Day 19 - Denison, Iowa to Colo, Iowa
The road out of Denison was a rather boring four lane version of the Lincoln Highway. Panic struck — no photos, no log; my days as an MP3-mounted Lincoln Highway reporter were over! My family wouldn’t be surprised, given that it was a typical Buddy premature stress-out. I must learn to have more faith in our road. In fact, the day ended with an excess of photos, highlights & notes…
Before we fill you in on the day’s highlights, a few comments about Marchello and Sophia, our MP3s. As in all relationships, once the honeymoon is over, a certain amount of taking-for-granted sets in. These bikes simply do not intrude on the day. They facilitate everything we do — easy on and off, no mechanical distractions, no asking, "Where’s the next gas station?" (Close to 60 MPG means a range of about 180 miles.) The ease of riding and the bikes’ reliability permit total concentration on the scenery, roadside artifacts and the nuances of state-to-state, county-to-county and town-to-town changes - many of which have eluded me on previous tours. We’ve vowed not to violate our bond with Marchello and Sophia by taking them for granted. They have chosen to take a secondary role to the Lincoln Highway…and we will be conscious and appreciative of that.
Even starting the morning on the four-lane highway, "There was a bright golden haze on the meadow…" Uh-oh. It was starting again. "The corn is as high as — ". Will this never stop? Times Square, maybe. Old Times Square where there is no corn…at least not the kind you eat.
The magnificent weather continued: 80 degrees and clear blue skies. We quickly explored Carroll, a prim little town with a plate-glass J.C. Penney and other stores neatly lining a pedestrian mall-like Main Street. This is the first town of this type we’ve seen, a little too well-scrubbed for me, but Bob thought it attractive. He always sees the best in things.
Leaving town, there was a sweeping right hand turn — great! After several hundred miles of straight road I’d finally get to lean the bike! Up ahead, an eighteen-wheeler pulled onto the road and — despite my screaming and carrying on inside my helmet — it stole my turn. I calmed down realizing that in another seventy-five miles of Iowa road there’s likely to be another sweeper.
One of the high points of the day was pulling into Jefferson, just off Highway 30. We found a wonderfully cared for, historic, county-seat town. In the downtown square (Lincoln Square), stands an imposing 1918 bronze statue of Lincoln, one of the few on the Lincoln Highway. Surrounding the square are beautifully restored commercial brick buildings dating from the late 1800s. The Sierra movie theatre resides in a building constructed in 1884. It’s an operating theatre owned by Bob Fridly (in his early 90s). There’s a modern video-rental store in its refurbished basement. The combination of video rentals and movies is a creative way to make sure this theatre isn’t done yet.
Jefferson is, in my mind, what a town should be about — cherishing the past while adapting to the present.
Before leaving town we stopped for coffee at Bunker’s Dunkers. Turns out that proprietor Randy Dunker is an avid Yankee fan. Incredibly, Randy in Iowa and me in the Bronx, both grew up loving "The Mick." (That’s Mickey Mantle for the kids reading this.)
A lovely young woman walked out of Ace Hardware as we were mounting the bikes, pointed in our direction and said, "Those are two of the most weird-looking things I ever saw". It was hard to tell if she was referring to us or the MP3s.
The local citizens donated money to pave the Lincoln Highway across Greene County. We rode out on the old Highway (E53), saw some left over Burma Shave signs - "If hugging on the highway is your sport, trade in your car for a Davenport" (A Davenport’s a type of sofa). At the intersection of E53 & Rt. 44 stood a classic abandoned Lincoln Highway service station.
In Boone, Mamie Eisenhower’s birthplace, we found the Lincoln Highway on 7th Street. We stopped at Dixie’s Diner & Sidewalk Cafe and met Sami. When asked, "How’s everything in Boone?" she answered,"it’s Boone". Sami has worked as an exotic dancer, been through a couple of unsuccessful marriages and now looks forward to relocating to Butte, MT with her boyfriend. After some further talk it becomes clear that Sami’s best years are ahead of her and that she’s not done yet.
Tonight we’re staying in Colo, IA at Reed/Niland Corner - "Where the past meets the present". This renovated cafe and gas station, established in 1923, has been identified as one of the seven key sights representing the history of the Lincoln Highway in Iowa and possibliy in the whole US.
Sandy, the site’s proprietor, was waiting to serve us dinner…and the pie was on the house. I’ll sign out from one of our best days yet on the Lincoln Highway riding our not-to-be-taken-for-granted Piaggio MP3s.
Buddy out
Every time I’m back in State Center to visit my grandparents and extended central Iowa family, we have dinner at Reed/Niland Corner. It’s a great place, friendly folks, good eatin’. My grandmother once commented when they routed the LH outside of town and paved it that my great grandfather said in disgust “they’re going to pave the whole country before too long.” If he only knew.
Too bad you didn’t find much to do in Marshalltown. There’s actually a beautiful old courthouse there. And what was Iowa’s 2nd oldest continuing operating restaurant, Stone’s, it closed for a little bit in 2007 (after 119 years), but I understand it’s come back. Great fried chicken and Mile High Lemon Chiffon pie. You’ll have to catch it next time.
Christopher: Made note of “Stones”. Thanks for the “next time” tip.