THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY

ON TUESDAY, MAY 15TH. WE DROVE OVER TO WINTERSET, IOWA TO SEE THE SIX REMAINING COVERED BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY, IOWA. WE STOPPED AT THE CHAMBER AND PICKED UP A MAP AND GOT DIRECTIONS TO THE BRIDGES. THE FIRST BRIDGE WE VISITED WAS RIGHT IN THE TOWN OF WINTERSET IN THE LOCAL PARK, THE CUTLER-DONAHOE BRIDGE. IT WAS MOVED TO THE PARK ON WINTERSET'S 100TH BIRTDAY 1970, FOR IT'S PROTECTION. MANY OF THE COVERED BRIDGES WERE GIVEN NAMES BECAUSE A FARM-OWNER LIVED CLOSE BY, TWO FAMILIES CLAIMED 'NAMING RIGHTS', THUS THE HYPHENATED NAME.  IT'S A BEAUTIFUL BRIDGE, BUT WE WERE APPALLED BY THE GRAFFITTI ON THE INSIDE OF ALL THE BRIDGES.

WE DID NOT REALIZE THIS IS WHERE JOHN WAYNE WAS BORN, WE DROVE BY HIS HOME ON OUR WAY TO OUR NEXT BRIDGE.

THE NEXT BRIDGE WE VISITED WAS THE  HOLLIWELL BRIDGE, THE LONGEST BRIDGE AT 110 FEET.  HOLLIWELL WAS ONE OF THE BRIDGES FEATURED IN THE MOVIE " BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY. "

THEN ON TO THE SMALL TOWN OF ST. CHARLES WHERE THE IMES BRIDGE IS NESTLED IN A SMALL PARK AT THE EDGE OF TOWN.

THEN ON TO THE CEDAR BRIDGE, BURNED IN 2002, REBUILT AND REDEDICATED IN 2004. THIS IS THE ONLY COVERED  BRIDGE  THAT IS OPEN TO CAR TRAFFIC. THIS IS ALSO THE BRIDGE OPRAH WINFREY DID HER 1993 TV SHOW FROM.

WE HAD PLANNED ON VISITING HOGBACK BRIDGE NEXT, BUT WE MISSED THE TURN, SO IT WAS ON TO ROSEMAN BRIDGE, THE ONE MOST FEATURED IN THE MOVIE, "BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY". THIS IS THE BRIDGE WHERE FRANCESCA TACKED HER NOTE  TO ROBERT, TELLING HIM TO COME FOR SUPPER "ANYTIME THE WHITE MOTHS FLY. " YOU CAN SEE LITTLE HOLES WHERE SHE, AND OTHERS AFTER HER, PLACED THEIR LOVE NOTES.

THE LAST BRIDGE WE VISISTED WAS THE HOGBACK BRIDGE, WE RETRACED OUR STEPS AND SAW WHERE WE MISSED THE TURN.

THE BRIDGES ARE PRETTY CLOSE TOGETHER, BUT IT HAD BEEN A LONG DAY AND WE NEEDED TO GET HOME TO MAGGIE AND MARLEE, BUT WE ENJOYED SEEING THE SIX REMAINING BRIDGES.

THE NEXT DAY WAS MY DAY OFF AND DARRELL HAD TO WORK, I JUST HAD TO RENT THE MOVIE "BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY". IT WAS SO GOOD, I HAD SEEN IT YEARS AGO, BUT IT WAS INTERESTING TO SEE ON THE SCREEN THE PLACES WE HAD VISITED.

ADVENTURELAND, ALTOONA, IOWA

WE ARRIVED AT ADVENTURELAND ON FRIDAY THE 13TH. OF APRIL, WE ARE HOPING THAT THIS ISN'T AN OMEN!  WE CHECKED IN AT THE OFFICE, AND WE WERE ASSIGNED LOT NUMBER 67, AND WE LOVE IT!!

IT IS A VERY LARGE LOT AND WE ARE CLOSE TO ADVENTURELAND AMUSEMENT PARK, WHERE WE WILL WORK FOR THE SUMMER. THIS IS A PICTURE OF THE BRIDGE THAT WE WILL WALK OVER TO GET TO WORK.

THERE WERE ABOUT 40 OTHER  RVS HERE, WE MET RANDY AND DEBBY, OUR NEXT DOOR NEIGHBORS, WHO HAVE BEEN COMING  TO WORK AT ADVENTURELAND FOR  SIX YEARS. WE ATTENDED THE WELCOME MEETING AT 9:00 ON APRIL 17.

