Are you as tired as we are of the phrases, "in these uncertain times" "now more than ever" and "the new normal"??? Blah, Blah, Blah!!! We decided to take back our retirement the best way we could for now with a " micro adventure." What exactly is a "micro adventure" and "how can I sign up" you might ask? It's easy, just draw a circle on a map that encompasses about a 100 mile radius around your home and look for somewhere or something new to discover! This type of adventure can last a day, a weekend, or even a few days during the week with no other crowds (big advantage of retirement), and all you do is get into your car and go! You will be amazed what is close by that you haven't toured or discovered before!
We love Frank Lloyd Wright architecture and we were amazed to learn that a small city less than 100 miles from our lake was home to two Frank Lloyd Wright properties built in his "Prairie School" period. The city of Mason City, Iowa, itself is known in the mid-west for some of the most beautiful and unique architecture in the homes that line the streets around the Historical Park Inn.
Mason City is also the birthplace of Meredith Wilson, creator of "Music Man." The streets downtown are home to many sculptures honoring this legend. You can also tour his birthplace home and the museum next to it. Mason City is truly a gem of a city hidden among the corn fields!
To top if off, just down the road about six miles you can visit and tour two of Iowa's and our country's musical giants in Clear Lake, Iowa...the crash site and memorial for the "Day the Music Died" and the Surf Ballroom where Buddy Holly, JP Richardson "The Big Bopper", and Ritchie Valens played their last concert in 1959.
So come along and join us and then go plan your own "micro adventure!" We would love to hear about it!!!
Show notes:
1:07 Curt's Life Lesson from his book "Fix the Problem and other Life Lessons from a Pragmatic Dad" https://www.amazon.com/Fix-Problem-other-Lessons-Pragmatic-ebook/dp/B07Q147HGQ
2:52 Mason City, Iowa https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mason_City,_Iowa
4:02 Buddy Holly crash site https://www.thevintagenews.com/2017/12/06/buddy-holly-plane-crash/
6:20 Crash site Address: 22728 Gull Ave. Clear Lake, Iowa
7:35 Clear Lake home to the Surf Ballroom down from Buddy Holly PL
8:11 Surf Ballroom
9:27 Don McLean's handwritten lyrics to "American Pie" are on display
9:40 The Other Place A great restaurant in ClearLake! https://theotherplace.com/location/clear-lake-iowa
10:15 The Historic Park Inn https://www.stoneycreekhotels.com/hotel/travel/masoncity-parkinn/home.html
Frank Lloyd Wright https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Lloyd_Wright
15:13 Stockman House https://www.stockmanhouse.org/
17:01 We saw celebrity Mayim Bialik there! (Amy Farrah Fowler of Big Bang Theory)
18:10 Birthplace of Meredith Wilson "Music Man" https://themusicmansquare.org/
18:55 East Park has a great display about the Orphan Trains that came through Iowa from NYC in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Over 200,000 children rode these trains to new homes.https://globegazette.com/community/mcpress/news/local/remembering-the-orphan-trains/article_f318fd3e-bcb2-11e2-88c0-001a4bcf887a.html
19:01 Disc Golf at East Park is challenging and fun!
WOWSER!!! That's A LOT of interesting history! We love FLW too. And, in fact, are building a mid century modern home!
Amazing!!