We landed in jail
Richard and I took our new electric vehicle, Evie, on a trek to Elkader, a picturesque northeast Iowa town on the Turkey River. The mission was to meet Outdoor writer Larry Stone and his wife, Margaret, for the purpose of assisting the semi-retired journalist to launch his first column on Substack.
We have liftoff. Larry Stone: Listening to the Land. Please welcome the newest member of the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative.
Long-time readers of The Des Moines Register will remember the conservationist’s writings tucked inside the Big Peach (sports section). It was packaged as a hunting and fishing column, but Larry Stone included posts about canoe trips, walks in the woods, and issues related to the outdoors life.
Stone began his career at The Des Moines Register over five decades ago.
“It was January 4, 1971,” said Stone. “There was a blizzard that day.”
The answer was pure Stone: detailed, with an awareness of the environment around him.
He ended his career when editors required him to move from the home he and his wife had built on 100 acres of northeast Iowa, to Des Moines.
It was a tough but easy decision; tough, because he felt he had had the ideal assignment traveling the state for a couple of decades, but easy, because he and his wife wouldn’t consider leaving the sanctuary they created. Their home is just where you’d expect a couple of nature-lovers to land after exploring the most beautiful rivers, streams and parks in the state.
Although semi-retired, Stone has written five books, does public speaking, and most recently has been involved in a lawsuit the Sierra Club is waging over the DNR’s approval of a plan for how to manage the manure from 11,600 cattle.
For more on this story: The Des Moines Register, Iowa Public Radio, Todd Dorman, Cedar Rapids Gazette, Jared Strong, Iowa Capital Dispatch.
Bloody Run, and water quality
On Monday, May 8, our Zoom lunch session will feature Chris Jones, who recently left a position with the University of Iowa over pressure to change his public postings on the water quality testing he’s lead; and Robert Leonard, who broke the story behind why he left. To receive the Zoom link on Monday morning, be sure you are a subscriber to this column. You do not have to pay, but those who do are supporting scholarships for the Okoboji Writers’ Retreat, September 17-20.
So, what’s it like to drive an EV from Des Moines, to Clayton County to Dickinson County, Iowa?
This driver deemed it fun. My partner, however, was stressing over whether we could find a charging station in rural parts of the state.
Our relationship is 99% harmonious, with a small exception. If we were the XM radio lineup, he’s more of a Willie’s Roadhouse guy, whereas I’m a Coffee House, podcast listener. Another slight difference in our approach to life is found in the interpretation of ‘trusting the universe.’
When it comes to uncharted territory, he’s more of a what’s-the-worst-thing-that-can-happen kind of planner; where I am more of a hey-what’s-the-worst-thing-that-can-happen? kind of an adventurer. The key difference is the shrug, no problem, attitude. Road-tripping in an electric car brought those two distinct personality styles to the forefront.
Larry Stone quipped:
“The discussions you and Richard may have had about charging stations might compare to Margaret and my pondering which channel to take through the rapids in our canoe!”
In hindsight, we spent more time looking for charging stations than we needed to, but that obsession will ease up in time with practice. In addition to the navigation system in our KIA EV6, we plan ahead with various apps showing where chargers are located. From our limited experience so far, Kwik Star seems to be a step ahead of competitors in providing this service. As a result, the stores become a magnet for traveling customers with EVs.
Julie and Richard spend the night in an Elkader jailhouse
True. We spent the night in the Jailhouse Inn.
As far as rankings of unusual places we’ve stayed, this remodeled jail is either number one or two. Not just the physical space, but when I booked the room, instructions were e-mailed as to how to enter the facility with a keypad code, where the room was located, and the keypad code for the room.
No one was there. The entire time we were there.
The Jailhouse Inn was nicely renovated, and beautifully situated overlooking the town of Elkader, but it felt eerie to experience ‘hospitality’ in an almost ghostly way.
I don’t believe in ghosts. I don’t believe in ghosts. I don’t believe in ghosts.
But as I found myself later that night in a half-sleep state I saw a vision of a smokey blue/gray, darkened area, with hollowed faces staring out at me. The images changed, and were foreboding. Later, in a deep sleep-state, I had a nightmare where women were burning in hell.
There’s no such thing as ghosts, I said to myself.
In the middle of the night, Richard heard strange noises he thought indicated someone had entered the inn and was in the kitchen. He checked it out, but no one was there.
We don’t believe in ghosts. We don’t believe in ghosts.
As the sun came up, I heard the same noise, and we were baffled.
