rest stop

over fall break last month I went out to Iowa to visit friend Patti. it was a very nice trip, and we watched some cool shows and knitted and crafted and went to the theatre and made pizza and did all the best things. 

this post is not about my visit, though. it is about a tiny spot where I paused on my way from east to west across the plains.

if you turn north on I-380 from I-80, toward Cedar Rapids, then at some point right before exit 13 on that road, just barely across the Linn county line, you'll come to the nicest little rest stop I have ever experienced. 

it's basically American Gothic themed. the pavilions outside are built to look like stylized covered wagons, and there are glowing church windows set up as artsy lighting along the sidewalks. 

I very much enjoyed stopping there. who knows if you'll ever have an excuse to be traveling northbound on I-380 in that stretch of latitude, but if you do, this would be a cool place to stretch your legs and refill the water bottles.



here's a map, for the curious virtual-explorer. the street-view versions have even more up-to-date photos, too.