WE MET ALOT OF NICE PEOPLE AND PICKED UP OUR UNIFORMS WE. ALSO SAW A SCHEDULE OF THE ACTIVITIES THEY HAVE PLANNED FOR US THIS SUMMER. LOOKS LIKE FUN!!!

ON THURSDAY, APRIL 19, WE HEADED TO SAULK RAPIDS TO VISIT JSZ. IT IS ONLY A FIVE HOUR DRIVE FROM HERE, WHICH IS ONE OF THE REASONS WE DECIDED TO COME TO ADVENTURELAND FOR THE SUMMER. JACOB OFFERED TO CLEAN  MAGGIE AND MARLEE'S TEETH. WE ARRIVED EARLY ENOUGH TO ATTEND ONE OF ZACHARY'S TRACK MEETS.

WE WORE OUR WINTER JACKETS, IT WAS FREEZING!! ZACHARY'S RELAY TEAM WON FIRST PLACE!!! ON SUNDAY, WE TOOK THE GIRLS DOWN TO HAVE THEIR TEETH CLEANED. THEY BOTH HAD TO HAVE SOME TEETH PULLED.

AFTERWARDS, WE TOOK THE GIRLS HOME AND JACOB AND SONYA WENT TO THE GROCERY STORE AND CAME BACK WITH A BIRTHDAY CAKE FOR ME. ZACHARY'S GIRLFRIEND, SIERRA, CAME OVER AND HAD CAKE WITH US. THE NEXT MORNING WE HEADED BACK TO ALTOONA, WE HAD A WONDERFUL TIME AND IT WAS GREAT TO SEE THEM. WE WILL GO BACK ON MAY 29 TO ATTEND ZACHARY'S GRADUATION.

OUR FIRST WEEKEND TO WORK WAS THE WEEKEND OF APRIL  28. I WILL BE WORKING IN PIZZA AT RIVER CITY. DARRELL IS WORKING THE NORTH SKY RIDE. WE WILL WORK OPEN TO CLOSE, WHICH IS 10:00 TO 6:00 ON SATURDAY AND 10:00 TO 5:00 ON SUNDAY.  

IT WAS A TOUGH WEEKEND, IT WAS COLD AND RAINY AND BUSY, I STARTED OUT MAKING PIZZAS,  IT WAS A VERY LONG DAY, MY FEET AND LEGS HURT SO BAD BY 6:00 . MY PLANTAR FACIITIS  FLARED UP, WASN'T REALLY  LOOKING  FORWARD TO GOING BACK SUNDAY, THANK GOODNESS, WE WEREN'T BUSY AND I OFFERED TO LEAVE EARLY. HOPING I CAN GET THE PLANTAR UNDER CONTROL AND HOPING I CAN DO THIS JOB. ON FRIDAY, MAY 4, WE WENT TO PELLA, IOWA TO THE TULIP FESTIVAL. THE TULIPS BLOOMED EARLY THIS YEAR, THE FIRST WEEK OF APRIL DUE TO THE  "WINTER THAT WASN'T" ......THIS IS ALL THAT WAS LEFT OF THE TULIPS........

WE HAD A GREAT TIME!! IT LOOKED LIKE THE WHOLE TOWN TURNED OUT FOR THIS EVENT!! EVERYONE WAS IN COSTUME....SAW THESE CUTE KIDS IN THE PARK!!

THERE WERE BEDS AND BEDS OF TULIPS WITHOUT BLOOMS........I'LL BET IT'S BEAUTIFUL WHEN THEY ARE IN BLOOM!!

THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL LITTLE TOWN.......THIS IS THE TOWN SQUARE....

AND OF COURSE A DUTCH WINDMILL........

WE EVEN FOUND WOODEN SHOES!!!

BEFORE LEAVING WE WENT TO  A DUTCH BAKERY AND BOUGHT BREAD, IT WAS DELICIOUS!!   THE PARADE HAD STARTED BY THE TIME WE WERE READY TO LEAVE, BEAUTIFUL FLOATS......

MARCHING BANDS AND MARCHING PEOPLE

MARCHING KIDS......

WOODEN SHOES....

IT WAS SUCH A FUN DAY!!

BRANSON, MISSOURI

WE ARRIVED IN BRANSON AROUND 1:00 ON FRIDAY, APRIL 6, GOT ALL SET UP IN OUR PASSPORT AMERICA RV PARK, BRANSON STAGE COACH RV PARK.

