Wandering Around America One State at a Time – Iowa

State 13:

Welcome to the next post in my series highlighting states we have visited throughout the years. I hope you will enjoy coming along for the ride!

I will be featuring the states alphabetically. The next state is

Iowa

Iowa became the 29th state on December 28, 1846 and the capital is Des Moines.

Iowa is another state we have driven through numerous times while wandering around America. On one of our trips we planned our journey through Iowa around two bucket list destinations.

Our first bucket list destination was the Field of Dreams Movie Site near Dyersville. (We actually camped across the Mississippi River in Wisconsin but that is for another post).

As we walked around the bases I couldn’t help but think of the famous line from the 1989 movie “Field of Dreams” starring Kevin Costner and Amy Madigan:

“If you build it he will come.”

The corn was high when we were there, just like in the movie. I could just imagine the ghosts of famous baseball players walking out of the cornfield onto the baseball diamond to play. Another famous line went through my head the entire time we were there.

“Is this heaven?”

“No. It’s Iowa”

The next Iowa destination was Winterset and it also had a movie theme. We fell in love with the town with it’s six covered bridges, John Wayne’s birthplace (and a street named after him), movie locations from “The Bridges of Madison County” starring Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep, and a pizza place that delivered to our campsite in the City of Winterset campground.

Driving along the gravel country roads in search of the six covered bridges was a wonderful way to spend the day. As we went from one bridge to the next we passed by acres and acres of cornfields.

The stone bridge located in the park next to the city campground was featured in one of the movie scenes. Another scene was filmed inside the Northside Cafe where the walls were covered with photographs of scenes from the movie.

John Wayne was born in Winterset and The John Wayne Home is filled with memorabilia.

A few years later as we traveled through Iowa we decided on the spur of the moment to take a break from driving to  explore around Coralville Dam.  Before we got there, we crossed the Mississippi River into Iowa and stopped at the Iowa 80, the world’s largest truck stop.

The World's Largest Truck Stop
The World’s Largest Truck Stop

A little later that day we set up camp at the Dam Complex, a Corps of Engineers Park on Coralville Lake near Iowa City. In addition to taking a look at the Coralville Dam, we discovered fossils at the Delvonian Fossil Gorge and later took a walk on a nature trail for a view of Coralville Lake.

To read previous posts about the states featured in this series just click on the state name: Alabama      Alaska      Arizona      Arkansas      California      Colorado     Florida      Georgia      Hawaii     Idaho     Illinois     Indiana

Wandering Around America One State at a Time – Indiana

State 12:

Welcome to the next post in my series highlighting states we have visited throughout the years. I hope you will enjoy coming along for the ride!

I will be featuring the states alphabetically. The next state is

Indiana

Indiana became the 19th state on December 11, 1816 and the capital is Indianapolis.

On our one and only trip to Indiana we spent a night in Elkhart, Indiana to get some work done on our refrigerator and to do some sightseeing. Right after we got set up at the campsite the sky turned black and the rain started coming down in buckets. We ran inside the RV and turned on the tv to discover we were under a severe thunderstorm watch. Luckily, the storm only lasted a short while but by the time it was over it was too late to do anything except eat dinner. The next morning we had to continue on our way after getting the refrigerator repaired.

The storm and refrigerator repairs prevented us from visiting the RV Museum in Elkart or going to South Bend to visit the campus of the University of Notre Dame. Even though we couldn’t spend much time in Indiana I enjoyed seeing the country side as we traveled across the state.

To read previous posts about the states featured in this series just click on the state name: Alabama      Alaska      Arizona      Arkansas      California      Colorado     Florida      Georgia      Hawaii        Idaho  Illinois

Wandering Around America One State at a Time – Illinois

State 11:

Welcome to the next post in my series highlighting states we have visited throughout the years. I hope you will enjoy coming along for the ride!

I will be featuring the states alphabetically. The next state is

Illinois

Illinois became the 21st state on December 3, 1818 and the capital is Springfield.

Sometimes in our travels the only way to get to our destination was to go through Illinois. As we traveled through the state we discovered beautiful lakes, country roads, fields of corn, farms, historic places, and even saw Superman in Metropolis.

