Trip to Iowa — June 1999

Since we already had the motor home packed and had been talking about visiting Josephine's relatives in Iowa, we left the following day. Our first day out of Tucson was quite hot, but within 60 miles the highway climbs to an elevation of approximately 1,500 feet. When we reached that point we stopped, got out, and enjoyed a beautiful spring-like day. We encountered some high humidity later in the trip, but overall the weather was lovely.

All of the country between Tucson and the New Mexico border is rich in history. This area of the southwest was — and to a degree still is — Apache Indian country. To anthropologists these Indians were known as Chokonens, though they were split into much smaller groups. The government recognized seven: Jicarilla, Lipan, and Kiowa-Apache in the east, and Navajo, Mescalero, Western Apache (also known as White Mountain or Agua Caliente), and Chiricahua in the west.

Leaving Tucson heading east you climb steadily to about 4,500 feet, passing through the Dragoon Mountains and a rugged stretch of rock formations called Texas Canyon. The canyon has huge boulders that appear balanced on top of one another, much like the rocks in the old Roadrunner cartoons.

The Dragoon Mountains were the territory of such famous figures as Cochise, Victorio, Magnus Colorados, Niche (Cochise's son), and Geronimo. It is also where the Spanish explorer Coronado traveled in the early 16th century.

When you try to imagine where the Indians lived and where early Spanish settlers built their communities, think of water. All of these people made their settlements near rivers, streams, or other surface water sources. Many of those early water sources have since dried up due to overuse, making the historical search more difficult. The desert southwest was simply never meant to support a population of several million people.

Just south of Interstate 10 in this area lies Tombstone, Arizona — where Wyatt Earp, his brothers, and Doc Holliday had their famous shootout at the O.K. Corral with Ike Clanton and his men. It is where the Butterfield Stage Lines and later the Southern Pacific Railroad ran, where the Spanish sought gold, and where enormous open-pit mines operate today.

Movie stars like Audie Murphy, Stewart Granger, and John Wayne bought very large tracts of land for ranches and speculation. Howard Hughes also purchased much land in southern Arizona.

A short distance east of the Cochise rock formations in the Chiricahua Mountains is a small hill called Steins Peak. This was where a former Army major named Enoch Stein established a trading station. The Butterfield Mail and Stage Lines had a station right next door where passengers could stop for rest and food, drivers could be changed, and fresh horses added. This stage line passed through Tombstone, Tucson, Casa Grande, Gila Bend, and Yuma on the way to California. At one point Cochise signed a treaty with the U.S. government to protect the stage lines — and Cochise was true to his word. The stages were never attacked while that agreement was in effect.

Cochise was later tricked into peacefully reporting to General Howard for talks, then captured by the Army at Steins. He escaped by using a knife to slit an opening in the canvas tent where he was held. A short time later, when Cochise's wife and child were murdered by the U.S. Army, a bloody and long-lasting war between Cochise and the Army began.

Geronimo, leader of a small band of about 30 Apaches — mostly family members — led one fifth of the entire U.S. Army on years of failed pursuit through this region and northern Mexico before finally turning himself and his family in near Bowie, Arizona. It was Geronimo and his band who prompted the federal and later state laws allowing U.S. troops to cross into Mexico in pursuit of a foe — the law became known as the Law of Hot Pursuit, and it remains in effect today.

After his surrender, Geronimo and his followers boarded a Southern Pacific train at Bowie, bound for Florida. This group of Apaches spent many years as prisoners of war in Florida, Georgia, and Oklahoma. Geronimo died at Fort Sill Army Base in Oklahoma. Tragically, the descendants of Geronimo — born while in captivity, with no part in his exploits — were also held as prisoners of war for years.

When we travel we always spend the night in an RV park — we never rough it. Our first night was spent at San Antonio, New Mexico, near the Bosque del Apache Wildlife Refuge, a bird sanctuary on the banks of the Rio Grande.

The second day we moved up through Albuquerque and Tucumcari, New Mexico, then through the panhandles of Texas and Oklahoma and into Kansas. Our second night was spent at Liberal, Kansas. The weather was wonderful and after Josephine prepared us a nice supper we watched television and had a good night's rest.

