain for a short bike ride so we made ready.

When the first part of our group got to the bike trail entrance, they found a woman lying by the road, badly beaten and barely conscious. We had just passed this spot about 45 minutes earlier. I was sent back to have the campground host contact the ranger while others called 911 and found a blanket to cover her.

The authorities arrived, our contact information was taken, the campground was closed, and we were sent back to our campsites. What followed seemed almost surreal to me; I expected Frannie Shoemaker to walk by. I have spent so much time imagining and creating scenes almost exactly like this. The speculation, the further questioning, the rumors. The possibility that the perpetrator was still in the park. About 8:00 pm, the park was reopened but the search for the assailant goes on. Apparently the woman was able to give the authorities a description.

We had a pleasant supper and visited around the campfire with a nice couple from Sumner. Another lovely sunset ended the day--Letha's birthday, as well as the woman from Sumner. But it was a grim reminder of the need to be vigilant and take caution even in the most beautiful places.

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Rolling on the River

7/28/2015

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At least along the river. The main attraction here at George Wyth is the great bike trails going both ways from the campground with much appreciated shade. One can also continue from either end across the Cedar River into Cedar Falls or Waterloo. In spite of a dire forecast of heat and storms, overcast skies kept the temperature bearable and the storms skirted south of us.

We took a short ride in the morning, and Butch and I turned back at the bridge because I don't do bridges. But we followed some of the other paths and only made one wrong turn. In the afternoon, another ride took us north along the river. After another great supper we took a walk along the river to enjoy the sunset while Harriet decorated the campsite as a surprise for Letha's birthday.

This morning we are all in our individual campers waiting out the monsoon. Accuweather was giving travel advisories and says now it will rain for another 120 minutes. We shall see.

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Biking, Broiling and Bugs--Oh, My!

7/27/2015

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A week after returning home from the Reunion-Without-End, restocking, and laundry, we were back on the road north to George Wyth State Park near Cedar Falls. Our camping group likes the great bike trails here and a Sunday to Wednesday stay avoids the crowds. It's warm, of course, and humid, and buggy---it's Iowa and it's July--but I would have a appreciated a couple of days like we had in the middle of last week when nothing special was going on. Oh well.

After we set up, we enjoyed a few snacks before we launched into supper preparations. We grilled a variety of grilled meats, and enjoyed salads, grilled zucchini, and a passel of sweet corn. After all, it's Iowa and it's July. After supper, a walk to the river to enjoy the sunset.

We had the obligatory campfire although we kept our circle noticeably larger and no one was toasting their toes. The sunset continued to dazzle, but the bugs continued to bite and we surrendered and retreated to our campers. Today, some riding and hopefully the 'scattered storms' predicted will scatter somewhere else.

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What's in a Reunion?

7/19/2015

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We are down to one event left at our 55th class reunion--brunch at the Country Club this morning. Some will have already left, necessitated by travel distances and other commitments. The last two nights we had excellent dinners and Friday night ended with the Sky Lantern launch in honor of our 23 departed classmates--a fitting and sobering tribute.

But it occurs to me that class reunions are one of those things that people either anticipate and love, or never go to and couldn't care less. I can't speak for the second group, but I think the appeal to the first group goes beyond reminiscing about silly antics, crucial football games and favorite (or least favorite) teachers.

These are the people with whom we shared that unbounded optimism touted in commencement speeches. We knew it all. We didn't have it all but we planned to. We were the first post-war, post-Depression generation. America was at the height of power and prosperity loomed. Although high school had its trials and heartbreaks, we were sure as adults we would have full control of our lives and avoid the mistakes of previous generations.

We knew each other before, as the saying goes, "life happened while we were making other plans." Before college expenses, job issues and losses, and Vietnam intervened. Before we found out that children are actually little humans and no amount of earnest parenting could prevent bumps in their lives--some minor and some life-threatening or ending. Before we knew what real romance and real loss were.

So now, on the downhill side of life, spending time together brings back a little of that 'top of the world' feeling. And by the 55th, it isn't competitive. No one really cares what you've done, just who you were 55 years ago and who you are now.

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The Party (and the Weather) Heats Up

7/17/2015

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The day had a stormy start--not surprising since the forecast for every day this week at some point included the words "possible severe storms, high winds, hail and a tornado." Rain continued to threaten through the morning and early afternoon. Undaunted, we continued with plans for an evening campfire here at the lake but arranged a backup location in case the forecast came true. A few of us met in the morning at the Rustic Brew--a great local coffee shop and brew pub. In the afternoon, I went to the fair long enough to meet several classmates. Many of the locals are tied up this week with work and events at the fair but were able to take a few minutes to gather.