Tin Cup RV Park in early spring, Mahomet, Illinois
We went through snow flurries on our way to Tin Cup RV Park in early spring ( Mahomet, Illinois)
South Sandusky Campground on Rend Lake near Sasser, IL
South Sandusky Campground on Rend Lake near Sasser, IL
The St. Louis Arch as seen from our campsite at Casino Queen Campground East St. Louis, IL
The St. Louis Arch as seen from our campsite at Casino Queen Campground in  East St. Louis, IL
The Campground is located on this country road
One night we stayed at the Kamp Kompfort campground on this country road in Carlock, IL
Old barn in Illinois
This old barn is located just down the road from Kamp Komfort in Carlock, Illinois
We visited Superman in Metropolis, Illinois
We visited Superman in Metropolis, Illinois

I’m really glad we took the time to tour Abraham Lincoln’s home in Springfield, Illinois. The Double J Campground was a few miles out of town with a corn field in our back yard.

There was construction being done when we visited Lincoln's home in Springfield
There was construction being done when we visited Lincoln’s home in Springfield
Blondie looking to see what's in the corn behind the campground near Springfield
Blondie looking to see what’s in the corn behind the campground near Springfield

To read previous posts about the states featured in this series just click on the state name: Alabama      Alaska      Arizona      Arkansas      California      Colorado     Florida      Georgia      Hawaii     Idaho

Wandering Around America One State at a Time – Idaho

State 10:

Welcome to the next post in my series highlighting states we have visited throughout the years. I hope you will enjoy coming along for the ride!

I will be featuring the states alphabetically. The next state is

Idaho

Idaho became the 43rd state on July 3, 1890 and the capital is Boise.

We’ve driven through the Idaho panhandle on I-90 a couple of times going between Montana and Washington but never had a chance to stop in that part of the state.

Welcome to Idaho
Welcome to Idaho

I discovered there was more to Idaho than potatoes when we spent a fabulous week in Island Park, Idaho near West Yellowstone, Montana.  I was pleasantly surprised to discover that in addition to potatoes there were waterfalls, mountains, cattle ranches, and spectacular scenery.

We chose Red Rock RV Park in Island Park on a small country road as our home base for exploring Yellowstone National Park.  It was a quiet and peaceful location to relax after spending the day exploring.  We were so busy enjoying the wonders of Yellowstone, the Grand Tetons, and  the scenery going to and from the parks that I never got around to taking many pictures of the campground.

One of our drives took us through Yellowstone and the Tetons and back to the campground through Idaho. We passed by fields of wheat and potatoes before driving on the Mesa Falls Scenic Byway in the Targhee National Forest.

We made a stop at Mesa Falls State Park for a look at two waterfalls.

Lower Mesa Falls
Lower Mesa Falls
Stairs lead to a viewing platform atUpper Mesa Falls, Idaho
Stairs lead to a viewing platform at Upper Mesa Falls, Idaho
Upper Mesa Falls
Upper Mesa Falls
Upper Mesa Falls, Idaho
Upper Mesa Falls, Idaho

One day as we were returning to the campground we were held up by cowboys herding cattle down the road. Another day we had to cancel our plans to attend a rodeo because of a big thunderstorm.

Idaho Sunset
Idaho Sunset

To read previous posts about the states featured in this series just click on the state name: Alabama      Alaska      Arizona      Arkansas      California      Colorado     Florida      Georgia      Hawaii

Wandering Around America One State at a Time – Georgia

State 8:

Welcome to the next post in my series highlighting states we have visited throughout the years. I hope you will enjoy coming along for the ride!

I will be featuring the states alphabetically and the next state is my home state!

Georgia

Georgia was one of the original 13 colonies and became the 4th  state on January 2, 1788. The capital is Atlanta where the capital dome is covered in gold leaf from the Georgia Gold Rush in Dahlonega during the 1830’s.

I was born in Georgia but did not grow up here. When I was a child, our summer vacations were spent visiting relatives in middle Georgia where my mother grew up.  I first moved to Georgia as a freshman at the University of Georgia in Athens and I’ve lived in the state ever since. Even when we are wandering I always have Georgia on my mind.

