Highway 163

[BROOKE KOHLSDORF] On this episode of Road Trip Iowa, we're traveling southeast of the Des Moines metro on Highway 163. We'll explore the communities, the nature, and the traditions that keep this Iowa roadway thriving. Next, on Road Trip Iowa. 

[ANNOUNCER] Musco Lighting is an Iowa company that travels across the US and to more than 125 countries to light community recreation fields, stadiums, airports, monuments and more. While our reach is global, we're committed to our local communities. 

[ANNOUNCER] Beverly Thomassen Schultz -- honored to support local programming on Iowa PBS.

[KOHLSDORF] Iowa Highway 163 connects the state's largest metro with the small towns and rural communities in southeast Iowa. From commuters to gearheads and outdoor enthusiasts, this route offers excitement at any speed. Today we're traveling northwest from Ottumwa to Prairie City. Let's take a look at our itinerary. 

[KOHLSDORF] We'll wave the green flag in Oskaloosa. Celebrate Dutch history and traditions in Pella. Find a few favorite spots at Iowa's largest lake. And we'll take a stroll through Iowa's restored prairies. 

[KOHLSDORF] We begin outside Ottumwa, where antique aircraft dot the skies. 

[KOHLSDORF] Soaring over the rolling hills of southeast Iowa, aviators sculpt the skies in classic airplanes – 

(plane engine)

[KOHLSDORF] -- keeping alive the storied history of antique aviation. 

[plane engine] 

[KOHLSDORF] Fans of aviation celebrate these flying works of art at the Airpower Museum at the Antique Airfield. Founded in 1965, the Airpower Museum is open to the public and shares an affiliation with the private group, the Antique Airplane Association, conveniently parked next door.

[BRENT TAYLOR] It's a symbiotic relationship. So yes, the the biggest donors and volunteers are members of the Antique Airplane Association to help keep this place going.

[KOHLSDORF] Brent Taylor's father, Robert Taylor, started the Antique Airplane Association in 1953. The Airpower Museum is a time capsule of mechanized flight. Decades of aviation advancement are on display at the museum for visitors to learn about.

[BRENT TAYLOR] The annex has models. It has aircraft engines. It has various other memorabilia with aircraft, a couple of semi early simulators, Link Trainer, probably the oldest Link Trainer in existence.

[KOHLSDORF] The showcase of mechanical memories displayed at the Airpower Museum draws visitors from all over the country. Loveland, Colorado native Caleb Battke has been visiting the museum for almost a decade.

[CALEB BATTKE] The first time I flew out here was about eight years ago. We just, you know, found a big open field in Iowa and it's just, it’s a surreal experience. I mean, who even comes up with this stuff? You know, it's just out of someone's mind and then you're looking at it and, you know, they have engines that have cut away parts. And it's just, it's cool to get back into that mindset of engineers.

[KOHLSDORF] But it's the passion for air power that people like Brent Taylor and his family have that truly piques his interest.

[CALEB BATTKE] I mean, the family that started this museum and the airfield just were super passionate about it. Unless people come and they enjoy it and they respect what this place still has, then places like this all across the nation will cease to exist because, you know, unless you're seeing it, you don't really recognize the value that's here.

[KOHLSDORF] While the fly ins are private events hosted by the Antique Aviation Association, the Airpower Museum welcomes visitors throughout the year. 

[KOHLSDORF] 90 minutes southeast of Des Moines in Wapello County, travelers can explore a community shaped by both nature and industry.

[LAURAL CARRELL] We have always had our very own unique personality. When you come to Ottumwa, you're going to find people and activities and attractions that you're not going to find anywhere else. That's what's special about Ottumwa and Wapello County.

[KOHLSDORF] Strengthened by manufacturing since the 1850s, Ottumwa has become a welcoming place for different cultures.

[LAURAL CARRELL] Our residents represent more than 40 different nationalities and speak more than 50 different dialects. So you're coming to a melting pot of culture that has their own restaurants, their own stores, their own communities and churches, and you get to experience that in a way that you don't have to go around the world. 

