Going Places With Gabe & Ziva: So Long, Eastern Iowa

The one big drawback to camping in Amana was that it's about 40 minutes away from most anything we wanted to do in Cedar Rapids, whether that was a dog training class or visiting with friends. Doug returned to central Iowa on several days to work on the EJ&K Railroad there, and I was too far away for anyone to want to drop in. The problem is that there's only one reservable campground close to Cedar Rapids, Wanatee Park, and even if we had set our plans sooner when sites were available, there is a limit of 14 days out of any 21 to stay at the county campgrounds.

But we did finish out our Cedar Rapids stay at Wanatee, moving north on May 30. The next week was a whirlwind of get-togethers with friends, a chance to visit at the new Marion Library with our old Therapy Dog group, and a two-day UKC Nosework Trial where Gabe and Ziva and I had loads of fun that was only slightly tempered by an unexpected attack of atrial fibrillation (and some pretty hot and humid conditions).

Campsite A13 at Wanatee County Park Campground

Erin Kleinow made noseprint cookies for the trial, so cute (and delicious!)

Rural Benton County, Iowa, on the way to the Nosework Trial. Can you see the doe glaring at me?

Saturday Trial Lunch Break. The Trial Secretary brought the food and it was SO good!

Gabe was a good boy and completed his UKC Elite Exteriors and Elite Vehicles element titles.

Ziva was her usual fabulous self and picked up 11 Grand Champion legs

We imposed on Pat Kramer one last time to do laundry and enjoy her homemade pizza. She and I hosted a really nice Elite/Master/NW3/Detective Nosework workout despite the fact that anything that could go wrong did. I will miss that practice group a lot!

On June 6, we took the motorhome up to Independence and moochdocked with our dear friend, Pat Greenley and her faithful companion, Trooper. We had such a great time, sitting on the screened porch and catching up. The dogs and we were so tickled when Pat joined us for breakfast the next morning in her tartan flannel jammies. We didn't get enough time together -- more next time! -- and she'll hopefully come to visit this winter, too.

From there, we headed west for another Nosework trial, stopping in Anita (Hawkeye Marching Band friends, I miss you right now!) and staying at the State Park Campground. It's a pretty campground, nicely terraced so everyone has a good view of the lake, although it can make the downhill side of the shoulder-less campground roads a little scary. Not as scary as the grain truck drivers in town, though, who I thought were going to take off the side of the motorhome!