Enter to WIN!!

What is your favorite place along the River Bluffs Scenic Byway? Is it the Irish Shanti in Gunder, Spook Cave by Marquette, canoeing on the Turkey River, or maybe it’s your own home or farm? As Project Assistant for the Northeast Iowa Scenic Byways Project, I got the opportunity last week to spend a day with my sons exploring the byway. We had a great time and we were amazed at how much there was to see and do! Northeast Iowa RC&D is hosting a contest to get the word out and raise awareness of the amazing resource we have in the River Bluffs Scenic Byway. The RBSB travels through several communities in Clayton and Fayette Counties. Please take some time to discover the byway and choose a favorite place. Then, draw, photograph, or write a poem or story about it! Northeast Iowa RC&D is accepting entries from all ages! Prizes will be awarded to the winner of each category for participants from ages 5 to 14 and every entry will have the potential to be used in byway publications and on a new byway website! Please submit entries by July 31, 2009 to Northeast Iowa RC&D, Inc. PO Box 916 Postville, IA 52162.
Contact Kristin Rodas at (563) 864-7112 or kristin@northeastiowarcd.org with questions or to be added to our newsletter mailing list to learn more about this exciting project and to find out other ways you can be involved!

Want to Know More...?

In an effort to get the word out and raise awareness about the opportunities for communities along the River Bluffs Scenic Byway, I am working with several groups to arrange speaking engagements. If you know of a community group or other organization that would be interested in learning more about this project, please contact me with information so I can reach them. Email kristin@northeastiowarcd.org or contact me by phone at (563) 864-7112. There are so many exciting things happening and I can’t wait for people to realize the potential this project has for their communities!

RBSB Map

A Day on the Byway

I had the opportunity a couple of weeks ago to spend the day exploring the River Bluffs Scenic Byway with my sons. Although I was born and raised in Clayton County, I was amazed at how much there was to see and do along this 109 mile stretch of roadway in Northeast Iowa! As we headed off in the direction of the byway, I wondered if this trip was really going to keep my 6 and 4 1/2 year old rambunctious little boys entertained! After a stop at Osborne to visit Ben the bear, we headed to Pedretti’s Bakery in Elkader for breakfast...lets just say it was a delicious start to an amazing day! After walking across the Keystone Bridge while enjoying our treats, we got back in the car and headed to Guttenberg through Elkport and Garber. In Guttenberg we stopped at Lock and Dam number 10 and then headed up to the new scenic overlook on Highway 52 which my 6 year old, Kaleb, thought was the coolest thing he had ever seen! We left Guttenberg and headed to McGregor, stopping on Main Street to tour the shops. From McGregor we made our way to Spook Cave! What a great place! I hadn't been there since I was 8 years old and couldn't wait to experience it again with my kids! They loved it! From there it was on to Gunder to have lunch at the Irish Shanti...one of our favorite places! Next we checked out Skip-A-Way Resort in Clermont and the boys played in the Turkey River. When we got back in the car it was clear that my boys were exhausted. As we drove toward West Union, I looked in the rearview mirror and found them both fast asleep! Since I’d been promising ice cream all day, we stopped at The Barrel Drive-In for hot fudge sundaes, which were enough to dispel the usual “wake up grumpy” attitudes! With full tummies we made our way to Wadena to end our day with good friends playing in the stream by their house. We spent 11 hours that day exploring the River Bluffs Scenic Byway! So many lasting memories were made including when the mud on the floor of the stream swallowed up my younger son, Stellan’s, flip flop! My boys are already asking when we can go out again and see all of the things we missed because there just weren't enough hours in our day! Please take some time this summer to enjoy the River Bluffs Scenic Byway and make unforgettable memories with the ones you love!

Kristin Rodas

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