Travels of author, soprano, researcher, and road diva Randye Jones
Did I mention that I’m a Trekker (okay, Trekkie, whatever)? I first started watching the original series in syndication in the early 1970s. In the early 1990s, I attended my first Star Trek convention in Tallahassee, Florida, while I was a grad student at Florida State University. While my personal collection of Trek mostly consists …
Read More “Trekking in Riverside, Iowa-Another Quickie Trip”
The Boone and Scenic Valley Railroad train excursion was not scheduled to begin until 1:30 p.m., but I left home at 10 a.m. to give myself plenty of time to gas SB, get breakfast, and take care of business that I could address on a Sunday morning. Like yesterday, the weather was mostly sunny and …
I am a North Carolinian, born and raised, but I have now spent nearly a third of my life in Iowa. I decided I wanted to take in some parts of my adopted home that I haven’t visited before I hie myself back to the East Coast. As usual when I plan a trip like …
I had new tires placed on SB this past Friday morning and, on impulse, decided I needed a short test drive before putting her on the road for a more extended trip. So I decided to do a quickie trip to Le Claire, Iowa, a 130-mile trip that is almost a straight drive down I-80 …
On my birthday (Thursday, September 17th), I took my usual day off. I decided to do some car shopping while I awaited the final steps before the insurance company claimed RB. My research had led me to decide on the Kia Soul for my next car. The closest dealership is in Des Moines, so I …
(If you don’t get the reference, you really need to watch more 60’s TV.) Saturday morning of the Memorial Day weekend, and I wanted get out of town for a couple of hours. So, I grabbed my camera and laptop and was going to drive to the state park about ten miles away. I plugged …
Unfortunately, the forecast of cold, rainy and windy weather for most of Saturday was absolutely correct. Since Sunday’s forecast was for more of the same, and I really had no interest in dealing with the anticipated crowds of the following weekend’s Tulip Time festival, I decided to just go and hope for the best. Pella, …
I’ve lived in Iowa for nearly 12 years and only visited Pella twice, neither time when the town’s famous tulips were in bloom. A library colleague has reminded me that this is tulip season there, and she found on her visit there yesterday, they are, indeed, in glorious bloom. So, I’ve decided to further delay …
Busy day started with a stop at the Dubuque Arboretum and Botanical Gardens. It seems that I missed much of the gardens, but the trees, shrubs and various decorations were enjoyable to view along the way. Back uptown, I found the Shot Tower a little bit off the beaten path. The building’s original purpose was …
Even though I hadn’t asked for a wake-up call, I was highly motivated to check out of the room early. Got some breakfast and did a little shopping before heading to my primary objective for this trip: the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium. It was just after noon, but the museum was already full …