 WE WERE SURPRISED AT ALL THE EMPTY SITES!! WE HAVE A NICE SITE, CEMENT PAD, PICNIC TABLE,  CABLE TV,  TREES, ALL THE CONVENIENCES OF HOME!

WE RESTED A BIT, AND THEN COULDN'T STAND IT ANY LONGER, WE HAD TO GO EXPLORING!! WENT TO BASS PRO, DOWNTOWN BRANSON, JUST HAD A GENERAL LOOK AROUND. ATE, AND PICKED UP SOME SHOW TICKET INFORMATION.

WE ARE OUTSIDE OF BRANSON A FEW MILES, AND CROSS TABLE ROCK DAM TO GET INTO THE TOWN OF BRANSON. WHAT  BEAUTIFUL VIEWS!!

OUR FIRST SHOW WAS A REAL TREAT, WE WENT TO THE IMAX THEATRE COMPLEX AND  WERE TREATED TO A JOHNNY CASH TRIBUTE IN THE  LITTLE OPREY THEATRE.

ON EASTER SUNDAY MORNING WE WENT BACK TO THE IMAX THEATRE AND ENJOYED SOME GOSPEL MUSIC.

WE ARE  ALSO NEAR TABLE ROCK  STATE PARK AND WONDERFUL WALKING TRAILS. WE'VE ENJOYED OUR WALKS AND SO HAVE MAGGIE AND MARLEE. 

I FINALLY GOT TO SEE AZALEAS IN BLOOM!

WE WENT TO THE SHOW "SIX"  MONDAY AFTERNOON. IT WAS A GREAT SHOW!!!

THESE GUYS ARE 6 BROTHERS AND  EVERY ONE OF THEM IS SO TALENTED!!!

ON TUESDAY MORNING I WENT ZIPLINING!! DARRELL DID NOT WANT TO GO, I HAD BOUGHT MY TICKET BEFORE GETTING TO BRANSON. I WAS A LITTLE APPREHENSIVE THAT MORNING, BUT I KNEW IT WAS SOMETHING I WANTED TO DO TO CELEBRATE MY 65 YEARS ON THIS EARTH. 

THERE WERE 9 OF US AND HERE WE ARE GETTING ALL THE "GEAR" ON.

AND GETTING READY TO LEAVE TO TAKE US UP THE MOUNTAIN. IT WAS A VERY BUMPY RIDE!

IT WAS SO MUCH FUN!!!

IT WAS AN EXPERIENCE OF A LIFETIME!! I TOOK THE QZARKS XPLORER CANOPY TOUR WITH 7 ZIPLINES AND 10 SUSPENSION BRIDGES. IT TOOK A COUPLE OF HOURS. THE GUIDES WERE SO HELPFUL! HERE I AM AT THE END!!

AND I JUST HAD TO HAVE THIS SHIRT!!!

IT SAYS, "THIS GRANDMA CAN FLY!"

THIS IS THE PICTURE THEY TOOK OF ME!! I LOVE IT!!!

AND THAT NIGHT WE WENT TO AN ELVIS TRIBUTE!!

TONY ROI WAS A GREAT ENTERTAINER! WE ENJOYED HIS SHOW VERY MUCH!

THE END TO A PERFECT DAY!!

THE DAY BEFORE WE LEFT BRANSON WE WENT TO THE COLLEGE OF THE OZARKS FOR LUNCH. A LADY AT THE CAMPGROUND TOLD US ABOUT THIS AND WE WERE ANXIOUS  TO TRY IT.

WE ATE AT THE KEETER CENTER, THAT IS LOCATED AT THE ENTRANCE TO THE CAMPUS. THE FOOD IS PREPARED AND SERVED BY THE STUDENTS. STUDENTS HERE WORK FOR THEIR TUITION.

THE RESTAURANT WAS BEAUTIFUL AND WE WERE SERVED IN STYLE!!

WE ENJOYED A WONDERFUL LUNCH IN ELEGANT SURROUNDINGS WITH FRESH FLOWERS ON ALL THE TABLES.

THE FOOD WAS ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS!

WE WENT OVER TO THE BAKERY AFTER LUNCH AND HAD A SAMPLE OF THE FRUIT CAKE THEY MAKE AND BOUGHT SOME JELLY. IT IS A BEAUTIFUL CAMPUS AND IT WAS REFRESHING TO SEE A COLLEGE THAT BELIEVES IN HARD WORK!!