Then about 5:00, the sun broke through. We had obtained permission to use an empty tent site for our fire and gathering since we don't have much space and are pretty much hemmed in by giant fifth wheels. But, I was hesitant to move chairs or anything else over there, sure that we would be trying to rush them under cover when a deluge popped out of nowhere. But our luck held and we snagged a beautiful evening.

One of the advantages of holding a reunion over several days is the opportunity to see more classmates who may have conflicts for the main event. Tonight we have dinner at the Country Club, tomorrow night supper at the Rustic Brew and Sunday morning brunch and there will be people at each who aren't able to get to any other events.

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Round the Lake and to the Fair

7/16/2015

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Yesterday, the overcast kept the temps very comfortable while still allowing the bugs to be their annoying selves. While the men golfed, Pam, Linda and I took a hike around the lake. The flower gardens at the old bath-house-now-lodge are in glorious full bloom. But because of the ecoli levels currently in many Iowa lakes, the beach was deserted and the concessions/boat house was closed. Very sad looking.

From the lodge, we crossed the old causeway, known in our youth as the Old Dam Trail. Most of the small trees and shrubs that gave it that wonderful spooky feel when we were young have been removed, but wildflowers are beginning to take their place. The north side of the lake has nice homes just beyond the strip of state park land where the path runs. We came around the east end to the spillway, skirting the flock of geese who had taken possession of the grassy area there and back to the campground. A very pleasant hike.

Soon after the golfers returned and in the afternoon we headed to the fair. The Franklin County fairgrounds are also the site of a reconstruction of a village from earlier times. There were live music in the little gazebo and demonstrations of rug making and other crafts going on. Ice cream is for sale and you can watch it being made behind the stand powered by a John Deere tractor.

I was particularly fascinated by the old linotype machine in the newspaper office. When I was in fifth grade, my dad worked for the Hampton paper and I was enthralled with that machine and its operation. I thought at the time that being a linotype operator would be the perfect career. Of course, within a few years, they were disappearing but I'm sure it inspired me to take a lot of journalism classes in college.

We also visited the livestock barn and I was delighted to find a Flemish Giant in the rabbit exhibits, such as the one mentioned in The Lady of the Lake. We also cruised the cultural exhibits, signed up for free prizes, and caught the tail end of the wild animal show. Get it? Tail end? Yuk, yuk.

And today? It's raining, and according to the radar, there's a lot more out there. It remains to be seen whether tonight my classmates will be gathered around a fire down by the lake, cooking s'mores, reminiscing summer nights in the past, and waiting for "The Lady" to make an appearance or stuck in a hotel conference room.

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Reunion Day 2

7/15/2015

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I spent much of the day around the campground and my husband played golf with some of my classmates. That was fine; I got a nice walk in, did some editing on the next Frannie book, and finished the book I was reading. It was an absolutely gorgeous day with a nice breeze and a great view of the lake---until a 200-foot fifth wheel pulled in next to us and blocked it all. Maybe not 200 but big enough to do the job. Bummer.

Every time we come here, I can't resist a few more shots of the dam or spillway. The area is so beautiful and it's mesmerizing just to watch the water.

Late afternoon we headed to Iowa Falls for supper. During an attempted short cut through Hampton, we ended up on the fair parade route so I got a chance to practice my queen wave. Supper was at Porter's on Main in Iowa Falls for pasta night. This was a small gathering but was my first chance to see new arrivals to the reunion and some of the locals. After a great meal, a few stories were shared--absolutely all true and without exaggeration, I'm sure.

We returned to the campground, took a very leisurely walk to the dam and watched the sunset. Today there will be more golf and the fair is opening. We are trying to keep a low profile on the sky lantern launch and stay under Homeland Security's radar.

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You Can Go Home Again

7/14/2015

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You just have to ignore the businesses that are gone, the schools that have moved and a few wrinkles and gray hairs. I'm talking of course about a class reunion. Our actual 55th reunion is this weekend, but since most of us are retired and the county fair is this week, some started gathering on Monday. Our parents are all gone or moved to warmer climes, so the out-of-towners are in motels or, in our case, the campground at nearby Beed's Lake.

