IA | 2019, May 8-12: McGregor, Iowa Pikes Peak S.P.

[Courtland PieperCo]

Pikes Peak State Park ,McGregor,Iowa campsite reservations are made 3 months before May 8 at. 1-877-427-2757 or www.reserveiaparks.reserveamerica.com. We hope to be on site 30. The get together will start Wed May 8 through May 11, 2019. Leave Sunday May 12.
Wed. meet at the shelter 5PM. All happening's will be at the shelter. Pot luck Fri. eve.

[Iowa Dave]

Originally Posted by Courtland PieperCo

Pikes Peak State Park ,McGregor,Iowa campsite reservations are made 3 months before May 8 at. 1-877-427-2757 or www.reserveiaparks.reserveamerica.com. We hope to be on site 30. The get together will start Wed May 8 through May 11, 2019. Leave Sunday May 12.
Wed. meet at the shelter 5PM. All happening's will be at the shelter. Pot luck Fri. eve.

Hi Corky,
Glad to hear you’re hosting a rally at Pikes Peak State Park. Lots to do and
see in that area. Effigy Mounds, Driftless area center, the Mississippi River itself, Historic Prairie du Chien across the river in Wisconsin, Yellow River State Forest with hiking trails and trout fishing. Wow the list goes on and on. Campers scouring South facing slopes with dead elm trees may produce the prized morel mushrooms if we can get a warm rain and some sunshine to follow. Looks like a good one. The rebuilt river overlook with the verdent greens of spring stretching for miles is indeed beautiful.
Iowa Dave

[Wayne Collins]

Interesting. Just might do it.

[CindyL]

Wish we could go, but it is finals week for me. While I teach online a lot, not sure I can.

I have a fear of this park. When I was a kid, the family was there. There is a big rock that overhangs the river, and someone pushed me from behind. Had my uncle not caught me, I would have gone over. I believe that is fixed now.

Other things to see:
Spook Cave
Elkader, where we lived for 15 years, has a unique keystone bridge, the Carter House Museum, a nice walk along the river, and quaint stores. Named after Emir Abdelkader. You can also put in a canoe there and canoe the Turkey River.

Decorah: Norwegian-American Museum, Dunning's Spring, the Upper Iowa river for canoeing, Ice Cave, Decorah eagles, great bike trail, trout fishing (of course that is all over NE IA), https://www.raptorresource.org/birdcams/decorah-eagles/


CindyL

[dfandrews]

Originally Posted by Iowa Dave

.... Lots to do and
see in that area.................
Iowa Dave

Looks like CP railway is at the eastern edge of the park. Is that a very active rail line? If so, you're going to really love it, or really not.

[CindyL]

Originally Posted by dfandrews

Looks like CP railway is at the eastern edge of the park. Is that a very active rail line? If so, you're going to really love it, or really not.

It is at the bottom of the bluff below the park.

[dfandrews]

Originally Posted by CindyL

It is at the bottom of the bluff below the park.

Ah, thanks. So it's the best of both worlds. The bluff is the sound barrier.


(Edit: It would have only been a problem in the 1950's when they broke the sound barrier frequently.)

[Iowa Dave]

There’s about a train a week on that trackage. They run about 20 miles an hour. Most of the grain commerce comes into McGregor in trucks and is off loaded onto barges. About 20 miles up the river is Lansing, Iowa. There’s a lock and dam there where the river traffic locks through. The railroad on the Wisconsin side is a lot more active and the guys on those locomotives really like to blow the horn. You can’t hear them at Pikes Peak unless there’s light east wind and there are no leaves on the trees. BUT there is a nice static display Milwaukee Road caboose at Marquette. Iowa just a couple miles up the river from McGregor .
It’s on the same road as the Driftless Center and the interestingly named trout stream “Bloody Run”. When are you coming out here so we can go on a train viewing run?
Iowa Dave

[DougOlson]

A big thumbs up for Pikes Peak State Park. We won't be at the rally but happened to stop in there last summer while traveling. Nice trails & view points. Nice sites. We will stop in again when passing through that region.