Turns out there were two glass doors hung behind the bed, so if we moved, it caused them to bump together and make the unusual sound.
We don’t believe in ghosts, so are grateful to have an explanation. We don’t believe in ghosts.
I discovered a podcast interviewing the owner, who describes himself as a ‘motivational speaker’ and real estate ‘titan.’ Check it out.
If you want to know more about the history of the Jailhouse Inn, here is a story by WHO-TV, Oct. 20, 2020.
Would I recommend an overnight stay at the Jailhouse Inn? The adventurer here says, sure, all things considered. However, If you look at the Trip Advisor recommendations, please note the majority were written under the former innkeeper’s ownership.
As for the Jailhouse Inn, if your idea of a charming bed and breakfast includes the personality of the innkeeper, you’ll be disappointed. And, there was a surprise $75 additional ‘cleaning fee’ added at the final step of the online booking process, in addition to a $99 room rate. As for ‘bed and breakfast,’ we only found coffee pods and a Keurig coffee maker. Plus, guests are given instructions to strip their beds, take out any garbage, and turn out the lights.
Hospitality without a host may be your jam, if so, consider this a good review.
Elkader and northeast Iowa are to be seen. Some of the prettiest towns in America can be found in Clayton, Dubuque, and Allamakee counties.
Hit the road. And, don’t be afraid to get an electric vehicle.
Grab a blue cheese and sauerkraut hamburger at the Franklin Inn in Strawberry Point, and be grateful for what we have here in the state. Which, by the way, is worth preserving.
The Iowa Writers’ Collaborative members offer a slice of life in Iowa not found elsewhere. If you can pay to subscribe to any of them individually, great. If are not able to at this time, subscribe at no charge. Both are much appreciated. And you won’t have to wait for the Sunday Roundup to see their columns on the day they are filed.
Laura Belin: Iowa Politics with Laura Belin, Windsor Heights
Doug Burns: The Iowa Mercury, Carroll
Dave Busiek: Dave Busiek on Media, Des Moines
Art Cullen: Art Cullen’s Notebook, Storm Lake
Suzanna de Baca Dispatches from the Heartland, Huxley
Debra Engle: A Whole New World, Madison County
Julie Gammack: Julie Gammack’s Iowa Potluck, Des Moines and Okoboji
Joe Geha: Fern and Joe, Ames
Jody Gifford: Benign Inspiration, West Des Moines
Nik Heftman, The Seven Times, Los Angeles and Iowa
Beth Hoffman: In the Dirt, Lovilla
Dana James: New Black Iowa, Des Moines
Pat Kinney: View from Cedar Valley, Waterloo
Fern Kupfer: Fern and Joe, Ames
Robert Leonard: Deep Midwest: Politics and Culture, Bussey
Tar Macias: Hola Iowa, Iowa
Kurt Meyer, Showing Up, St. Ansgar
Wini Moranville, Wini’s Food Stories, Des Moines
Kyle Munson, Kyle Munson’s Main Street, Des Moines
Jane Nguyen, The Asian Iowan, West Des Moines
John Naughton: My Life, in Color, Des Moines
Chuck Offenburger: Iowa Boy Chuck Offenburger, Jefferson and Des Moines
Barry Piatt: Piatt on Politics: Behind the Curtains, Washington, D.C.
Macey Spensley, The Midwest Creative, Davenport and Des Moines
Larry Stone, Listening to the Land, Elkader
Mary Swander: Mary Swander’s Buggy Land, Kalona
Mary Swander: Mary Swander’s Emerging Voices, Kalona
Cheryl Tevis: Unfinished Business, Boone County
Ed Tibbetts: Along the Mississippi, Davenport
Teresa Zilk: Talking Good, Des Moines
The Iowa Writers Collaborative is also proud to ally with Iowa Capital Dispatch.
Back in 1982, we took our Volkswagen van to Elkader and Strawberry Point for a camping honeymoon. We loved the hotel in Strawberry Point, Backbone State Park, and camping in a pup tent. I think the van only broke down twice.
We are still together but have given up tent camping. My husband still loves fly fishing on Bloody Run Creek. Looking forward to learning more about the court case.
Cheers!
As an EV owner of almost 16 months and 22K, let me welcome you to the club. Apps, as you have found, are your friend. You might find, later on, that you end up classifying your favorite chargers not by WHERE they are deployed, but rather by whom they are operated. For example, in this case you liked the Shell ReCharge charger at the Kwik Star. You may end up liking Electrify America or ChargePoint or others. It's a true adventure with chargers. Enjoy the ride and welcome to the club!!