From Tucumcari north through the Texas and Oklahoma panhandles you are in open grazing land — the breadbasket of America. This was where the Rock Island Railroad once ran through Indian Territory. Shortly before I was transferred to Arizona, the Southern Pacific Railroad purchased the Rock Island Line to gain a connection into Chicago, linking the industrial Midwest with the Pacific coast. When I arrived in Arizona the line was in such poor condition that trains were restricted to 10 miles per hour over much of the track. After a major rehabilitation effort, trains now move at 70 miles per hour. Traveling through that country and remembering the work we did there is always a pleasure.

The third day we moved on through Kansas and stopped early at Russell. Most people know Russell as Bob Dole's birthplace, but few know that I lived there for about two years as a teenager. My father worked in the oil fields, and at that time Russell and the surrounding area were busy drilling for oil.

Russell is also known for its distinctive stone fence posts, and it was there I first began to wonder about the natural history of the earth. I was amazed to find sea shells embedded in the limestone used for buildings and fence posts.

Our plan had been to proceed the next day to Omaha, Nebraska, to visit Josephine's grandson Tim, his wife Tina, and their son Tristen — Josephine's great-grandson. We had also planned to visit Boys Town, the Catholic sanctuary for orphaned and troubled boys made famous by the Spencer Tracy and Mickey Rooney film.

One of the notable Boys Town graduates was Commander Lloyd M. Bucher, captain of the USS Pueblo. The Pueblo was a small vessel re-fitted by the Navy as a spy ship to patrol the north China Sea. On January 23, 1968, North Korean forces attacked the ship, boarded it, and took the crew of 83 as prisoners of war — an incident that became one of the most controversial episodes of the Cold War era.

All of our plans for that day were brought to an end by a call from my son Mike in California. He gave us the news that Josephine's condo had a prospective buyer. Our realtor needed us to receive a fax, so we bypassed Omaha and headed instead for Sioux City, Iowa, where Josephine's son Thom and his wife Barb live. We got caught in highway detours and arrived a day later than planned.

We spent a week in a nice RV park just north of Sioux City. Thom and Barb were gracious hosts. We visited a beautiful park-like setting featuring very large wood carvings of Christian themes — the most spectacular being life-size figures representing the Last Supper. We enjoyed church services at Thom and Barb's church, and on our last evening we attended an outdoor concert that we both loved. We also got a tour of Thom's newly moved office.

Barb treated us to several wonderful meals — she is a fine cook. One day that week we made the trip back to Omaha to spend time with Tim, Tina, and Tristen, which was also very enjoyable.

When we left Sioux City we headed east to visit places where Josephine had lived earlier in her life. Midway through the day we heard a noise from the engine compartment, followed by the smell of coolant. The temperature gauge was pegged on hot — the fan belt that powers the water pump had broken and fallen away.

We were on a secondary road in the middle of Iowa with only a small KOA campground map, so we weren't sure where the nearest town was. I let the engine cool, filled it with water, and asked Josephine if she was comfortable staying with the motor home while I unloaded the car and drove ahead to find help. She said not to worry, she'd be fine.

The nearest town turned out to be about five miles ahead, with fewer than 50 people and only three businesses — one of which, fortunately, had an auto mechanic. He had the part and said to bring the motor home in. I drove it slowly while Josephine followed in the car, and even though the engine ran hot again it made it to the garage. The mechanic had us back on the road within an hour.

Later that day we arrived in Tripoli, where Josephine lived during her childhood. We saw the building that served as both home and hospital for the father of her first husband, Virgil Borchert — a man who was simultaneously a medical doctor, dentist, and veterinarian. Tripoli is a typical small Midwestern town with narrow tree-lined streets, neat lawns, several churches, a VFW and American Legion hall, and a high school that also serves the surrounding farming community.

We also saw Jeannine Krueger Rathbone, one of Josephine's closest friends from her school days in Tripoli. We were unable to see Josephine's cousin the mayor, who was busy that day.

Our next stop was Fayette, home of Upper Iowa University, where Josephine and her first husband Virgil had built, owned, and operated the Maple Motel. Unfortunately, earlier that year Fayette had suffered severe flooding and the Maple Motel had been badly damaged. Seeing the damage was a disappointment for Josephine. In a way, the flood may have been a blessing in disguise — the current owner planned to rebuild on a better-situated parcel along the highway.