[dfandrews]

Originally Posted by Iowa Dave

There’s about a train a week on that trackage. They run about 20 miles an hour. Most of the grain commerce comes into McGregor in trucks and is off loaded onto barges. About 20 miles up the river is Lansing, Iowa. There’s a lock and dam there where the river traffic locks through. The railroad on the Wisconsin side is a lot more active and the guys on those locomotives really like to blow the horn. You can’t hear them at Pikes Peak unless there’s light east wind and there are no leaves on the trees. BUT there is a nice static display Milwaukee Road caboose at Marquette. Iowa just a couple miles up the river from McGregor .
It’s on the same road as the Driftless Center and the interestingly named trout stream “Bloody Run”. When are you coming out here so we can go on a train viewing run?
Iowa Dave

Hi, Dave. We're working on it. Trouble is, all those wonderful potential trips east of the Rockies are 1500-3000 miles, so that takes planning & budgeting. We're taking the southern route as far as Branson, next year. But...., Pennsylvania and other targets on the east coast are in our sights, and Iowa is the bulleye in the middle. Trout fishing is definitely in the mix as well. (My mom was born in Trout Run, PA, so it's in the genes.) We'll let you know. Thanks.


Edit- P.S. right now we're experiencing our change of seasons. We've just entered fire season, with east winds blowing,and the "Hill" fire about 4 miles away. Just dreaming about camping where it's green and where water flows is a welcome respite.

[Julia2256]

Are there still spots available for the May Uowa Rally? I would love to attend with my new to me 13ft scamp. Tried to enter dates in the Reserve America site, but nothing looks open. I'm rather new to working with these reservation sites

[steve dunham]

Originally Posted by Julia2256

Are there still spots available for the May Uowa Rally? I would love to attend with my new to me 13ft scamp. Tried to enter dates in the Reserve America site, but nothing looks open. I'm rather new to working with these reservation sites

If I remember correctly Iowa has a 90 day reservation window so you are just too early to make reservations for early May . We are planning on attending the rally in McGregor Iowa . Iowa has great State Parks with excellent campgrounds and they are reasonably priced .

[steve dunham]

My only question is will Iowa’s greatest statesman , story teller , and most favorite son be in attendance ?

[Wayne Collins]

Originally Posted by Julia2256

Are there still spots available for the May Uowa Rally? I would love to attend with my new to me 13ft scamp. Tried to enter dates in the Reserve America site, but nothing looks open. I'm rather new to working with these reservation sites

Ditto what Steve said. My calendar has a note to make reservations on Feb. 11
for the May rally.

[Julia2256]

Thanks! I will mark my Feb. Calendar!

[Iowa Dave]

There is indeed a 90 day window for reservations. So yes there are definitely sites available. Thanks for the kind title of favorite son, it’s usually a little longer than that and the word favorite is missing. We plan to attend and in fact the first nice day we will probably make a run up there to assess the sites and make a day of it. With a little luck, I’ll be able to find and bring along to the rally a picture of my brothers and me from 60 years ago when our folks took us on what we thought was an all day safari 115 miles from home. Jeez I was a good looking young man. (As I remember it). This is a Corky and Darlene Rally and I know it will be fun. I’ll have the manometer along if anyone wants to check their regulator pressure coming into the “my refrigerator needs to work to keep the baby’s milk cold season”. Can’t wait to see the trailers, everybody is always so nice.
Iowa Dave

[R Wilburn]

Rob & Anne site 33

[Nancy]

Fred and I will arrive late Sunday, depart Thursday. Site 26.

Thanks For getting this going, we have never been in that area.

Nancy

[Wayne Collins]

Originally Posted by Wayne Collins

Interesting. Just might do it.

Have made our reservation: Site #20…
See you there…. as long as this ice melts before then.

[Wayne Collins]

Originally Posted by Iowa Dave

There is indeed a 90 day window for reservations. So yes there are definitely sites available. Thanks for the kind title of favorite son, it’s usually a little longer than that and the word favorite is missing. We plan to attend and in fact the first nice day we will probably make a run up there to assess the sites and make a day of it. With a little luck, I’ll be able to find and bring along to the rally a picture of my brothers and me from 60 years ago when our folks took us on what we thought was an all day safari 115 miles from home. Jeez I was a good looking young man. (As I remember it). This is a Corky and Darlene Rally and I know it will be fun. I’ll have the manometer along if anyone wants to check their regulator pressure coming into the “my refrigerator needs to work to keep the baby’s milk cold season”. Can’t wait to see the trailers, everybody is always so nice.
Iowa Dave

Be sure to introduce yourselves to us, the Collins at site 20, the ParkLiner.