Good morning! When does the hike start? Typist: Bethany
It was a beautiful Wednesday morning last week in Eastern Iowa. I packed up early so we could get to hiking the trails where we were camped, Wildcat Den State Park. One of the loop trails begins at the campground, so we started there. The lovely trails weave through old deciduous forest, colorful rock bluffs and humongous carved caves. We found a lot to sniff and explore!
It was a beautiful Wednesday morning last week in Eastern Iowa. I packed up early so we could get to hiking the trails where we were camped, Wildcat Den State Park. One of the loop trails begins at the campground, so we started there. The lovely trails weave through old deciduous forest, colorful rock bluffs and humongous carved caves. We found a lot to sniff and explore!
Which trail should we take?
 I'm taking the stairs |  An interesting smelling rock |
What's in there?
There were well kept footbridges on many of the trails
A trail through the rocks
Wild Cat Den
Pine Creek
Pine Creek Grist Mill, erected around 1850 and one of the few remaining in Iowa. It is the original mill, not a replica.
 Huxley at the Pine Creek Grist Mill  Can we go in the mill? it smells yummy! |  The bridge across Pine Creek at the mill wobbled a bit but the dogs were very brave. |
On our way to the interstate we stopped to admire the mighty Mississippi. We also showed off one more state on our "States I've Visited" t-shirts. The river was very full but there was still a beach so, of course, we had yet another round of digging/wrestling/chasing beach play at yet another body of water in yet another state. We Cascadian Nomads really know how to travel!
 On our way to the Mississippi River |  Feeling Mississippi River sand between our toes |
Mississippi River, Buffalo, Iowa
I love that we find beaches wherever we roam!
 |  |
Brychwyn, Huxley & Wilhelm on the shore of a very full Mississippi River
Day three drive from Wildcat Den State Park, Iowa to Fort Kearny State Historical Park, Nebraska: 471 miles
After such exciting morning adventures in Iowa, we drove all day through the state and into central Nebraska. We arrived at Fort Kearny Recreation Area just before sunset. Our breezy camp site next to one of the ponds was a great respite from the hot drive we had all day. I slowly set up camp and 'R' Blood on the Tracks Boys sniffed the breeze in the cool grass at the ponds edge.
Chilling pond side at our camp site in Nebraska
Early in our evening, while doing a bit of cuddling and wrestling with the boys, I felt an odd lump on Huxley's chest. I rolled him over and found an engorged tick. My poor baby collie! I rushed to my K9 First Aid Kit, grabbed my Ticked-Off spoon and removed the blood sucker immediately. I cleaned the wound with an antiseptic alcohol wipe and positively identified the disgusting blob in the spoon as a brown dog tick. While Huxley was relatively undisturbed by these events, I was very stressed and upset. I did my best to stay positive for the dogs but I was so worried and grossed out. My good dogs had been so good during yet another long driving day so I worked hard to suck it up (which seems like a terrible turn of phrase for this situation, but it's what I did) and enjoy our scenic pond side camp site and the impressive Nebraska sunset. While my stomach remained too churned up to eat much dinner, the dogs happily ate all of theirs and we still had a pleasant dusk stroll around the camp ground, appreciating the fireflies coming out in this state too. I guess in nature's constant balancing act, you take the good bugs with the bad bugs.
Huxley minus his tick
Sunset at Fort Kearny Recreation Area, Nebraska
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