I have started planning a fantasy
trip to the Midwest. It’s silly, I know,
but if I were to win a trip anywhere in the world, I’d go to Russell, Iowa and
Capa, South Dakota. I think that because
I don’t ask for Paris, I should get two small towns, don’t you? I can work it in one trip, so they only need
to fly me to Minneapolis (see how thoughtful I am?).
Here is my fantasy plan:
Fly into Minneapolis on a
Wednesday. See my Minnesota family and
friends Wednesday night and then on Thursday drive to Chariton (it’s a 6-hour
drive). Chariton is where I will stay for a few days (it’s close to Russell and
where the library and courthouse are).
On Friday, I’ll visit the library and cemetery and just drive around,
getting my bearings. On Saturday, I’ll
drive to Oskaloosa, What Cheer and Chillicothe, visiting the libraries and
museums there. On Sunday, I will visit
Zero and, if they will have me, visit with my friends in Des Moines. Monday I will spend in Russell walking the
town and exploring. Monday night will be
the Lucas County Genealogical Society meeting, which I will attend. Then Tuesday I will head to Minneapolis again
and pick up Grampa (in my fantasy, Grampa flies out from Seattle to go with me
to Capa). I get Grampa and then we head
to Midland where we have a hotel reservation.
We spend a few days in Midland while
Grampa walks me through the ghost town of Capa.
We compare my working map with what he remembers this trip and make it
more accurate. I keep copious notes for
the book about Capa that I will someday write.
We then head to Sheridan where
Grampa can show me the work he did while in the CCCs. Then to Lead and the other mining towns where
Grandma’s family lived/lives. We head
back and I fly him home to Seattle and then come home myself.
I think it’s doable. It’s my dream trip. Pathetic, right? But aside from pathetic… DOABLE!!! It’s not really a “dream.” It’s a to-do list for the future.
I'll meet you in What Cheer! j x
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