[KOHLSDORF] The City of Bridges invites visitors to enjoy the city's plentiful natural surroundings, with hundreds of acres of vibrant parks and playscapes available for exploring right in town.

[LAURAL CARRELL] Green space is a huge part of us, of our personality. It's one of the things that visitors say they come here for the most. We have over 600 acres just in the city limits of green space that just call your name. You drive past it, you see places where you can relax, where you can have a picnic, where you can play on the playground with your family. You can be out in nature and learn who we are from the beginning of time through to now, how it's managed and how we're working on conservation for the community. 

[KOHLSDORF] With its perch alongside the Des Moines River, the City of Ottumwa offers a great place to stretch your legs along highway 163. 

[KOHLSDORF] The community of Oskaloosa invites travelers to something quite a bit faster than the speed limit on Highway 163. 

[engine running]

[JERRY MACKEY] The Southern Iowa Speedway has got a rich history in the sport of stock car racing. 

[engine running] 

[JERRY MACKEY] Not only do we have great racers, but the family atmosphere that we enjoy here at the Southern Iowa Speedway is second to none. 

[engine running]

[KOHLSDORF] The Southern Iowa Speedway at the Southern Iowa Fairgrounds has earned the nickname the Mahaska County Monster for its fast side by side racing. 

[KOHLSDORF] The race season runs the third week of April into late October, showcasing a variety of stock car classes. Plus, the speedway doesn't limit itself to weekend racing alone. 

[JERRY MACKEY] We've been operating weekly, and we are a Wednesday night racetrack, which is kind of unique because there are not many midweek shows within the state of Iowa. We do a lot of things here at the Southern Iowa Speedway. Over the course of the year we'll have approximately 40 different wheel events here at the racetrack. 

[engine running]

[KOHLSDORF] The long straightaways and high banked turns at the Southern Iowa Speedway are favorites for both race fans and the drivers.

[PAT RACHELS] I mean, the whole experience is is awesome, right? I mean, I love everything about it. I mean, my favorite part probably is in the heat of the race, you don't really have the opportunity to sort of overanalyze stuff. That's in a nutshell why I love coming to dirt racing. 

[engine running]

[KOHLSDORF] Race announcer Jerry Mackey says appreciation for the Southern Iowa Speedway by both drivers and fans is what makes the track a great place to visit.

[JERRY MACKEY] The camaraderie involved in our sport is very, very unique. It's not just about the racing, it's about the people that are involved and we are one big happy racing family, and we do the very best we can to put on the best show possible. Our fans love it, they enjoy it. They're very passionate about the type of racing that we put on here, and it's a lot of fun to be a part of. 

[KOHLSDORF] Springtime in Pella means Tulip Time. Since 1935, this community has pulled out all the stops to celebrate and promote its Dutch heritage. People come from far and wide to see the colorful flowers, the traditional costumes, and to experience the vibrant Dutch culture still running strong today. 

[KOHLSDORF] Well, we are here with Jessi, who is in charge of Tulip Time. You've got three big days. Tell us a little bit about Tulip Time.

[JESSI GALLIGAN] Sure thing. Tulip Time is our annual festival. Every year we celebrate our Dutch heritage and all the things that make Pella unique. We are spending time celebrating with dancing, food, tulips, history, of course, and we couldn't be more thrilled.

[KOHLSDORF] A lot of people come here. Do you have any idea where they're coming from? It seems like it's a crowd of people from all over.

[JESSI GALLIGAN] Tulip Time brings in nearly 200,000 people every year, and they come from all over the world. We have seen folks from Asia, Europe, from Africa, and from every state in the US we really have represented here.

[KOHLSDORF] Why do you think it's so important to have a festival like this that celebrates the Dutch heritage?

