|
 | | |||||||
Left to right, Anton and Alvaro Gudiswitz bike with their parents, Joseph Gudiswitz and Ligaya
Figueras (not pictured) on a sun-drenched Heritage Trail this past Memorial Day weekend. Photos by Ligaya Figueras. by Ligaya Figueras Attractive enough to their parents was this abandoned railroad pathway which, once converted into hiking and biking trail, was sure to offer picturesque views of the area's natural resources and wildlife, a glimpse at local history and, of course, great exercise.
The Heritage Trail presents engaging close-up views of the backcountry not visible from Iowa's blue highways. We admired blooming wildflowers, especially the white clusters of Virginia waterleaf that lined the deep woodlands section of the trail. We stopped periodically on bridges to check out the creeks below and mooed back at herds of cows roaming the rolling pastures. We passed marshes and a monstrous steel trestle bridge (which lay abandoned alongside the trail), old lead mines, even a ski resort whose chair lifts sat idle. The town of Graf marked the halfway point. We opted to enjoy a leisurely picnic at Graf Park. Conveniently located alongside the trail, the city park provides trail users with a pavilion, restrooms and playground. The sun made a brief appearance and the temperature rose to a pleasurable 70 degrees during the next stage of the tour. When we encountered a "bridge out" warning sign, we stopped to confer with oncoming bikers who reassured us that the half-washed-out bridge was easily passable, though a thrill nonetheless. The course then climbed gradually, and rugged forest soon gave way to a view of river valleys, followed by acre upon acre of newly planted soybean and corn. At mile marker 20, we were hit by a downpour. To nudge our tired, wet kids another six miles, we played games. We started timing our miles – topping out at 12 mph – and enjoyed racing a distant westbound train that overtook us despite our best efforts. Dark skies loomed on the horizon when we reached the Dyersville trailhead. The wind picked up and rain sprayed our helmets. We wasted no time heralding a victory, but made a mad dash to Suite Dreams, a cozy ranch-style B&B where we would spend the night. The rain died down by the time we unloaded our bags and changed into dry clothes, so we ventured downtown to Chad's Restaurant and a pizza buffet that filled our four growling tummies. We peeked into storefronts along the main street of this quintessential country town before retiring early for the night; after a full day on the trail, everyone's batteries needed recharging. One reason we prefer to stay at B&Bs on biking excursions is because a hearty breakfast and easy-going camaraderie always await us in the morning. The selection of sausages, hot cereals, homemade waffles and pancakes served by good-natured hosts – in this case, Gene and Marita Oberbroeckling – ensures that we will not be hungry again until lunch. It would have been a sin to leave town without visiting the Basilica of St. Francis Xavier, one of only 52 Basilicas in the United States. The church's gilded interior was beautifully restored in 2001, and a view of the majestic twin gothic spires alone is worth a stop. We would have to make a return trip to check out the Woodcarving Museum and the National Farm Toy Museum. But our kids' priority, like that of the other 65,000 visitors here, was to see the Field of Dreams. The boys pedaled furiously along three miles of rural road. Upon rounding the last bend, they whooped at the sight of outfield lights. Alvaro, our older son, was so enthralled to stand on the legendary baseball diamond that he pocketed some infield dirt. Like Joe Jackson in the movie, the boys thought the Field of Dreams was heaven. I had never seen them smile so wide as when they stood at-bat to take cracks at my pitcher husband's fastballs. After playing catch and browsing the souvenir shop, we shaved a couple of miles of the return trip by following gravel backroads to link up with the trail a few miles east of town. That hilly adventure proved that we are not quite ready for RAGBRAI, the annual mass bicycle ride across the Hawkeye State. Luckily for our legs, the gently sloping (and thankfully, downhill) grade of the Heritage Trail was only a half-hour's ride from the Field of Dreams. Clear skies and a breezy 65 degrees brought out a fair amount of trailgoers. We whizzed past fathers and sons fishing together along the banks of nearby streams, past country homes where groups of children played catch while mom and dad did some holiday weekend grilling. I contemplated the simple beauty along the trail: silent waves of prairie grass, water trickling through river beds, unseen birds chirping overhead, chipmunks and squirrels sent scampering into the brush by the sound of our approaching tires. Hopefully, these trail experiences will encourage our children to become advocates for preserving such wonderful places so future generations can enjoy them. Familiar landmarks beckoned us to the finish and the boys proudly began counting down the miles. Seven to go. Six. Five. Soon it became a race. The kids boisterously jockeyed for position, but Alvaro's longer legs gave him the advantage on the final uphill climb. My husband and I arrived at the car to find the kids panting, their hair matted with sweat. "Well, would you do it again?" I asked Anton, not sure if he had yet acceded victory to his older brother. "Definitely, Mom," he answered. "Write that down," I said, "'Definitely,' not just 'yes.'" It sounds like this family is coming back to Dyersville. Ligaya Figueras is a freelance editor and writer. She has contributed to numerous newspapers, magazines and scholarly journals. Contact her at figuerasl@sbcglobal.net. Preparation tips for family biking trips Any family can enjoy a recreational bicycle ride with proper planning, gear and patience. And a longer ride, particularly one with an overnight stay, requires more preparation than a Sunday afternoon spin around a city park. One week before leaving on our Dubuque to Dyersville trip, we ran through the checklist: spare tires, fitted
helmets (we have had to buy new children's helmets every year or two because their heads grow so fast), tire pump, tool kit, panniers, racks and pouches. A day before departure, we stuffed all our biking accessories, clothes, maps and snacks into our bags, maximizing every cubic inch of available space As the family's logistics specialist, I researched Dyers-ville tourist attractions on the Internet and secured reservations at a B&B. Here are a few more tips as you do your pre-trip research and preparations.
– Ligaya Figueras
| ||||||||
Back to the top Waupaca Publishing: 717 Tenth Street * P.O. Box 152 * Waupaca, WI 54981 © 1999-2008 Site last updated 07/01/08 Designed by PBW |
||||||||
On a late Saturday morning this spring, we pulled into the eastern
trailhead two miles north of Dubuque. It was a cool 57 degrees as we unloaded the bikes and outfitted them with our gear and water bottles. The intermittent rain showers predicted for this Memorial Day weekend had already begun, but our waterproof jackets and the mature canopy of lush green provided ample shelter as the kids energetically pedaled along the curvy path of crushed limestone.
|