We did not have a city pool until the end of our school years so Beed's was the site of swimming lessons, picnics and other summer fun. It is close enough to town to ride your bike back and forth. We love the campground--some great pull-through shady sites. The shower houses are new in the last few years and awesome except for a shortage of hooks. You would think when spending the money to replace these facilities, a few extra clothes hooks wouldn't break the bank, but one hook per shower seems to be the norm everywhere. I'm thinking of starting an Iowa State Parks Hook Fund. It could be one of those that you throw in a dollar when you pay your state taxes. Or maybe we should start carrying Command hooks and adding a few to the showers.

Our arrival was not without a glitch. We pulled in a little before 2:00 to find our campsite occupied. A grandmother and her two young grandsons had just finished setting up a popup, not realizing that sites could be reserved. So by the time she was relocated in a non-reservable site and we were set up, it was well after 4:00. All worked out in the end, and she was very pleasant about it, but the poor woman looked very wilted in the heat and humidity when she was done.

Another plan has not been without frustration. We decided as part of the reunion to commemorate the classmates we have lost with a sky lantern launch. The original idea was to have one lantern for each classmate but after contacting the park for permission, and involving the state DNR office and the county sheriff and EMTS, we modified to launching just one lantern. This was approved as long as the windspeed is below five miles per hour the night of the launch and I make full arrangements with the ranger after we arrived. Yesterday, there was another email that the State Fire Marshal's office requires that I have insurance to assume full liability in case our lantern starts a forest fire. Or cornfield fire here, as would be more likely on the northern Iowa prairies.

So rather than doing this on Thursday night after a campfire here at the lake, we will probably opt to hold this event at the country club on Friday, who have already given us permission. What is the old saying about asking forgiveness after the event instead of permission beforehand? After all, it was a few of our class members who, 55 years ago, painted 'So Sorry' on the water tower after the furor over the 'Class of 60' label added to the fresh coat of paint just paid for by the city. But I don't really know anything about that.

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A Fine Fourth

7/5/2015

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Sometimes you count a camping trip as successful just if you don't have to pack anything up wet. But the incredible weather for this holiday weekend was just the beginning. That included dry days in the 70s and nights in the 50s and 60s--perfect for sleeping.

In addition, we were camped among tall pines at Johnson Sauk Trail in Illinois, enjoying the wonderful scent and shady sites. We met several nice people while we were there. And we got to spend some time with family. There is nothing like the world view of an eleven-year-old boy to bring you back to the important things in life.

We spent part of Saturday at Francis Park, dedicated to an eccentric but brilliant man who built the house between 1890 and 1926. He biked the bricks from Kewanee several miles out of town to build his house, the "Woodland Palace." The house has plumbing, air-conditioning, and interesting carpentry. A worthwhile tour for $2! On the grounds of this county park were craft and food vendors, live music and a tractor show in observance of the Fourth.

After supper we returned to Kewanee for the fireworks. The wait was long but the grand finale was well worth it. Our camping friends, Carly and Mike, were also busy with family yesterday, so this morning we opted to take in the brunch at the Red Earth Cafe on the state park grounds rather than cook breakfast. It was a wise decision; we ran out of water this morning.

Home again and trailer unloaded. Laundry to do and staples to restock before a 6 day trip next week to the lake of my youth, Beed's Lake in northern Iowa. The occasion is my class reunion and the county fair. Beed's is the site of The Lady of the Lake and what is claimed to be the most photographed dam in the Midwest.

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First Fish...Sort Of

7/4/2015

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Mid-afternoon yesterday Andy and the kids blew up the inflatable kayak and decided to go down to the lake to do a little fishing. Elliot hasn't fished much and only 'caught' a fish one other time. When he was four or five, our whole family gathered at Kentucky Lake for Thanksgiving. Every day, he insisted on trudging down to the dock to fish with no luck. On the last day, my brother-in-law got a small fish from a man who was just filleting the middles out of them--or whatever you call it. Bob and Andy finagled it on to Elliot's line when he wasn't looking and we have a wonderful photo of him proudly displaying his fish with a hole in the middle.

So yesterday, it was a pretty big deal when he made a real catch--not enough for supper, but certainly enough to make him happy.

Our camping friends arrived about suppertime---several hours later than planned because of brake repairs in the Quad Cities. But we finished off the night with angel food, berries, and Whitey's ice cream and took a little walk to see an amazing display of lights projected on the pines with a sparkle something. Today we will check out the festivities in Francis Park with fireworks tonight. And, did I mention, perfect weather? Happy Fourth!

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