Drive IOWA Road Trip - DIRT (2 Viewers)

[overton]

Planning the route

I need to take a look back at what people would like to see and the proximity to Backbone Park and start to map out a little route across county roads. I figure I will get to that in about a month.

Greg

 

[packman73]

If you need any help planning let me know and I can swing on up and bring a couple of . Wondering if we shouldn't start on the Mississippi and work our way north and east, then south...putting us back in the CR area on Sunday...just my 2 cents.

 

[overton]

DIRT Dates

We're planning on Oct 5-7 (I think)

Fall colors should be awesome then.

It looks like Backbone and Pikes Peak are both popular choices for camping. We could do Fri night at one place and Sat at another. Home on Sunday. I don't know if I'm going to camp but I may. If there's a cheap motel nearby, I may do that.

 

[packman73]

We're planning on Oct 5-7 (I think)

Fall colors should be awesome then.

It looks like Backbone and Pikes Peak are both popular choices for camping. We could do Fri night at one place and Sat at another. Home on Sunday. I don't know if I'm going to camp but I may. If there's a cheap motel nearby, I may do that.

Cheap motel...is that one of the ones with FREE HBO and those beds that you can put quarters in?

I like that idea, Backbone is a great park, with some nice hiking trails, fishing, etc. Strawberry Point has a nice little tavern as well, Rod $ Cals...cheap greasy food. Never been to Pikes, but it looks nice as well.

 

[overton]

DIRT DATES Oct 12-14

Our buddy Casey could not make the Oct 5-7 dates so it's going to be Oct 12-14. More details to come.

 

[Land Schmoozer]

thank you!

 

[packman73]

Dubuque October Events
http://www.dubuquechamber.com/calendar/community.cfm?Mo=10

Quad Cities October Events
12th
http://www.qconline.com/getalife/events/cgi/date.cgi?date=20071012
13th
http://www.qconline.com/getalife/events/cgi/date.cgi?date=20071013
14th
http://www.qconline.com/getalife/events/cgi/date.cgi?date=20071014

Cedar Rapids October Events
http://www.cedar-rapids.com/cal_annual.html Scroll down to October

Iowa.com Event Calendar
12th
http://www.iowa.com/event.aspx?Date=10/12/2007
13th
http://www.iowa.com/event.aspx?Date=10/13/2007
14th
http://www.iowa.com/event.aspx?Date=10/14/2007

One more, narrowed to the Northeast Region of Iowa from Oct 12th-14th
http://snipr.com/1qtnx

 

[overton]

Backbone Camping

Here's a map of the camping area at Backbone - It's wide open for tent camping but you can reserve a site if you want to. I guess this will be home base for the Discover Iowa Road Trip, October 12, 13 and 14

 

[overton]

Good Link

Here's some fun spots to see

http://www.roadsideamerica.com/geo/showStateMap.php?state=ia

 

[overton]

Where to camp?

It was suggested that we meet at Backbone and the drive up at Pikes Peak to camp - Both look like nice Parks - Pikes Peak is a little more centrally located to all the various attractions one might want to see like Effigy Mounds. Here's a link to both - Take a vote! Backbone appears to have some trout fishing.

http://www.iowadnr.com/parks/state_park_list/backbone.html

http://www.iowadnr.com/parks/state_park_list/pikes_peak.html

 

[packman73]

Either one sounds nice...I like the views from Pikes though...and I've been at Backbone before. So count me as a vote for either...

 

[Loki]

My boyfriend, Lance, and I are in (that is if girls are invited ). I think I saw something about the ballet , don't want to be a spoil-sport.


This sounds like FUN!

 

[overton]

Everyone is Invited!

The ballet, like most the possible attractions will be optional. I will put together a list of things to see and distribute. Then folks can decide what they want to do/see during the day.

G.

 

[packman73]

The ballet, like most the possible attractions will be optional. I will put together a list of things to see and distribute. Then folks can decide what they want to do/see during the day.

G.

My boyfriend, Lance, and I are in (that is if girls are invited ). I think I saw something about the ballet , don't want to be a spoil-sport.


This sounds like FUN!

Yeah, that was a bad joke on my part....

As always with our group, it's all about family, friends and all those other categories.

Hope to see you guys out there again....where are your Flat Nasty pics?

 

[Loki]

Yeah, that was a bad joke on my part....

As always with our group, it's all about family, friends and all those other categories.

Hope to see you guys out there again....where are your Flat Nasty pics?

Obviously it was a bad joke on my part, too! I was just kidding.

We haven't developed our Flat Nasty pics yet, I'll get 'em up as soon as possible--geez, I just managed to get our Tall Corn pics up and that was 2 weeks ago! And that's only a few of our Tall Corn pictures. We didn't get as many at Flat Nasty and I have no idea if any of them are any good.

 

[Dudleyfj40]

Camping

I talked to a local in the area. He said Elkater (sp.) is a good place to stay over night. Walking distance to a bar and right around the corner from Pikes Peak. He said they had really good camp grounds there.

When I was talking to him he was checking out some back roads for us. Hopefully he can add something to this and spell Elcator correct for me.

Oh he also has a CRUISER!

 

[Wfodog]

I am from the area and would be glad to help with the route let me know what you would like to see and what types of roads you would like to drive on? I know a few B level roads and some nice back Highways.

Elkader has a nice campground.
Backbones is nice as well I noticed the map earlier in the post isn't a full map they have alot more sites than that. And there are two sites one at the beach and one at the west entrance.

Let me know how I can help.


Drew

 

[Dudleyfj40]

Thanks for your input Drew. Now for your official MUD salute.

OK, Where are you guys wanting to start? Cedar Falls, Cedar Rapids
Des Moines?

If need be I can host a couple of people here at my house Fri night.

 

[overton]

Meet on Friday

Let's put a stake in the ground and meet on Friday at either pikes peak or backbone - I have several "scenic" back roads highlighted on a big map of the counties in NE Iowa. I picked them based on the fact that they were gravel or dirt and following streams or rivers and looked interesting.

Also have several sights highlighted like Effigy Mounds and other points of interest to choose from. As you may have guessed this will be a very unorganized, unstructured and informal outing.

 

[overton]

Dirt Kickoff

Ok, I just talked with a fellow Road Tripper and here is the tenantive plan.

Some folks will be there Friday night but for those who are coming on Saturday, We will meet at Backbone Park Saturday between 10:00 and 10:30 AM at the The Six Pine Campground, near the west entrance of the park. My cell number is 319 560 6400.

From there, We can strike out to various destinations in NE Iowa in groups or solo. We can plan a lunch stop or circle up at some tavern for beers and munchies later in the day. Here's a map with some roads and attractions highlighted. I have some more detailed county maps I got from my buddy at the DOT.

The link below will take you to a HI RES image of this map go to. Click on the map. Then click on it again to zoom in.

http://www.fototime.com/users/gregoverton@mchsi.com/E-mail Uploads



Greg
319 560 6400 - cell