Day 3

I didn’t sleep much last night. I woke up thinking about Dad and couldn’t fall back to sleep. I didn’t sleep well last summer either while we were away. Maybe it’s because being on vacation reminds me of Dad and all the fun times we had when I was a kid. Even now — while spouse and son sleep — I can’t, which is why I am writing.

If you hate to hike and aren’t interested in history you would be miserable going on vacation with me. After two days of sitting in the car. I was happy to hike in two different parks today.

We started our day in Maquoketa Caves State Park, which the rangers we spoke with yesterday recommended. G3 had a blast exploring the different caves. I think it has been the highlight of the trip for him so far.

Next we drive North to Effigy Mounds National Monument. My spouse was less than enthused but I found them interesting. They were built by the Native Americans going back 3,000 years. The conical mounds are burial sites but the effigy mounds — shaped like animals, mostly bears — generally aren’t. No one really knows why they were built. We took hike to see several of the mounds and the views along the Mississippi were pretty.

We are all very happy to be in cheese curd country. For dinner we ate at Culver’s. G3 loves their burgers. I like to eat there because there are things on the menu I actually eat. Okay, mashed potatoes and broccoli may not sound filling, but broccoli satisfies my craving for greens.