[JESSI GALLIGAN] When Pella was founded in 1847, there was this real push to be American. The immigrants that moved here said we're no longer Dutch, we're American, and we want to become American. But then, nearly a century later, there were grandchildren and children of these immigrants that said, wait a second, we had something special when we were celebrating our Dutch and our Dutch heritage. So they said, let's hold on to that, let's celebrate that more. And this whole festival was born out of that desire to hold on to this Dutch identity.

[KOHLSDORF] Well, because this takes place the first week of May, you never know what kind of spring weather you're going to get, right. But rain or shine, you're here.

[JESSI GALLIGAN] That's exactly right. We never know if it's going to be raining. It snowed one year. That was a very memorable year. Plenty to do indoors too, whether it's different museums or indoor shopping. But of course, as long as the tulips are beautiful and even if the tulips aren't beautiful, there is so much color here in Pella whether the sun is shining or not.

[KOHLSDORF] Next, I visit the historic Jaarsma Bakery to get a hands on lesson with making Dutch letters. 

[KOHLSDORF] All right, we are here with Cathy. We are inside the historical village at the Jaarsma Bakery. And tell us what we're doing. What are we making today?

[CATHY JAARSMA TRIPP] We're making Dutch letters.

[KOHLSDORF] It smells amazing in here.

[CATHY JAARSMA TRIPP] So we're starting here with a piece of dough. So there's 64 layers of dough in this piece. Now this is almond paste. And we're going to put the almond paste inside the Dutch letter.

[KOHLSDORF] Okay. 

[CATHY JAARSMA TRIPP] You're doing very well.

[KOHLSDORF] Thank you. Dutch dreams are coming true today. Oh, there's a real art to this. Okay. Why the S?

[CATHY JAARSMA TRIPP] Oh, that's a very good question. So this is traditionally only made at Christmas time. And so the S stands for Sinterklaas, the Dutch Santa.

[KOHLSDORF] Okay, that makes sense.

[CATHY JAARSMA TRIPP] Get it all wet across the top. There you go. Okay, now you have to flip it upside down.

[KOHLSDORF] Okay.

[CATHY JAARSMA TRIPP] So typically you see how my arm is shaped and then you're going to go upside down.

[KOHLSDORF] Okay. There's a lot of pressure.

[CATHY JAARSMA TRIPP] Right into the sugar. 

[KOHLSDORF] Ready? 

[KOHLSDORF] All right. Ta da!

[CATHY JAARSMA TRIPP] Very nice.

[KOHLSDORF] Okay.

[CATHY JAARSMA TRIPP] And this is where we're going to shape it into an S.

[KOHLSDORF] Okay.

[CATHY JAARSMA TRIPP] All right. So I'm going to make another S and then you'll make a B.

[KOHLSDORF] A B, okay, for Brooke. 

[CATHY JAARSMA TRIPP] Okay. Yes. We'll bake it for you. 

[CATHY JAARSMA TRIPP] And they might need a little water on your finger.

[KOHLSDORF] Kind of pinch it.

[CATHY JAARSMA TRIPP] It. Put a little water in there to hold it together. 

[CATHY JAARSMA TRIPP] That's wonderful.

[KOHLSDORF] Okay. Ta da!

[CATHY JAARSMA TRIPP] We're gonna put it into the oven. Are you ready? Pick up the tray. 

[CATHY JAARSMA TRIPP] And you just put it right on top.

[KOHLSDORF] Right on top. Okay. Cathy, it has been a Dutch treat today for me. Thank you so much for teaching me how to make these letters. 

[CATHY JAARSMA TRIPP] You’re welcome. 

[KOHLSDORF] Taking place each year in early May, Pella's Tulip Time is a one of a kind treat along Highway 163.

[KOHLSDORF] Next up, we head to Lake Red Rock, where visitors can explore more than 15,000 acres of natural playscape. 

[KOHLSDORF] In Marion County a sprawling body of water provides a man made natural playscape for outdoor recreation, while at the same time protecting rural communities and farmland from flooding.