I’m afraid I won’t be able to do our state justice. How I condense a lifetime of memories into one post?

With the city of Atlanta, the north Georgia mountains, National Wildlife Refuges and National Forests, The Okefenokee Swamp, peach and pecan groves, cotton fields, lakes and streams, the Grand Canyon of Georgia, Athens the Classic City, Stone Mountain, antebellum homes, historical lighthouses, salt marshes, barrier islands, beautiful beaches, friendly small towns, and many historic sites Georgia has much to offer. And did I mention the delicious sweet tea, barbeque, grits, fried green tomatoes, fried chicken, low country boil, fresh wild Georgia shrimp and blue crabs, peach cobbler, banana pudding, and all the other amazing food around the state?

Unfortunately I am missing photos from many places around the state. No matter where you go there are interesting things to see and do in the Peach State.

Georgia is the Peach State and Peach County produces many of those peaches. There is nothing in the world that’s better than a fresh Georgia peach plucked right from the tree when it is perfectly ripe in the summer time. You know it’s perfect when you bite into it and the nectar drips down your chin and all over your hands. And fresh peach cobbler is a staple around our house when the peaches are in season.

Peach County, Georgia
Peach County, Georgia

In Georgia, you can watch the sun rise over the Atlantic Ocean or watch the sunset over one of the Georgia’s many lakes.

Nothing says springtime in Georgia like azaleas, peach blossoms,  and flowering dogwoods.

With ancient live oak trees dripping with Spanish Moss, squares, a beautiful historic district, museums, historic forts, and one of the largest St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in the United States, Savannah is a popular vacation destination.

Three lighthouses protecting the Georgia Coast are accessible to the public. The Tybee Island Light Station is the tallest lighthouse in Georgia.

Tybee Island Light Station 4th of July American Flag
Tybee Island Light Station 4th of July American Flag

A trail at Fort Pulaski National Monument winds through palmettos for a close up view of the Cockspur Island Lighthouse.

Cockspur Lighthouse at Fort Pulaski National Monument
Cockspur Lighthouse at Fort Pulaski National Monument

The St. Simons Island Lighthouse was rebuilt after it was destroyed by the Union Army during the War between the States.

St. Simons Lighthouse
St. Simons Lighthouse

Joel Chandler Harris, Alice Walker, and Flannery O’Connor are just a few of the writers from Georgia. The Uncle Remus Museum in Eatonton celebrates the creator of Brer Rabbit, Joel Chandler Harris.

Brer Rabbit stands in front of the Uncle Remus Museum in Eatonton, GA
Brer Rabbit stands in front of the Uncle Remus Museum in Eatonton, GA

Georgia also has a close connection with the film industry. Many movies and tv shows have been filmed in Georgia. Oliver Hardy was one of the stars who was born in Georgia.

Laurel and Hardy Museum at Harlem, Georgia
Laurel and Hardy Museum at Harlem, Georgia

You know your shrimp is fresh when you see the shrimp boats that caught them.

Shrimp Boats in Darien
Shrimp Boats in Darien

Atlanta is the capital and the home to companies such as Coca Cola, UPS and Delta Airlines. Atlanta also hosted the Centennial Olympic Games in 1996.

Centennial Olympic Park, Atlanta
Centennial Olympic Park, Atlanta
Centennial Olympic Stadium 1996 - Reconstructed after Paralympics to become Turner Field
Centennial Olympic Stadium 1996 – Reconstructed after Paralympics to become Turner Field

The birds and other wildlife are abundant all over the state.

The Iron Horse was originally placed on the campus of the University of Georgia in Athens and later moved to the middle of a field near Greensboro.

The Iron Horse stands tall in the middle of a cornfield
The Iron Horse stands tall in the middle of a cornfield

We Georgians love our sports teams! When we travel in our fifth wheel, there is no doubt which college team we support!  How bout them Dawgs!

Our fifth wheel has a new look
Our fifth wheel has a new look

As I put the finishing touches on this post the Atlanta Falcons are preparing to take on the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl in Houston.  Go Falcons!

To read previous posts about the states featured in this series just click on the state name: Alabama      Alaska      Arizona      Arkansas      California      Colorado     Florida