Day 1

Well we started our trip out west. Just like the pioneers 150 years ago. We packed our Ford Explorer with clothing, gear (laptops, mp3 players, and etc), filled our cooler full of ice. First stop was to Dollie, Brad and Amelia Bothwell farm just a few miles south of Moorhead, Iowa. I've known Dollie since we were art students at Simpson College. We started about 4pm and but did not get out of Indianola and Des Moines until 5pm after running a few errands and stops. All went well until we ran out of pavement and tried following the directions from Dollie and Google Maps. Dollies’ directions did not mention following the gravel road around a curve. We thought we went the wrong way. We turned around back to the curve and took a level B road (140^th). It turned into a muddy rut filled road. No way to turn around, afraid to stop we forged ahead. Each hill we came up on we thought over the other side we would be on a good gravel road. Nope, more ruts and mud. Some of the ruts were a foot or so deep and they would zigzag across the road. We ended up crossing these. With no mobile phone service we thought we would get stuck and Dollie would have to send out a search party. Or, we (I say we but it would have been me) would have to hike back to a main road and wave someone down. Anyway, just like the pioneers we forged forward and we did not break an axle or damage a tire. We made it to the other side to Nash Trail. Ended up following Nash Trail around to 130^th Street and ran into Newark Ave. Yea. Decided to follow Newark and finally found Bothwell Farm at 8pm.

Dollie and Amelia greeted us with their dog Hunter. Since we got to the farm so late, Dollie whipped up a meal for the hungry travelers.

After supper she took us into Moorhead to check out her shop for quilting. The building looked as if it was pulled out of the 1880’s off the main street of western town. She gave us a brief lesson on how to us it, looks easier than it is. Marissa even tried to use the laser guided sewing machine used for quilting.

We went back to the farm. We were put up in the Bothwell luxury suite (fifth wheel). These were excellent accommodations.