Our route west began on Friday the 13th of May after a two-day delay because of yet more truck repairs. The rear differential was rebuilt by Mark Wahlberg Chevrolet in Worthington. Yes, it is owned by the singer/actor. No, I did not see him there 😉 Yes, it cost too much money!

INDIANA – Just passin’ through on the way to Illinois. Thanks for the nice roads (I-70 & I-74).

ILLINOIS – Just passin’ through on the way to Iowa – Terrible roads and expensive gas! Spent 2 nights in East Peoria at Fondulac Park Campground on Peoria Lake part of the Illinois River. The pervasive gnat swarms prevented any enjoyment near the lakeside.

In all three I-states we were flabbergasted by the size, quantity, and beauty of the farms… as far as you can see in any direction interrupted occasionally by small towns and frequently planted with giant wind turbines. Corn, corn, corn, EVERYWHERE!

IOWA – We only had 4 nights in this state but saw so much.

North Liberty – Scales Campground on the Iowa River in the Cedar Rapids area.

We were disappointed that there are no rapids in Cedar Rapids. The second-largest city in the state is the largest corn-processing city in the world!

Day trip to nearby West Branch to visit the President Herbert Hoover Museum and Library. We visited his boyhood home, Friends Church (Quaker), and his father’s blacksmith shop. Both he and his wife are buried there. Though he was saddled with being president during the Great Depression, he was a great humanitarian. (Herbert Hoover National Historic Site)

Spending the day in Clear Lake we found their Freedom Rock. To thank our nation’s veterans, the artist, Ray “Bubba” Sorensen II, has painted a large boulder in every one of Iowa’s 99 counties (thefreedomrock.com).

We also visited the Surf Ballroom where Buddy Holly (Peggy Sue, That’ll Be The Day) held his last concert prior to the airplane crash that took his life and the lives of Ritchie Valens (La Bamba) and The Big Bopper (Chantilly Lace) in February 1959.

Six miles from the ballroom is the crash site that has become a pilgrimage for many 50’s rock & roll enthusiasts. The path to the site is in the middle of a cornfield and is marked by Buddy’s iconic glasses. It’s a half-mile walk to the actual crash site

Our final stop before leaving Iowa was the nearby town of Mason City famous for two iconic musicals…

The Sound of Music – Native son, Bil Baird, has many of his marionettes displayed in the Macinder Art Museum including those actually used in the movie with the song The Lonely Goatherd.

The Music Man – Native son, Meredith Willson, wrote the book, the music, and the script for the musical. He made famous songs like 76 Trombones, Ya Got Trouble (right here in River City), Gary Indiana, and ‘Til There Was You. We saw Music Man Square, his childhood home, and the museum.

Thank you, Iowa! On to South Dakota.