A welcome home from my garden. Most of the morning glory vines aren’t ready to bloom yet, but this one was. You know I love my morning glories!
More from our adventure.
Often, as we drove across the country, something would spark our interest and whoever wasn’t driving would google the subject, like the Donner Party, the Donner Pass, the Pony Express, etc. Both the Donner Party and the Pony Express took much the same route we were driving on the I-80.
As we drove through Nebraska, we saw a sign for a Pony Express Museum in Gothenburg. Since we’d just been talking about the Pony Express in great detail the day before, we wanted to see it.
Here it is. The building was originally sited a few miles away near the river and was moved to a park in Gothenburg. This was a station where the riders changed horses – very quickly!
This was the original ad for Pony Express riders. They wanted them young, wiry, lightweight. Orphans preferred. The youngest rider was 11. He lived to be over 100 years old and died in the fifties. Buffalo Bill Cody was a Pony Express rider and several of the more well-known riders joined his show in later years.
It was only in existence for a couple of years until the telegraph came along. This was a lovely museum. While we were there, I met this sweet boy:
An Aussie Shepherd mix who reminded me a bit of my Scoutie. He was such a sweet boy and he was a rescue. His mom told me they only do rescues and since that’s what we do, we were simpatico.
It’s funny, but along the way on our journey, I would find myself thinking – just for a moment – that Scout would be waiting for us when we got home.
Back to Iowa (which turned out to be one of our favorite states). When I googled about Walnut, IA, I also learned that the guys from American Pickers had their original shop in Iowa in a town called Le Claire. When I mentioned that tidbit to Don, he immediately said “I want to go there!” Happily, I discovered that Le Claire is just off the I-80 – the last exit in Iowa – and it’s right on the Mississippi. We didn’t arrive until about 6:00 on Sunday evening, and the shops were closed. But we took pictures.
We quickly decided that we would spend the night across the river in Illinois and come back to Le Claire on Monday. We had to get inside the shops! Plus, we learned that Le Claire is a charming town and….the Mississippi River. Come on!
We crossed the river but quickly realized there was nothing nearby. We had seen a Holiday Inn Express on the river as we were leaving town, so while I turned the car around and headed back to Le Claire, Don called the Holiday Inn and found out they had a room available on the third floor, with a balcony. Oh, heaven!
We checked into the best room on our journey, walked out on the balcony and sighed with happiness. This is the sort of spontaneous thing we did on this trip and I wouldn’t have it any other way. By this time, it was about 8 pm, so we went to a restaurant called Sneaky Pete’s, which had been recommended to us by the desk clerk. Great food, a table at a window overlooking the Mississippi and these:
Ties. Everywhere. When we asked the waitress about them, she said “Cowboys don’t wear ties” was a theme of the restaurant, so visitors voluntarily doffed their ties and donated them. Many of them had notes attached.
We went back to the motel and sat out on the balcony, watching the river, listening to the sounds of the Mississippi.
The next morning, we had coffee on the balcony and I took these photos of early morning life on the river.
We checked out and headed over to Antique Archaeology – the headquarters of the Pickers. It was well before 10 am, but there were crowds of people already gathered, waiting to get in.
This is where it started, though there is now a branch in Nashville, as well.
By the way, a train runs right through town. (We love trains.) I took this shot from the parking lot of Antique Archaeology.
I’ll just leave the photos here. They tell the story.
It is the coolest place. There are antiques for sale and there are a lot of finds on display that have been chronicled on the series. Mostly, there are lots of cool souvenirs with their logo or variations on their logo (which is a wonderful design.) We bought t-shirts and mugs (my new favorite chunky diner-style mug). We talked to a lot of people – it was packed. I’m told that this is the way it always is since it’s the number one tourist attraction in Iowa.
The popularity of the show and the shops/headquarters have contributed to the growth of Le Claire, which now has more and more shops, including a West End Salvage shop (the original is in Des Moines). Since it was a Monday, several of those shops, including West End Salvage, weren’t open. Though, as Don said, “If I had a shop in Le Claire and I knew that Antique Archaeology was open every day, I’d be open every day.” Ah well. We want to go back there someday.
As to the cast of characters, Danielle lives in Chicago but is in and out of the Le Claire location for filming and office work. Mike lives in Nashville. Not sure where Frank lives, but everyone involved films and picks for two weeks of the month, the other two weeks are for time with their families.
We loved it there.
More tomorrow.
Happy Friday.
We were at Antique Archeology in February when we took a short road trip. I have some of the same pictures…lol! Did not know that West End Salvage was nearby…guess we’ll have to go back! We were surprised at how small AA actually was though…it appears much larger on tv….maybe it was just us. The view from your hotel room was so worth it…we’ll have to check out that restaurant. Enjoy your day! ;)
Everything looks larger on tv – they want it that way!
Yeah, I’ve often wondered on those “Tiny House” shows, how the camera possibly makes a 200 sq ft tiny house look a lot bigger than it really is, depending on the wide shots, etc. I love the idea of a tiny house as maybe an extension of another type of house, like a backyard studio or something but, man, to live in something that small? I’d suffocate. Great idea for, say, a young single starting out in life (or maybe a college student)…like if you could park it on your parents’ or a friend’s property. Our neighbor just bought a brand-spank’in new 27-ft “Shadow Cruiser Ultra-Lite” trailer with one of those bump-outs which gives them even more space inside and, wow, that trailer sleeps ten people and is remarkably spacious; it even has air conditioning…and a bath tub.
