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The Great Departure: Murphy’s Law Strikes Early
They say the best-laid plans are a recipe for success, but nobody warns you about the best-laid plans of RV adventurers. After a heroic packing session the night before with our amazing crew—Ann, Mark, and the irreplaceable Tina—we thought we had everything under control.
But sometime in the wee morning hours, our trusty refrigerator decided to stage a rebellion. Nothing says “road trip ready” like warm milk! Thankfully, Todd swooped in like the RV whisperer he is and fixed that situation. Crisis averted—or so we thought.
Rolling at 7:20: The Inaugural Reba Inspection
We hit the road at 7:20 AM, spirits high and expectations higher. Our first pit stop? A thorough “walk around” inspection of our beloved RV, affectionately dubbed Reba. Like new parents checking on their sleeping baby, we circled around her with anxious eyes, making sure everything was still where it belonged.
After offering up prayers of gratitude and safe travels to our Heavenly Father, we set our sights on “sunny tropical Iowa”—because nothing says tropical like the Midwest in… well, any season.
Plot Twist: The Case of the Missing Screws
Just 30 miles from Ames, Todd noticed something troubling in the rearview mirror. Our back window had mysteriously become “latched” (which sounds much more dignified than “partially detached and flapping in the breeze”). A roadside investigation revealed the culprit: two screws had abandoned their post.
Ah, the glamorous life of RV travel! Nothing like an unscheduled Walmart store visit to add some excitement to your journey. At least we’re collecting stories faster than we’re collecting miles.
Winterset, Iowa: Mission Covered Bridges
Our destination? The historic covered bridges of Winterset, Iowa. Our mission? See these architectural treasures without getting Reba stuck on some impossibly narrow country road. The good news: we successfully navigated the area without requiring a search and rescue operation.
The bridges themselves were absolutely stunning—these 1800s masterpieces standing proud against the Iowa landscape. We managed to admire them from respectable distances, never actually needing to attempt threading a 25-foot RV through a bridge built for horse-drawn carriages.
The only downside? Those gravel roads. Todd and I, both country kids turned city dwellers, had conveniently forgotten how gravel dust has a supernatural ability to infiltrate every possible surface. Reba now wears a fine coating of authentic Iowa soil, and we’re pretty sure we’ll be finding dust in places we didn’t know existed. But hey, it was absolutely worth it for those gorgeous bridges. “The Bridges of Madison County” view was amazing
Furry Co-Pilots: Willow and Aspen’s Travel Reviews
Our four-legged travel companions, Willow and Aspen, are giving this road trip two paws up. They’ve embraced the RV lifestyle with enthusiasm, though they’re both convinced that the passenger seat is their personal throne.
Unfortunately, my lap has proven inadequate for accommodating two dogs simultaneously. What started as cozy cuddle sessions quickly devolved into a game of “musical dogs” with nobody particularly comfortable.
Covered Bridge Winery: A Silver Lining
Just when we thought the day couldn’t get more interesting, we discovered the Covered Bridge Winery. Perfect timing led us to a delightful wine flight just before they closed and I’m happy to report that Iowa winemaking has seriously stepped up its game. They had several of our Minnesota favorite grapes featured in their wines (Marquette and Fontenette).
Unfortunately, they had a private party booked that evening that we were shockingly not invited to so selected a couple of bottles for the road—purely for medicinal purposes, of course.
Evening Entertainment: Generator vs. Air Conditioning
As evening approached, Reba decided to provide us with more “learning opportunities.” Our generator apparently has commitment issues and keeps shutting off whenever we ask it to power the air conditioning. Todd channeled his inner mechanic and tried every troubleshooting trick in the book, but our generator remains stubbornly uncooperative with its air conditioning nemesis
Fortunately, Mother Nature took pity on us and provided some natural cooling. We discovered that running the main engine gives us blessed AC relief. At least it’s playing nice
It’s frustrating, sure, but we’re bound and determined to embrace every challenge this adventure throws our way. After all, the best stories come from the moments when everything goes sideways.
Nebraska, Here We Come!
We are now Nebraska-bound, armed with wine, determination, and hopefully a few more screws (both literal and metaphorical).
Keep us in your prayers, folks—at this rate, we’re going to need all the divine intervention we can get!
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