Bad News - Good News

After spending six months with mother I've become accustomed to some of her non-voiced signals (too bad I have some similar ones) so I know my leaving was hard for her however I left anyway. Unfortunately lots of the things I would have liked to do before I left didn't get done because of the cold, rainy weather we had toward the end of April. Not only did tasks go undone, packing was a total pain, literally and figuratively. So, most of the stuff was simply dumped wherever it would fit. What a mess!

Since I wanted to leave mother's house reasonably tidy, I didn't actually leave until early afternoon. And then I only went as far as the local auto parts store. New-to-me car only had a plug for U-Haul wiring and Scout has a regular trailer type plug. Good news – the parts guy was very persistent in finding a solution for me. Two hours later I was happily sitting in the parking lot wiring a plug. Yes, I did have all the tools I needed with me, even electrical tape ( they carry it at the Dollar Tree – my current fav store). Plug worked, lights worked and I headed south to my first destination, Mankato MN. Except, as I neared town, the radio told me there was close to 100% change of rain for the next two days! Been there, done that – shuffling stuff in my storage locker in the rain doesn't work for me. 

Plan B – skip Mankato and spend an extra day or two at the state park near Albert Lea. It's called Big Island, I've never been there and I had planned on having my boat done so I could play in the lake. Boat is still in-process in mother's basement. Note to self – Do Not use fiberglass epoxy inside. Bad news – house still stank of it a week later. Good news – mother's smeller has faded so she doesn't know.

Someplace in the leaving I'd missed the weatherman's entire spiel about a narrow band of hideous weather zapping places south of Minneapolis. As I moved east toward I-35 a sprinkling of snow appeared. It was rather pretty, kind of like powdered sugar dusted over the top of a chocolate sponge cake. Pretty soon there was signs that the road had been plowed. Since the snow looked really heavy, that did make some sense but I saw places that looked like drifting?

Once again I'd set the GPS to shortest route so I don't have a very clear idea of what Albert Lea is like nor is my view of Big Island particularly inspiring. Bad news – they had 10” of snow and sap froze in trees which caused branches 6-8” in diameter to snap like twigs. Bad news – the roads were barely plowed in the park and camping spots buried. Good news – X, the car, has a 4-wheel option or I would still be stuck there.

I talked to the park hosts. One left in the middle of the night after the electricity in his campground went out. There are were so many branches down he couldn't get back in though he tried, cause that's when I talked to him. The other host is the one who actually measured the snow. He told me there had been 40 mph winds and some highways had drifted shut. Fortunately his campground is has open sites with trees back from the road so the downed branches didn't shut it down. Bad news – the park is expensive. Good news – the park was empty, electricity was on and my heater works so I stayed on the road and Scout was fine for sleeping.

Plan C – skip Forestville, MN, skip Decorah, IA and go directly to Dubuque IA. One of the guys told me St. Charles, IA had more snow than the park so come morning, I headed south on I-35. Parts of the interstate was only one lane and when I tried to head east, the wind was so strong every little icy spot shifted me toward the edge of the road. Bad news – roads were treacherous. Good news – X has 4-wheel drive!

On-the-Fly Plan – there was snow all the way to Des Moines. The Des Moines River is just south of the city and its been dammed, maybe damned, into Red Rock Reservoir. Where there is a reservoir there will be camping, in this case Elk Rock State Park. I crossed the river and magically, no snow! So I stopped. Because instead of snow I now had RAIN!!!. It rained all afternoon, it rained all the next day, it rained all morning of another day. Then there was sun! And warm temperature!

Yesterday was sunny and warm all day, so sunny and warm one of the park guys mowed grass. The robins are crazy, some wild plums are blossoming and the park is nearly empty. I'm staying awhile, long enough to tidy Scout, tidy X and smell the dandelions ( they too are blooming).