Grande Farmlands

As a credit to the amazing staff at Camping World (St. Louis), we were able to get the necessary repairs completed the same day we brought the rv in, allowing us to stay on schedule. On our way to Kansas City, MO, we saw a sign for a park called Rock Bridge Memorial State Bridge with a trail named, "The Devil's Icebox." It looked like an interesting place for lunch and an outdoor walk so we hiked for about 8 miles and got to see some stunning caves and trails. The reason it is called the Devil's Icebox is that it stays a cool 56 degrees all year round. Afterward, we continued to Kansas City, Missouri…or so we thought. Unfortunately, we entered our boondocking address for KS, not MO and ended up driving 30 minutes out of our way. After a few, "I told you so" we decided to simply stay where we were until morning when we would be checking into our campsite. The campsite was a bit unlike the others we have stayed in, as in it had a major theme park adjoined to it. We were a little disappointed to find that due to the recent inclement weather, the park would not open for the season until a day after we left.

Since we only had one day in MO and really didn’t have anything special we wanted to do or see, we took advantage of the time and caught up on some administrative and household tasks. One special highlight of our time there was we were able to catch up with one of my previous Hillsborough County, Fl co-workers who reside in the area and ate at one of the local bar-b-que joints called, Jack Stack. Darryl rated it as good yet was hoping to be blown away by mid-west bar-b-que.

One of the challenging things when researching locations to see and places to stay is that often they begin to blur together. This was the case when I booked our stay in Omaha, Nebraska. I had been going between several potential camping sites and thought I found one that was reasonably priced, however, once we arrived at what I thought was the site I booked, I realized I had selected the incorrect park. While the park was certainly nice and included amenities like horseback riding, a mini-golf course, a water park, a large fishing lake, a skate park, a theatre and a marina, none of these activities

were available until Memorial Day. So, we essentially ended up paying $30 a night (the other park was only $16) and were charged $8 per day per vehicle just to be in the park. That’s a total of $92 for a two-day stay. My mistake ended up costing us an extra $60 and I felt a bit frustrated that we paid to stay in a park that offered no real amenities. Chalking it up to a lesson, we decided to take the one day we had and see some of the area sites.

We drove through the park and located an observation tower. After walking the 108 steps up, we got a tremendous view of the Missouri River, trains, and agriculture fields. And for those of you that thought it was pronounced Ma-sor-ee, you would be incorrect. It is pronounced Ma-sor-uh. So, I am told by locals. After checking out the park establishments, we drove to downtown Omaha which was incredible. Throughout this trip, when we have neared the inner cities, the condition of the homes and other building have typically been worn. This was not the case with Omaha. The homes were historic, well maintained and downtown was free of debris and litter. There were so many cultural centers, shopping outlets, and art fixtures. We settled on going to the Joclyn Art Museum and dining at Block 16. The art was beautifully arranged and ranged from various period pieces. We were surprised to find out there was no cost for visiting the center and photographs were allowed. Hence why I have included so many pictures in this album. Afterward, we discovered a local hot spot called, Block 16. While I typically do not get overly excited about food, this place was off the chain! A must try if you are in the neighborhood.

The following morning, we awoke early to make our way towards La Crosse, WI which was over 400 miles away. We decided to boondock for one evening since we couldn't check into the campsite until the following day. Along the route, we saw numerous wind turbines scattered across the large agriculture fields. Curious, I researched to see how they were being used and discovered the turbines help agriculture by mixing up the air, getting more carbon dioxide to the crops and reducing the amount of dew on the leaves to eliminate disease.

While passing through Des Moines, IA I was able to snap a few pictures to include their state capitol, walking bridge and novelty casino signs. We located a Walmart who allowed overnight parking, so we grabbed dinner and called it a day.

It is clear why they call Wisconsin the dairyland state. We must have passed over 100 dairy farms and were a little saddened at how many cows they had crammed into stalls. Although I must admit, that sight will not likely deter me from enjoying my cheese and crackers on wine nights.

As we arrived at the campsite we noticed the office appeared closed and worried we had driven to the wrong location, however, I was met by a lady who indicated she had our reservations noted and would check us in. When I looked at the campsites, I noticed there were no other campers and inquired why. She said we were lucky to be staying here for just a few days and that due to last week's snow, the Mississippi River was expected to rise 12 inches, flooding the park in three days. Undeterred and enjoying the privacy, we planned out outings for the following day.

One of the reasons we selected La Crosse was to be able to see Grandad Bluffs, the Shrine of Guadalupe and a chance to stay right on the Mississippi River. We went to the bluff expecting to simply walk to the observatory and take a few photographs yet ventured to an area where we made a 4-mile hike through the rugged terrain. The weather was a perfect 67 degrees, sun shining, and a constant cool breeze made the trek very enjoyable. After climbing like a billy goat for two hours, we drove about 15 minutes away to the downtown area to check out some of the old churches and buildings. Feeling inspired to see more spiritual locations, we visited the Shrine of Guadalupe which was built in 2008. While I am not well versed in Catholicism, I enjoyed the storytelling of the relative Saints and was memorized at the sheer beauty of the chapel, statutes, friar’s quarters and common grounds. The shrine encompassed over 100 areas and no detail was spared in the design. We also had the chance to enjoy a late lunch at the onsite café which was an incredible experience. It was by far the best portobello burger I have ever eaten.

The day ended with dirty martini’s, re-runs of Rosanne and a good night’s sleep from the amount walking we endured.