From Springfield, we moved into Iowa. Our first stop was Solon, Iowa, at Sugar Bottom Corps of Engineer Campground. The campground was huge compared to most COE campgrounds we have visited. This one had over 300 sites! The campground is located on Coralville Lake. Since we arrived late in the afternoon, we didn't go sightseeing after we got settled. We chose to walk around the campground and see what it had to offer.
The next day, we geocached our way to Amana Colonies. We had heard that is was an interesting place to visit, and it was. Outside of one of the wineries, there were grapes growing on the side of a house. It turns out that the winery doesn't grow its own grapes or the fruits used to flavor the wines. Frozen fruit is flown in from Oregon and I'm not sure where the vintner gets the grapes.
Bob and I walked along the village streets and went to the Heritage Museum which gave the story of the colonies. The colonies survived until people caught on to the fact that they could skip work and still reap the benefits of living in the colonies. This, of course, didn't happen until the colonies population reached over one thousand.
The houses and shops lined the quaint street. When the colonies were in full operation, the houses did not have doors facing the street as sheep and cattle were herded through town every morning and evening. Having side doors allowed the occupants to avoid some of the dust and smells created by the herds.
On our return to Sugar Bottom, we planned our adventures for the following day. It seemed fitting that since we had visited Abraham Lincoln's Library and Museum that we should also visit Herbert Hoover's Library and Museum since it was near our campground.
This is the house where Herbert Hoover was born and lived for the first few years of his life. If it looks small, it is! The house has two rooms with a kitchen out back. Bert lived here with his parents and his two siblings. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit to Herbert Hoover's Library. Bob and I both learned more about Herbert Hoover and his accomplishments. We both remembered him as being president when the Great Depression hit in 1928. Neither of us knew of the humanitarian aid he provided for children of war or that he was a member of Stanford University's first graduating class---he graduated with a degree in geology!
The next day dawned cloudy and rainy so we declared it a laundry day! Later in the afternoon when the clouds went away, we drove to Coralville Dam at the southern end of the lake. There we found Devonian Fossil Gorge. The gorge was exposed in 1993 after a big flood. The flood water was diverted through the spillway, but the spillway couldn't handle the force of the excess water. The road, a campground, and 17 feet of soil and rock washed away, exposing the fossil bed. Another flood in 2008 widened the gorge quite a bit. Today, the fossils are labeled so you can identify them using a brochure provided at the entrance to the gorge.
Our last full day at Sugar Bottom we took advantage of the trail system in the park. Bob and I hiked Cedar Valley Nature Trail. The trail was steep in places and the ground was slippery because of rain the previous day.
We found the cave where native Americans lived over 10,000 years ago. The entrance was blocked because Iowa University students are conducting an archaeological dig.
It was nice to get out and hike the trail. We saw a few other hikers, but we pretty much had the trail to ourselves.
Since it was Saturday, we decided to drive into Solon to visit
Big Grove Brewery. It was a nice place with lots of Iowa Hawkeye fans. Bob and I each ordered something for an early dinner as we watched the football games in the bar.
We enjoyed our stay at Sugar Bottom. Our only regret was the rain that was wreaking havoc in Cedar Rapids not far north of us. They were expecting flooding so Bob and I didn't get to explore Cedar Rapids. I guess we will have to make another trip to the area. Sunday was check out day and time for us to move to Ankeny, Iowa....a little bit closer to Forest City and our scheduled repair date.
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