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Winterset, Iowa – 8/17/2016

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August 17, 2016 (Wednesday)

Today was supposed to be a down day of catching up on the blog but we got restless and needed gas and coffee creamer so….we explored, after we had leftover beans for lunch.

Today’s drive was about 50 miles to Winterset, Iowa. Winterset is home to “The Bridges of Madison County” movie starring Merle Streep and Clint Eastwood, and also the covered bridges. A bonus is that it is also the birth place of John Wayne! Lovely drive with lots of trees, fields of corn, soy bean, beautiful homes, and tons of old barns. We went through one really cute town. Loved it. Can just imagine what it would have been like back in the day when everyone knew everyone.

There are so many old barns along every way in Iowa.
There are so many old barns along every way in Iowa.
Some just don't look safe to go inside.
Some just don’t look safe to go inside.
Others look nice and very functional.
Others look nice and very functional.
Then again, many, not so much.
Then again, many, not so much.

We almost got into Winterset when we saw a sign for Hogback covered bridge. After going down a gravel road for about three or four miles, we found it! Yep, it was an old covered bridge all right. Kinda cool but they don’t use it anymore as it was blocked off. You can walk on it but can’t drive. I think I prefer the ones you can drive on in Oregon.  I insisted that we had to see at least two bridges otherwise it would just be the bridge of Madison County.

The road was immediately gravel.
The road was immediately gravel.
A modest covered bridge.
A modest covered bridge.

Anyway, we decided to find a laundromat in Winterset so we could kill two birds with one stone – get our clothes clean and explore the area. After plugging in one, we followed the GPS and found out it was no longer there. We tried again and this time we found one basically right across the street from the “John Wayne Birthplace Museum.”

Got into town.
Got into town.
Main street is now John Wayne Drive.
Main street is now John Wayne Drive.
Picture of another covered bridge.
Picture of another covered bridge.
County seat. Beautiful old building and the tallest around.
County seat. Beautiful old building and the tallest around.
Pretty old churches.
Pretty old churches.
We parked in back of the laundromat.
We parked in back of the laundromat.
The brown building across the way is the museum.
The brown building across the way is the museum.

After we put our laundry in, we walked over to the museum and looked around. I guess we didn’t appreciate just how many movies he had made.

Marble stones commemorating each movie.
Marble stones commemorating each movie.
The length of both sidewalks in front of the museum.
The length of both sidewalks in front of the museum.
Lots of movies.
Lots of movies.
Nice building.
Nice building.
Nice statue.
Nice statue.
His real name: Marion Robert Morrison. Reminds us he was actually pretending in all those movies and he did it well.
His real name: Marion Robert Morrison. Reminds us he was actually pretending in all those movies and he did it well.

We also ran in to some people we had seen yesterday at the State Capitol. They were headed out to to the Missouri Capitol tomorrow in their motorhome. Was fun seeing them again so soon.  We asked if they were following us.  They decided to go into the museum (about $15.00 per person), but Michael and I didn’t want to spend that much money. We like John Wayne but…..

This fellow was sentimentally attached because his dad was a dead ringer for the Duke and even talked and sounded like him.
This fellow was sentimentally attached because his dad was a dead ringer for the Duke and even talked and sounded like him.
It was free to roam through the gift shop.
It was free to roam through the gift shop.

We finished up our laundry and then headed out to the City Park. What a beautiful, beautiful huge park with the Cutler-Donahue covered bridge. I guess some of the movie “Bridges of Madison County” was filmed in the park.

The Cutler-Donahue Bridge in City Park.
The Cutler-Donahue Bridge in City Park.
Side view.
Side view.

We drove up to the Clark Tower, which the drive itself was a treat, but the tower was pretty cool. It’s a memorial to a family that lived there back in the late 1800’s. It looks like a castle tower and has three floors. The steep ladder up to the third floor was kinda tricky, as were the broken rock steps, but it’s fun if you’re careful. The views from the top were pretty amazing.

Another bridge, in Madison County, on the way to Clark Tower.
Another bridge, in Madison County, on the way to Clark Tower.
Clark Tower.
Clark Tower.
Steps up to the third level.
Steps up to the third level.
View from the top.
View from the top.
Grumpy yelling, "Woman, get back down here, this rickety place is going to fall down any second!"
Grumpy yelling, “Woman, get back down here, this rickety place is going to fall down any second!”

We headed back into town and saw where John Wayne was born. Pretty neat. We were thinking of our friend, Sally, who absolutely adores John Wayne and all things John Wayne. Wishing she were there to see it but, hopefully, one day she’ll get there. We had seen pictures of all the covered bridges in the John Wayne Museum, and they all looked alike. We decided we had seen enough covered bridges and would pass on finding any more.

The house where John Wayne was born.
The house where John Wayne was born.

Winterset is such a quaint little town with a beautiful town center, main street, and parks. It feels homey and safe. We looked at prices on homes but they seemed steep to us for most of the properties.  There sure are a lot for sale and we wonder why, must be a reason.

We headed back to Panora and stopped to get coffee creamer. Got home and Michael went right to work making the most delicious lemon chicken pasta dish. My new favorite. We’ll have leftovers for lunch tomorrow.

That was our day. Hope yours was great!