Lesson Learned

September 8, 2026

When Terry and I plan our trips, we usually have a few places we definitely intend on seeing. For example, this trip we knew we wanted to visit several of Lake Michigan’s lighthouses. And we did.

But it seems like when we allow ourselves to veer off our plotted course, we are usually delightfully surprised at what we encounter. Like the Field of Dreams.

And then occasionally, there are the duds. The places that really weren’t worth our time and attention. But we thought we needed to experience them just because.

The Iowa 80 Truckstop was a dud for us.

Perhaps it was because it was our last day of the trip, and we just had our sights on getting home that afternoon. Or maybe it was that we were tired or hungry.

But it just didn’t seem that big and exciting to us.

We walked around a bit. Bought a couple of snacks that disappointed us. Bought the sticker to document we experienced it.

And when we got back into the van, we both agreed that after all we had experienced on that trip, from the lighthouse views, the lake Michigan beaches, the hills and valleys of Wisconsin and Michigan, the farms with the cornfields to the baseball fields, the largest truck stop in the world just did not impress us.

And now we know.

We made one more important stop that day at Overland Sheepskin in Fairfield, Iowa, to pick up an upgrade for BART.

Can you guess what we bought there? I’ll share in my next post!

 Field of Dreams

September 7, 2026

Yes. . . they built it and we came. And enjoyed every moment of our visit to the Field of Dreams movie site!

This experience has been on my list since we started traveling last fall. But at that time the weather and the timing kept us from doing it.

This trip, due to a couple of pivots we made along the way, lined it up perfectly! And the weather could not have been better for a day on the baseball field!

But first, because it was so close, we stopped by the Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum in Burr Oak, Iowa. And I got my passport stamped again!

This museum stop was definitely worth it, having an actual tour guide who shared stories of Laura’s life during the time she lived in that actual building and made the experience much more interesting.

And then we drove past several corn fields and there it was. . . the magical Field of Dreams!

We got to walk out of the cornfield and into the outfield with a real “Ghost Player” wearing a vintage 1919 Chicago White Sox uniform! He chatted with us for a bit and then asked if we wanted to play ball with him!

Terry became a young boy again as he batted and pitched with that “professional” player on that iconic baseball field surrounded by corn stalks.

All I could do was watch in awe as Terry pitched fastball after fastball. And hit every ball that was pitched within his reach—all into the outfield! I was blown away by his talent!!

And his face was beaming the whole time 😊

After a while, he handed the ball off to another visitor, and he walked hand-in-hand with me still beaming to the gift shop where I bought him a tee shirt and sticker to commemorate the experience.

We drove into Dyersville to see the If You Build It Exhibit which has memorabilia, artifacts, and behind-the-scenes information about the movie. It was worth the $5 fee. And they have less expensive souvenirs!

After all the activity we were ready to head to our Harvest Host location for the night, O So Good Winery, and enjoy a nice meal and beverage. We were warmly welcomed by the owner, and he even restarted the movie (can you guess which one?) for us so we could watch while we ate and relaxed before heading to bed. I enjoyed the pulled pork mac & cheese while Terry scarfed down a Chicago Dog!

We settled down for our last night on the road and had a wonderful night’s sleep. Which was good because the adventure wasn’t over just yet!

You’ll never guess where we went before we got home the next day. . .it was pretty big!

Back to Nature

September 6, 2026

Day 17 of our trip was filled with several wildlife experiences starting with seeing 2 momma deer and a fawn when we left our campsite that morning. Unfortunately, I was too slow to capture them in a photo.

After stopping briefly to catch a picture of Sugar Loaf Bluff, a natural rock-climbing area near Winona, Minnesota, we enjoyed one of the most scenic drives yet. Just west of the Mississippi River, there were beautiful hills and valleys, with lots of corn fields scattered in between. It truly felt like God’s Country.

And then we turned down a gravel road for a bit (per Lola’s instructions!) and found a beautiful campground tucked neatly into a valley with a large creek running through it! There were leafy shade trees, lots of green grass, and a lovely breeze. What a relaxing place!

After a shower in the clean shower house (yay!), Terry brought out our new camp chairs, and we just sat and enjoyed the view. And then I spotted a blue heron flying over and then Terry pointed out a bald eagle!

Later when we took a stroll beside the creek, we spotted a fawn on the other side. She shyly leaped away when we tried to get close enough for a photo.

We may not have had internet or cell service, but we certainly enjoyed being back in nature!

That night, we kept the back doors open and were lulled to sleep by the sound of the creek. . . priceless!

Just when we thought the trip couldn’t get any better, the next day hit it out of the park!

 

History and Eagles

September 5, 2026

Ever since I was a little girl, I have enjoyed reading. I can lose myself in a good book so easily. And one of my favorite authors since childhood has been Laura Ingalls Wilder. In fact, my mom and I both reread her Little House books many times.

