Iowa Lakes Region

December 30, 2024

Not really SAD, but

A lot of people are affected with Seasonal Affective Disorder in Wisconsin. We have many, many days without sun during the winter months. This year, we've had a string of days with heavy fog and unseasonably warm temperatures in the 30's and 40's. Personally, I can't claim that I've ever really felt the effects of SAD, but this year, knowing that we are likely moving west later next year, I've been very impatient and annoyed with Wisconsin weather. Sun trying to fight through the clouds It hasn't helped that my daily routine involves looking at the weather in Fort Collins and Tucson. Their weather has been spectacularly sunny and more pleasant this time of year. So, I haven't been blogging much because not much is going on. I've substituted indoor pickleball for hiking. The trails have been muddy and not much fun. For Christmas, we had my mother, Julia's brother and Allie here. I went and retrieved my mother from Cedar Rapids a...

From June 2021

I spent significant parts of my youth in southwest Iowa, working on my uncle's farm and getting in and out of trouble with my same-age cousin, Tim. I remember others talking about the Spirit Lake area of northwestern Iowa, but never visited there until last year on the way home from our Colorado trip.

Technically, we found our campground in Minnesota, the land of 10,000 lakes. Robertson Park, a small county park, was just across the Iowa border. Our campsite was on the water and equipped with electric, dump station, and shower for $20/night.

There are small and big lakes dotting the landscape all over this part of Iowa. Spirit Lake, Iowa is the town in the middle of it all. There were brewpubs, Tiki bars, and restaurants. Most had large outdoor spaces--always a nice thing during the pandemic.