Pedal the Parks: Iowa Great Lakes

After several weeks off and fully recovered from our Grand Canyon excursion, we set our sights on completing our mission in Northern Iowa. Friends, Mary and Charlie Reeves, offered wonderful accommodations in the Iowa Great Lakes area. It proved much better than any B & B I've ever encountered, and came with gourmet food, drink, and a beautiful view of East Okoboji. We were able to ride two (2) of the parks on Friday evening, in route to our weekend resort. Saturday, after a hearty breakfast, we headed out for six (6) area destinations. It was great having so many parks concentrated in a small area. The Iowa Great Lakes provides many options for the outdoor enthusiast, with hundreds of miles of shoreline and many parks and recreational areas. All six (6) parks had paved roads and beautiful views of the lakes. Elinor Bedell is the newest State Park and very well maintained. Mini Waken sets on the Minnesota/Iowa state line and I managed to ride into the state of Minnesota to complete my required mile. Pillsbury Point was a very small park located in a residential area of cottages, apartments, condos, and townhomes. It was a challenge riding a mile here, but the street, sidewalks, and alleys provided smooth sailing.

We completed the six (6) parks and only drove sixty-eight (68) miles getting to and from. This was a huge record, and provided extra time to visit some sites in the area. Arnolds Park was a seldom visited childhood destination for both Patty and me. Walking amongst the "wooden" roller coaster, arcade, dock, "Fun House and Roof Garden" area, and sharing a "nutty bar" and lemonade brought back lots of memories. We also visited the Marine Museum and observed several families creating their "own" lifetime stories.

After completing the 93rd park, we are close to wrapping this challenge up. The day ended with "happy hour," another gourmet meal, enjoying the lake view, and a comfy bed.