Ladies and gents, Iowa never ceases to amaze us. Just when we are sure that we have this place figured out, we are thrown for a loop. Let’s go way back to when we lived in Indiana. Chrysa in particular would mention how much she loved living in the mid-west, but would bemoan the lack of mountains and scenery. Fast forward a couple years and we are in the same boat. Vast swathes of flat land and endless corn fields without scenic relief in sight. But wait… there was relief in Indiana from the corn filled vistas. The astute reader will recall our timely visit to Turkey Run State Park. As we were amazed in Indiana we were amazed here in Iowa. Chrysa planned an exquisite trip to one of the best surprises of the Hawkeye State, Backbone State Park.
The genesis of this day trip was like many of our others, an overwhelming need to get out of the house, into the great outdoors, and move around a little. Chrysa and I both work and really like to make our overlapping days off count. We have a great track record of finding the nooks and crannies of a state or area, and it’s a record we would like to keep intact.
We decided to drive to Backbone State Park using the more rural way. I’m not really sure it saved us any time, but we did get to drive through some fun scenery, and even got to approach the park via a dirt and gravel road. I was driving and I rarely pass up the opportunity to put the Jeep through her paces.
As soon as we entered the park we knew we were in for a treat. Upon entering the gate we were transported to a completely different natural environment. Gone were the endless expanses of corn and highway. Replacing them were deciduous trees, sheer cliffs, winding rivers, and ridge lines just made for hiking. We were as amazed by Backbone as we were with Turkey Run and we couldn’t wait to get our feet on the ground.
We started by hiking the signature trail in the park that goes along the top of the main ridge known as the Devils Backbone. We had a great time hiking the ridge and taking a ton of pictures. Autumn was in full effect and the fall colors set against the Maquoketa River made for some stunning views. After exploring the ridge we hiked part of the lake trail and even did a short walk up to a shallow cave.
After a full day of hiking (and a slight bit of falling by the cave) we decided to head back home. We had brought a light lunch but our physical activities had long since burned off those calories. Long story short…we were starving.
We decided to head home via Iowa’s sixth largest city, Waterloo. Chrysa had spotted a good Irish pub called Jamesons Public House on her phone and we were off. Waterloo ended up being another wonderful surprise. At the pub we tucked into some classics. In another throwback to Indiana, I got the breaded pork tenderloin sandwich. It was awesome and went great with another throwback, Ommegang Game of Thrones beer. The surprises kept coming as we walked through town after dinner. Waterloo straddles the Cedar River, which makes for a beautiful backdrop on a clear and picturesque evening. Chrysa and I walked hand in hand contemplating how lucky we are to do the things we do, see the things we see, and explore the perhaps unexplored parts of our country.
Sadly our time here in Iowa is dwindling. At the writing of this Chrysa and I will have a mere 13 days left at this posting. We are really going to miss this wonderful place that has been so welcoming and full of surprises. Happily, we do know where the next assignment will be, Palatka, Florida. This is a town neither of us had ever heard about, and we are excited to dive right in. Neither of us are sure what we will find in Palatka, but we are sure it will be interesting. After all, if our journey has taught us anything, it’s that an amazing surprise is just a heartbeat and maybe a dirt road away.
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