Day 12 - ending at Laurens, Iowa - Following the Straight Path

May 29, 2010

Day 12 - ending at Laurens, Iowa

rode on Three Rivers Trail

Day 12 - Dakota City, IA to Laurens, IA

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Woke up at 7:15am to another beautiful day.

my campsite by East Fork Des Moines River at Dakota City Memorial Park - Dakota City, IA

old (broken) dam on East Fork Des Moines River - Dakota City, IA

prepared to measure high water on East Fork Des Moines River - Dakota City, IA

Last night at Casey's I'd gotten location information from the clerk on a good restaurant for breakfast, and was looking forward to it.

I packed up and left the city park at 9:45am, arriving at the Backseat Diner & Drive-In in Humboldt at 10:11am.

Backseat Diner & Drive-In - Humboldt, IA

Had another substantial meal (country-fried steak with sausage gravy, hash browns, toast, orange juice, and coffee).

Left at 11:03am, but stopped shortly thereafter, having found a good spot to let breakfast settle.

Joe Reasoner Dam on Des Moines River - Humboldt, IA

Des Moines River backwater - Humboldt, IA

I followed North 15th Street to get back on the trail. Tried a shortcut past a trucking business, but that didn't go all the way through. Finally connected at Kentucky Avenue.

Three Rivers Trail looking west - Humboldt County, IA

At 12:09pm I was in Rutland. They have a nice picnic shelter.

At times the trail was right next to the Des Moines River.

Des Moines River along the Three Rivers Trail - Humboldt County, IA

At 2:15pm I was at Rolfe - the end of the trail. I stopped at the Pronto gas station/convenience store, buying a Mug Root Beer and a Strawberry Crush sodas. I drank one outside and saved one.

Back on county roads. This one wasn't so bad.

465th Street west of Rolfe - Pocahontas County, IA

I was ready for another break when I neared Havelock. Downtown, at 3:50pm, I sat on a porch stoop for a building that is no longer there.

Nearby was a sign about Pocahontas County historical sites. Laurens was listed! I was getting close.

I rolled into Laurens from the southeast, riding through Sportsman Park as I looked for the Time-to-Spare Campground. I found it at 5:00pm.

Time to Spare Campground at Sportsman Park - Laurens, IA

There were five camping sites, with five different-colored picnic tables. I chose the blue one on the south end, and self-registered. I couldn't find a shower house, but there was a restroom a good walk away in the middle of the park. As soon as I got unpacked and set up, I headed toward the Pizza Ranch my PN-20 GPS indicated was downtown.

I was a little disappointed that this Pizza Ranch didn't have a Saturday evening buffet, but still enjoyed a Roundup Mini pizza with root beer. Done at 7:00pm, it was time to explore the town! Across the street was the bar from the opening scene in the movie The Straight Story.

"We're Waitin'." - Sig, *The Straight Story*

North Third Street on a Saturday night - Laurens, IA

South Third Street on a Saturday night - Laurens, IA

The elevator seen and mentioned in the movie was also easy to find.

"Listen to that old grain elevator." - Alvin Straight, *The Straight Story*

Looks like Laurens is a two-elevator town. This one is on the west side of town.

I rode west and east on Main Street looking for the vacant lot where the Straight house had been (the house was destroyed by an act of arson on July 21, 2007), but I couldn't find it. Then I remembered it might have been on Section Road to the north. Sure enough. The houses on either side still looked as they did in the movie (except there was now a driveway that wasn't in the movie by the house to the east).

house to the west of the Straight house lot location

house to the east of the Straight house lot location

Back to town to get a picture of the water tower shown in the opening credits of the movie.

looking north at the water tower - Laurens, IA

Here are a few pictures of locations not shown in the movie. The park was just north of downtown.

I was taking this 'bank' building picture when a couple walked by. The wife said to me, "I feel like jumping in front of your camera while you're trying to get a picture." She then showed me how she'd do it. She jumped quite well, but my camera missed her.

fire destroyed the original buildings at this location in 1898 - Laurens, IA

This photo is from the west side of town - the farthest west I'd be on this trip.

UP tracks looking west from 130th Avenue (N. Rush Lake Road) - Laurens, IA

Back past the empty Straight lot one more time on my way to the campsite.

I observed a Jack Links distribution facility on the northeast side of town, which got me thinking 'beef jerky'!

I was back at the campsite at 8:06pm, which left enough time for an evening campfire.

farthest south campsite at Time to Spare Campground - Laurens, IA

"A day always ends better with a campfire." - my friend Jim

It was good to be in Laurens!

Subject: Jeff report
Sent [by Tahdra]: Saturday, 5-29-2010, 10:15 PM
Jeff made it to Laurens! He set up his tent at the Time to Spare campground - brand new - has the place to himself. Took a bunch of pictures of the town - enough that people were noticing! Went 39 miles today. ~Tahdra

Day Twelve: 43 miles in 7 hours, 15 minutes = 6.0 mph average progress.

Spent: $10.93 plus $2 (breakfast) + $2 (sodas) + $15 (campsite fee) + $6.61 plus $1 (supper) = $37.54.

Today's ride: 43 miles (69 km)
Total: 559 miles (900 km)

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