Can you see Don (6’4 1/2″) and me (5’9″) in a Tiny House? Yikes! I remain fascinated by them but I think you have to be very young to not mind sharing that tiny space with another person and/or pets!
Oh, you just made me laugh out loud. Of course with your heights, it would be uncomfortable. Impossible!! Or impossibly aggravating.
I think I mentioned this before, but I lived on a 46’sailboat for a month (a really long time ago; young and curious) and you get very tired of the tight squeeze. TCM…I think it was TCM…somewhat recently showed one of my most fave movies directed by Alan Alda called “The Four Seasons” and it’s all about three couples claustrophobically sharing one of these sailing ‘yachts’ for a 2-week self-directed trip in the waters of the Virgin Islands and, oh man, could I relate; I’m short and was thin at the time, so I had headroom, but my boyfriend was 6’3″ and he got really tired of bumping his head every time he’d leave the galley for the upper deck (or trying to wedge himself into a narrow, curving bow bunk and not fall out of the bunk!).
In a lot of those Tiny Homes, they scale down the furniture, too although of course the homes can be customized to the buyer’s requests…but every inch more you want on something means it’s a sacrifice in another area of the space.
I remember that movie. Enclosed small spaces with lots of people? No.
Could you imagine a company now asking those applying for a job if they are an orphan?
That view of the Mississippi River is beautiful! How lucky you were to get that room.
If you ever write a book on all of the adventures you both have had, it would be a best seller!
Have a happy weekend!
Oh, is Don ducking in that cabin? His head looks awfully close to the ceiling!
Yes, that’s Don!
I don’t know where to start? Your morning glory is gorgeous!!!!! And then sitting out on the balcony watching the Mississippi. Envy, envy. I have not ever seen the show but I am taken with the antique car and bicycle with the horse’s head is so cool. Glad you had a lot of fun and it is so good to have you back.
Thank you, Trina! It’s good to be back.
I’m loving taking this photo road trip with you.
So glad, Wendy!
Well, THAT was interesting. I have no idea what this American Pickers is; will have to look it up.
Pony Express. Yes, dangerous. As if orphans were so expendable…
LOVED the photos of the Mississippi which is a river that fascinates me. My husband, who lived some of his early life in Iowa, always makes it sound boring although he is enamored with its covered bridges. I hope to be able to someday traverse part of the great river on a boat. I enjoyed paralleling it by car on the old River Road after leaving New Orleans and heading back to Houston. I also want to take a boat on part of the Erie Canal. When my grandpa was growing up near Utica at the turn of the last century (earliest 1900s), they’d ice skate on the frozen canal on Sundays after church.
There is SO MUCH to see and do in our wonderful America. Really glad you go to experience a lot of it in these past two weeks on the road. Thanks for sharing the journey here on the blog. Now that my husband can actually start to see retirement, beckoning in the nearer future as a very real thing and not just a concept, he’s allowing himself to finally mention places he’d like to visit and, first up, is Victoria on Vancouver Island, Canada; so, I am thrilled, as I haven’t seen Victoria since 1975 and I remember British Columbia as really unique and beautiful (frankly, he said, ‘I’d like to live in Victoria, I’ve been reading a lot about it; I think it should be on our list of possibilities” – – which of course made me practically fall off my chair. He wasn’t kidding.
We were just mentioning that we’d love to take a trip across Canada, ending up in Victoria.
Oh, do it, Claudia! Find a way. You even have Canadian ancestry/heritage…
xo
What fun places to stop! I love the history of the Pony Express and the fun of Antique Archaeology! I’d love to see a close up of the coffee mugs!! I know that morning glory was to welcome you home! Hugs!
I’ll try to remember to take a picture of one of the mugs, Linda.
I enjoyed this post very much! You gave me more ideas for our trip.
Happy to be of help, Kay!
I swear this has been one of the best times I’ve ever had without leaving the house! When Mike and Frank were here, it was such fun…Mike is a really sweet, outgoing guy…You can tell how much he loves meeting people…Frank is a bit more laid back and quiet…When Mike gave me that big hug I was just about floating on air…such a good guy!…Thanks so much for showing me around the shop!
You’re very lucky to have met them, Nancy. They seem to be nice guys and I find what they do so interesting!
It is such interesting work Claudia…especially if you’re an antique lover!..I know because I was a picker…we picked PA, Virginia, West Virginia, and Maryland for I can’t remember how many years…best job ever!…Just like going on a treasure hunt….Didn’t have a shop…sold on eBay…plus has a full time job…I miss those days so much!
How neat that you were a picker, Nancy! I was just saying to Don last night that I think it would be so much fun!
So funny! We actually have a road trip planned on next Friday to go to Le Claire!! They have visitor ads on TV here, and although we have been there before, it hasn’t been recently. It is an easy day-trip.
Thanks again for sharing with us. The sweet pup was so cute and I can see how he would have reminded you of Scout. Hope your Friday is going well!
Have fun in Le Claire. Eat at Sneaky Pete’s!
Fun posts, sounds like you had the perfect road trip! Iowa, here I come. Gayle, visiting in 🇮🇪 Ireland
Iowa turned out to be one of our favorite states, Gayle. I’ve been there several times before but for specific visits: Iowa City, Cedar Rapids, Cedar Falls. This time I got more of a sense of the whole thing and corn season was the perfect time to visit.