And on Day 16 of our latest journey, I got my Laura Ingalls Wilder passport stamped at the museum of her birthplace in Pepin, Wisconsin. I was a little disappointed that the museum seemed to have more artifacts that were not about the author than those that were, but you don’t know until you know.

We also drove 7 miles up the road to visit the Wayside Cabin, which is a replica of the Little House in the Big Woods, the title of the first book in the series she wrote about her pioneering life.

Since seeing these two sites didn’t take long, we decided to pop into Minnesota for lunch at Herb+Arrow in Wabasha, known as the Eagle Capital of America. We sat outside near the Mississippi River bridge and were delighted when 3 bald eagles soared over us as we waited for our food!

After I enjoyed the chicken alfredo and Terry a panini, we took a lovely walk along the river. Then we drove to Perrot State Park to camp for a couple of nights before we headed back to the cabin.

Unfortunately, the shower/restroom facilities did not quite meet our expectations. I guess I was wrong in assuming all Wisconsin State Parks would be as nice as Peninsula SP. It was quite disappointing.

And so, the next morning we pivoted yet again! Stay tuned to find out where we went next!

To Get to the View

September 2, 2026

As you can see by the look on my face in the photo above, I suffer from acrophobia (fear of heights).

So why on Day 15 of this trip did I climb the 60-foot tower at the top of Rib Mountain in Wisconsin? I thought the view would be worth it. The jury is still out on that one.

This tower is nine years older than me and didn’t seem nearly as stable as Eagle Tower in Peninsula State Park which was built just five years ago. That tower was built solid. And that view of Green Bay was stunning!

Rib Mountain is impressive as it is one of the oldest geological formations on earth. At almost 2,000 feet above sea level, it is the third highest point in Wisconsin. But those stairs and minimal railings going up the tower? I’m glad I made it up there and back down. . . once. And once is enough for me.

We did have an enjoyable lunch on the way back down the mountain. We pulled off the road at a ski lift that was closed for the season and had chicken salad sandwiches in the van.

We then made our way to Eau Claire for the night, stopping at a sporting goods store to upgrade our camping chairs. More on that in another post.

The next day I got my passport stamped! Keep following to find out which passport!

 

The Lord’s Day

September 1, 2026

On Day 14 of our latest journey, we had the privilege to worship with the congregation of St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Forestville, Wisconsin, where we raised our voice in song with an authentic Baroque style acoustic pipe organ. What a delight!

We then headed to another scenic coastal town that happens to be the salmon and trout capital of the Midwest. . . beautiful Algoma. Lunch at Millie’s Pub & Grill consisted of loaded tots for me and a tasty fish sandwich for Terry.

We then strolled along Algoma’s Crescent Beach, which is a lovely mix of a variety of smooth rocks and sand. I was in rock heaven!

If you look closely in the photo of the boardwalk sign, in the distance you can see their pier which is missing its 125-year-old lighthouse.

You’ll never guess where the lighthouse is!!

It’s undergoing a multi-year restoration. . . in Sturgeon Bay! Right next door to where we were spending the weekend! It seems they loaded the lighthouse on a barge and brought it to the Roen Salvage Company for the makeover.

While that’s going on, the US Army Corps of Engineers is repairing the North Pier foundation for the 150-ton lighthouse. In the meantime, there are temporary navigation markers in place to guide boaters safely in and out of the harbor.

Terry and I are so thankful that God is guiding us on our travels. We had thought about returning home at this point but then felt like there was a little more of America we were supposed to see first.

And so, we pivoted yet again. And we were blessed again with more beautiful sights!

Keep following to find out where we were led next.

 

You Have to See This for Yourself!

August 31, 2026

On Day 13, we saw one of the Top 5 Most Scenic Places I have ever seen!

We started out early as it was a Saturday and I knew it was going to get busy, especially with the sunny weather forecast for that morning. We arrived at Cave Point County Park just before 8am and there were only 2 other cars in the parking lot—perfect!

And the half-mile trail along the rocky Lake Michigan shore was absolutely amazing!! The photos do not do it justice. . . you really have to experience it yourself!

At the half-mile point is where the County Park ends and Whitefish Dunes State Park begins. We walked a little further down the trail and took even more pictures but then went back to the van and drove to the official entrance to that park which is where the dunes/sand beach area is located.

We were the only ones on the beach at first, which was cool but then families started to arrive with all their beach gear. We sat on a bench and watched for a while, but the solitude was broken.

They have a nature center at the state park that shows a video called “People of the Dunes” which is interesting. There are also nice restrooms inside with a limited assortment of souvenirs.

We went back to our Harvest Host site and enjoyed having the heated pool all to ourselves until the wind got a little too cool for us. Then we enjoyed some loaded nachos right before a storm blew in.

Terry rested his eyes and I got to see a rainbow over the marina. What a perfect ending to a wonderful day!

But the adventure didn’t end there. . . wait till you see where we went the next day!