Josephine also worked at the university for a time and knew several people there. We visited some of those friends and took a tour of the campus.

Other friends we visited in Fayette included Bonnie and Verdell Schmalle — Bonnie was instrumental in helping Josephine get settled in Tucson, and her many kindnesses will never be forgotten — as well as Dick and Gussie Crafton, coworkers and friends from Upper Iowa University, and Margaret Henry, another dear friend. All of these people hold a very special place in Josephine's heart.

By the end of the day we found a city-run RV park in Oelwein, shaded by large trees and surrounded by plenty of grass. We enjoyed our stay there very much.

The following day we proceeded to Iowa City, where Josephine's sister Arlene lives. Iowa City is also where Josephine served as house mother at a sorority at the University of Iowa, and where she met George and Clancy Uhl. George and Clancy served as best man and bridesmaid at our wedding. George is a retired medical doctor and they live in Lexington, Kentucky.

We could only stay two days in Iowa City as the RV park had our space reserved for the 4th of July weekend. We visited Arlene, enjoyed a lovely lunch at a nice restaurant, and drove with her to West Branch to visit Jeremy Borchert — Lyn's son.

While in West Branch we also visited the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library. Many remember Hoover primarily for the Great Depression, but his earlier life is remarkable. He attended Stanford University in its very first year and graduated with a degree in geology. He spent his summers working for the Department of the Interior, assessing mining properties and mapping much of California, Oregon, and Nevada. After graduation he spent three years in Australia doing similar work, then went to China, where he built much of his wealth by becoming a partner in major mining operations. The Chinese Boxer Revolution broke out while Hoover was there, and both he and his family were exposed to real danger, with artillery shells landing close enough to damage their home.

That evening we returned to Arlene's for a pleasant dinner. After dinner, Arlene's granddaughter Mindy, her husband Kevin, and their two children came by for a visit.

On Friday we left Iowa City for the return trip to Tucson. We wanted to make it to Russell, Kansas, which had a lovely RV park with shade trees, lawns, and cable TV. We also planned to visit the Eisenhower Presidential Library in Abilene, about 75 miles from Russell. We made it as far as Salina, Kansas on Friday, then continued to Russell on Saturday.

The trip from Salina to Russell turned into something of an adventure. The engine had started misfiring intermittently a couple of days earlier, and on this stretch it became serious. To make matters worse, a gale-force headwind was robbing us of power and making the motor home difficult to handle. The harder the engine worked to push through the wind, the worse the misfire became. I eventually dropped into second gear, which stopped the missing — though I wasn't sure what 60 miles in second gear would do to the engine. As it turned out, the higher RPMs actually helped, and the wind eased somewhat. We made it to Russell without further trouble.

On arrival I arranged for the motor home to be seen at a repair shop near the RV park. The mechanic had it fixed by Tuesday morning and we were on our way before noon.

On Saturday we drove the car to Abilene and visited the Eisenhower Library, museum, and grounds. The library is considerably larger than the Hoover Library, with much to see — including army vehicles, a great many of Mamie's dresses, and White House memorabilia. There is also the house where Ike grew up.

The rest of the return trip to Tucson was uneventful. We took a slightly different route home through New Mexico, passing through Lincoln County — Billy the Kid country. Billy was a young hoodlum romanticized by the 10-cent novels of his day. Born to a single mother, probably in New York City, he ended up in the Southwest and became involved in a violent cattle war between rival merchant-ranchers. Pat Garrett, once a close personal friend of Billy's, was the man who ultimately killed him.

The most fascinating part of the story is the number of prominent figures involved. Lew Wallace — the former Civil War general who wrote the novel Ben-Hur — was governor of New Mexico at the time and is said by many to have granted Billy amnesty, then reneged on his promise. Billy was eventually tried and sentenced to hang, but he killed two jailers and escaped before the sentence could be carried out. If you are ever in Hondo, New Mexico, take an hour to visit the town and its museum, which has many artifacts from that era.

Josephine's son Lyn and his wife Cathy live in Tucson. Lyn has his own computer company which is doing very well, and Cathy is a CPA working for a company in Tucson.