Steve and I took a drive today up to the place I spent most of my weekends when I was younger. Mom and dad had a place near Mondamin, Iowa, just off the Missouri River. The place has changed so much in 33 years, but once we got there and shut off the car, the sounds and smells brought back memories of years ago. Although our trailer is gone, I did see that the trailer my friend Chris and her family used to have. It stuck out like a sore thumb because it was kind of a 2-story trailer, never saw one like it and haven't seen one since, so I know it was theirs. I never would have thought it would still be there, although it's in a different place.
The road isn't sand anymore, like it used to be, there's crush rock over most of the roads and people are obsessed with having lawns up there, where it used to be all sand. We walked around for a bit, but I didn't see one little sand toad (my brother called them smetleys) hopping around. I wonder where they all went. There are playgrounds on both ends of the area now, we never needed playgrounds, the place used to be our playground!
Coming back home I thought about some of the people I used to hang around with then. I married (and divorced) the best friend of one of the people I hung around with. Another one lives in Texas, one was nearly killed in an electrical accident, one committed suicide, and I've lost touch with all the rest. We sure did have fun back then, though!
After we left Ivy Lane we drove through Mondamin and then through the Loess Hills to Missouri Valley, through Blair, and then home. Nice drive. I don't imagine we'll be doing that very often this summer. The price of gas actually went down from $3.83 that I paid last week to $3.69 today. Ha! I never thought I'd say that I was relieved to see gas at $3.69 - again!
3 comments:
The place has definitely changed, no doubt, but the smells and the sounds will always take you back to the good memories. Remember in the winter when other families besides us would be there but we all left at the same time if someone got stuck, someone would be able to help them out? The barges passing by and the "river raft regatta" passing by at night? You're right, the whole place was our playground. Had some close calls but nobody got hurt up there. Mel almost drown but that cute guy from next door, what was his name "Mike" I think, saved her. Our say-ons when you burned your nose on that long tapered candle (heh, heh, heh)! We really did have alot of good times up there. I'm going to have to take a drive up there soon. I'll make sure there's no bad weather in the forecast first!
Thanks again for the pics. Missfit
How can you forget the "snipe hunts", the bonfires and a fellow camper falling into an outhouse?
Oh my gosh, the outhouse incident! Ha ha ha! I wonder whatever happened to that camper? I think he became a priest! I seemed to have that effect on men... lol! The bonfires were the best times too. I also remember walking home from Fitches one night at about 2 a.m. and seeing a coyote standing in the road between me and our trailer. I ran back to their trailer so fast I don't think my feet hit the ground! Scared the living daylights out of me!
Post a Comment