"The Back Roads of Wisconsin and Iowa"

 

On a recent November morning I pointed the truck in the general direction of Prairie Du Chien Wisconsin and points beyond. Once you pass Platteville and Lancaster, the scene becomes increasingly rural. The pace of life in Bloomington and the half dozen similar small towns that dot the interstate takes you back to another time and place. Although the economy and the ravages of time have left their scars, all has not been lost. Kids still go to school and neighbors stop to say hello to one and another.

Prairie Du Chien is probably best known as the home of Cabela's, the world's largest outdoor retailer. The eve of hunting season brings throngs of shoppers from Wisconsin and Iowa to Prairie Du Chien. The annual pilgrimage is almost a rite of passage: passed down from father to son in many area families. Hardy folks in these parts know that it's best to prepare before the onset of winter, which only makes sense if you've spent the Winter months in this part of the country. It's not uncommon to find yourself shoveling the driveway in the early hours of the morning before leaving for another days work.

Crossing into the State of Iowa (over the mighty Mississippi) is special when the seasons are changing and before the snow begins to fall. The rolling hills of rural Iowa can have a calming effect on frayed nerves, which come with the stress of everyday life. The occasional deer darting across the road will definitely bring a quick end to that peaceful feeling. All being said, they were here long before we arrived on the scene.

The villages that make up this bucolic part of Iowa are much like a lot of those in the upper Midwest. Having misplaced the address of my friend who had recently moved to Farmersburg, I ducked into the local bar and grill. The waitress did not recognize the name I gave her, but did not hesitate to ask one of the patrons who also did not know. She did, however, later seek out the local post office employee: who immediately provided me with directions to my friends home. We can all learn a valuable lesson from this simple act of kindness by two strangers. These folks still hold fast to values that most of us thought had been relegated to days gone by.

Too often we rush through life at breakneck speed without taking the time to slow down and appreciate the good things around us. Time for family and friends is at such a premium these days that we lose touch with the people and places we care about. When we finally decide to slow down the pace: time has blown by and we are left with only regrets. The next time someone is spouting about values ask them when was the last time they took the time to visit with an old friend for a couple of hours.