Iowa High Point Trip Reports

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Hawkeye Point is in the northwest corner of Iowa only three miles from the Minnesota border. For years the farm land was owned by the Sterler family, who were happy to welcome high pointers on their property. The farm is on a dirt road and the Sterler's allowed people to walk up their driveway to reach the feeding trough that marked the high point. People would often leave old license plates from across the country and some of them were attached to the trough. There was often key chains available for visitors to take with them to remember their journey to the highest point in Iowa.

In 2007 the family sold the high point land along with seven acres surrounding it to Osceola County. This included the family's home, which has since become county office space. The county has done some renovations, including removing the feeding trough and tearing down some of the out buildings. There are a few granite monuments, a picnic area and flag pole on the site. The county has plans for many more renovations.

2005, November 18th - Kim's First Visit

This was my first year running Living History since moving to Connecticut. Todd decided to tag along to see what it was like. Since he doesn't fly, we decided to drive the Saturn half way across the country to run the race.

Before the big day, we took a slight detour into Wisconsin. I had told Todd about the Wisconsin Dells, or what I affectionately call "Dollywood of the North", and he wanted to see for himself. Of course this is their off season, so he really didn't get a true Dells experience. Somehow while growing up Todd never visited a water park. How strange is that? I made sure to include in our itinerary a visit to what is reported to be the largest indoor water park in America and it just happens to be on the main drag in the Dells.

It was snowy and cold outside, but it was very comfortable in the water park. Todd was a little apprehensive at first so we rode the slow moving lazy river for a while. When we finally took the plunge and tried one of the slides, he insisted on using a double tube with me in front for the first few trips. But after he got the hang of it, there was no stopping him. He was sprinting up the stairs so he could get another run in. I eventually tired of the water and changed into dry clothes. I stood on the sidelines taking pictures. Being the thrifty person that he is, Todd waited until after five when admission was half price and would not leave until it was almost closing time. He wanted to get his money's worth.

The next day on our way to Des Moines we drove a little out of way to visit Iowa's high point. The trip through Wisconsin and Minnesota was not pleasant with heavy snow blowing across the road. We made it safely into Iowa and were soon at the high point. It was bitterly cold and very windy. I had brought my fall coat, but it was not nearly enough. Todd brought an even lighter coat so he was even more cold than I.

We parked the car on the side of the road and quickly walked up the driveway and over to the high point. After completing Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont and Maine this year, Iowa's high point was a little disappointing. I had just escaped from the flat lands of Nebraska a few months before and now I was back in Iowa looking around at nothingness. Todd, on the other hand, is very fond of Hawkeye Point and was happy to be there. He signed the summit registry and took some pictures. After he snapped the last picture I ran to the car, happy to be out of the wind. Asta was cold too and arrived at the car soon after I did, while Todd lagged behind.

We stopped for lunch in a small town called Le Mars, the ice cream capital of the world. Blue Bunny Ice Cream is headquartered there and they make more ice cream in that town than any other town in the world. It has special meaning to me because my friend Jennifer grew up in the neighboring town of Remsen and worked for Blue Bunny while in school.

Eventually we made it to Des Moines and ran the race the next day, which was the whole point of our trip to Iowa.