According to the PDGA (Professional Disc Golf Association) website, there are approximately 300 disc golf courses in Iowa.  These are the 4 disc golf courses I have played in Iowa.

Pickard Park Disc Golf, Indianola, IA
Aug 24, 2021

Ewing Park, Des Moines, IA
Aug 23, 2021

Westside Park, Dyersville, IA
Aug 21, 2021

Toledo Community Disc Golf, Toledo, IA
Aug 21, 2021

It takes about 2 hours to drive from Des Moines, IA to Omaha, NE.  I had an AirBnB lined up there and had all day to get there.  This was going to be one of my “work on the road” days.  These are fun because I get to work from different types of places. The Bridges of Madison County are a little south west of Des Moines so it was the perfect side trip for the day.

I got my morning work routine completed and headed out of the AirBnB early.  I grabbed a cup of coffee on the road and arrived at the first bridge.

Madison County used to have 19 covered bridges.  There are only six left.  I was able to see four of them.

Back when these were built, bridges were covered to protect the flooring timbers from the weather and make them last longer.  The flooring wood was much more expensive than the rest of the structure.

The Imes Covered Bridge

The Imes Covered Bridge was easy to find.  It’s right there when you get off the highway and is located in a well traveled area.

It was built in 1870 and had been moved twice over the years.  I find it amazing that they can just pick up a bridge and move it somewhere else.

I took a walk across the bridge and noticed signatures all over the inside.  Although this seemed to be a thing at all of the bridges, I opted not to sign.

There was another person there that morning as well.  A dude that was traveling through Iowa and having his own road trip out of South Dakota.  I ran into him later at a different bridge as well.

The Holliwell Covered Bridge

Getting work done at the Holliwell Bridge

Winterset, IA

Winterset Chamber of Commerce

Winterset City Hall

Cedar Covered Bridge

Cedar Bridge Park

Cedar Covered Bridge

Hogback Covered Bridge

Watch me sit here…..	…. ta da!

Sometimes….

At times I would come to crossroads.

I enjoyed the peacefulness of it.

Sometimes after following GPS down gravel roads for miles, a bridge would be out.

 I had spent the morning at the Iowa State Fair and was headed to my AirBnB. I was a bit early on check in time and had to find something to knock out a little over an hour.  I thought I’d visit something from my Des Moines to-do list, the Pappajohn Sculpture Park. (Not related to the pizza guy)  This sculpture park, located in downtown Des Moines, is considered one of the most significant collections of outdoor sculptures in the United States.  

Ugo Rondinone sculpture in Des Moines	Ugo Rondinone sculpture that I recalled seeing in San Francisco!

I really enjoyed Des Moines, IA.  There are some good disc golf courses in the area, excellent food and some fun places to walk around.

Des Mones, IA

Smokey D’s BBQ

One of the tee pads

You can see the basket between the trees at the bottom of the hill

And I played well!

After the round I decided to head into Des Moines to see the capitol building and explore that area.

Shattering Silence Monument

Des Moines in the background of the Shattering Silence Monument

“The sculpture is adjacent to the building that houses the Iowa Supreme Court and at the top of the hill overlooking the Des Moines skyline. It is in commemoration of the 170th anniversary of the landmark 1839 Iowa Territorial Supreme Court ruling that prohibited slave Ralph Montgomery from being extradited back to Missouri after he failed to raise the $550 he promised to pay to buy his freedom. The Iowa Art Council’s newsletter describes the art as a commemoration of “those moments when Iowa has been at the forefront of breaking the silence of inequality and commemorates those Iowans who refused to stand by silently when they saw injustice.” – Greater Des Moines Public Art Foundation

Since I couldn’t get into my AirBnB in Des Moines until later in the afternoon, my plan was to arrive early in the day and get to the Iowa State Fair.  How often would I have the opportunity to go to this fair. I arrived in time to catch the last day.

I ate the Bacon-wrapped Rib on-a-stick I ate the curly fries with cheese	I ate the hard boiled egg with  Old Bay Seasoning on a stick I did not eat the Iowa lobster

There were fun things to see including the famous butter cow!  Yes…. it is a full size sculpture made of butter which is housed behind glass in the butter room.

Lots of people here and I could see Des Moines in the distance.

” If you build it, they will come”

When I embarked on my journey from Portland, ME, with the goal of heading west, my primary objective was to cross the Mississippi River and venture into Iowa as swiftly as possible. I reasoned that exploring the eastern side of the Mississippi could be accomplished over a long weekend or a week-long trip at some point in the future. For now, my sights were firmly set on the uncharted territories to the west.

With over 22 hours of driving and two overnight stops behind me, I finally arrived at my first major destination around 9 A.M. on a Saturday morning. My plan was to spend the night at an AirBnB in Des Moines, so I decided to make a slight detour to the Field of Dreams in Dyersville, IA. What made this side trip particularly appealing was the opportunity to leave the major highways behind and navigate the scenic backroads of Iowa. At times, I found myself traversing gravel roads in the heart of Iowa’s picturesque countryside.

Driving through Iowa

Gravel roads in Iowa

As I approached the Field of Dreams, I noticed that it was free to park and enter, welcoming visitors to explore its hallowed grounds. The field buzzed with activity; families and friends scattered across the landscape. Children played catch with their fathers, while others enthusiastically ran the bases. Families lounged on blankets, and groups posed for photographs, capturing cherished moments.

I decided to take a moment to unwind and appreciate the tranquil atmosphere. I reclined in the exquisitely manicured outfield, allowing the serenity to wash over me. I wandered into the cornfields and gazed out at the iconic field. My journey then took me up to the house, where I explored the bleachers and visited the charming gift shop. As I soaked in the ambience, I couldn’t help but observe the diverse crowd, spanning all age groups, with a few individuals even donning complete baseball uniforms.

Unexpectedly, an announcement echoed through the air, instructing everyone to clear the field. It turned out that I had arrived just in time for the last “Ghost Game” of the season, an hour-long, interactive comedy performance presented by the renowned Ghost Players, aptly known as the “Greatest Show on Dirt.” I had no prior knowledge of this delightful surprise!

Much like in the movie, the Ghost Players emerged from the cornfields, each introduced by enthusiastic announcers. To my amazement, some of them had actually appeared in the original film. The performance included the rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner and a brief history of this long-standing tradition, which had been captivating audiences for over 30 years. The Ghost Players engaged in a friendly game of catch before mingling with the crowd. Selecting a few lucky kids from the audience, they allowed them to bat against the ghosts and round the bases.