County Fair, Back Roads and Mississippi River Views
Dan and Karen on another trip? Yep. We had been planning to go trout fishing but our plans shifted and we ended up making a road trip with stops at a county fair, farmer’s market and a few scenic Mississippi River towns.
On Friday evening we went to the Dubuque County Fair where country artist Jerrod Niemann headlined in the covered grandstand. The Kansas native’s radio hits, including Lover, Lover, Drink to That All Night and What Do You Want meshed well with the fair’s easy-going, breezy vibe. We liked opener Neil Hewitt who sang a mix of originals and covers including a nice rendition of George Strait’s Amarillo By Morning. Of course we enjoyed some fair food and a walk through the dairy barn. With gate admission just $10, $5 parking across the road, free grandstand tickets, $3 beers,$2 popcorn and $1.50 ice cream cones, we sure didn’t spend much cash for a fun evening. The clean bathrooms and friendly volunteers who run the food stands were a bonus. Good entertainment value!
On Saturday morning we took a walk around the city of Dubuque and checked out the farmer’s market. Then it was on toward the north via Route 52. I love the Grant Wood-worthy views of rolling farmland with tall corn met by tall steeples in every small town. We saw quite a bit of the Mississippi River, too, and pulled off at a scenic overlook to snap a selfie and buy some honey. We especially liked the town of Guttenberg, IA, where a gambrel roofed, stone hotel called The Landing sits near the river and calls us back. We’ll return when our friends Mike and Cathy can join us and maybe bring their boat. We can fish then. We ended our jaunt in McGregor where there are lots of bikers and little shops.
This weekend marked our third get-away for the summer. We feel very fortunate because there were lots of years we couldn’t travel as a couple. I guess we are making up for lost time. And we find lots to see and discuss along the way. #love #carefreehighways #MightyMississippi #Iowa
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2 Responses to “County Fair, Back Roads and Mississippi River Views”
Thank you for this piece highlighting a scenic area and the friendly people from a place I call home. Only thing better from a county fair is a state fair and Iowa does it right!
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You sure live in a pretty part of our state! My husband and I were both in 4-H and we love fairs. Ours is this week and, yes, the state fair is on our radar.
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