[TRACY SPRY] There were numerous floods from the 1850s when the first communities were here, they suffered from flooding every few years. Some of them were worse than others. And so from 1960 to 1969, the construction took place that created the dam and then Lake Red Rock was a result of that of the flood risk management project that we now know today.

[KOHLSDORF] At 15,000 acres, Lake Red Rock is Iowa's largest lake. It collects runoff from a 12,000 square mile area of Iowa and southern Minnesota in the Des Moines River Basin. The cost to build Lake Red Rock in the 1960s hovered around $88 million. The total cost today would measure over $960 million. 

[KOHLSDORF] Along with protecting communities downstream, Lake Red Rock also provides outdoor adventurers with a multitude of recreation opportunities. 15,000 acres of water invite paddlers and anglers, while 35,000 acres of land invites hikers, birdwatchers, peddlers, and equestrians.

[TRACY SPRY] Most people know that it's a place for recreation. They come here for boating, for camping, for getting out on the trails, for geocaching and a lot of different water sports and just enjoying nature. We have a lot of people just drive around enjoying nature. We have about a million visits a year, so a lot of those people already have been here. We have a lot of repeat visitors, so they often know I like Howell Station Campground, they make the reservation and we might not see them here at the visitor center. They have a plan. They have family reunions. They rent our picnic shelters. A lot of them are bike trail aficionados, and they don't really need a lot of times any prompting from us and what we have to offer, they just go out and explore.

[KOHLSDORF] Lake Red Rock also welcomes a fair share of feathered friends as a major migratory flyway. The lake acts as a large scale habitat, welcoming shorebirds, pelicans, gulls and waterfowl on their annual travels.

[TRACY SPRY] We're a globally important birding area as well. So for people who aren't maybe into the water sports or camping, they still come out here and watch eagles in the winter. We have a lot of warblers and other migratory birds that will come through here as well.

[KOHLSDORF] While its primary function is protection from floods, Lake Red Rock works just as hard with the promotion of outdoor fun for Highway 163 travelers. 

[TRACY SPRY] It's just a fantastic place to to find a little trail, find your own little quiet spot, get your bird guide out and and just explore, add to your life list and have fun. 

[KOHLSDORF] To keep the adventures going around Lake Red Rock, hikers can capture stunning views at the Cordova Observation Tower.

[CALE EDWARDS] On a nice weekend, you're going to have hundreds of people throughout the course of a weekend come out and go up it.

[KOHLSDORF] The Cordova Observation Tower is part of the 1100 acre Cordova Park in Marion County. The park backs up to bluffs overlooking Lake Red Rock, supplying the 106 foot tall Cordova Tower with stunning lakeside views.

[CALE EDWARDS] Holiday or Tulip Time or any big event, Knoxville Nationals, you're going to have thousands through that event go through potentially even every day, depending on the weather. Pretty much year round, even in the winter, on nice days you'll get people going up there looking at the views. 

[KOHLSDORF] In its beginning, the tower served as the water source for the park when it was managed by the Iowa DNR. When the Marion County Conservation Board took the park over in 1992, officials included repurposing the decommissioned tower into plans for park renovation. 170 steps take explorers to the top of the tallest observation tower on public land in the US. The tower also boasts the longest continuous fiberglass staircase in the world.

[CALE EDWARDS] If you're not in shape or haven't done a lot of exercise, you're going to feel it. But that's all right. There's a lot of platforms. So like a set of ten steps and then there's a platform. So if you do get tired, which I definitely do sometimes, you can stop and take a break on it. And then there's actually benches up top too. So you can sit down and enjoy the view and hang out there for a while.

[KOHLSDORF] Cordova Park offers a unique perspective for adventure seekers in Marion County. 

[KOHLSDORF] Carved away from central Iowa farmland, 6000 acres of tallgrass prairie at the Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge offer travelers the chance to explore rolling hills of history. 

[NANCY CORONA] And the mission for Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge is preserving and protecting and reconstructing tallgrass, prairie, oak savanna and sedge meadows, which are our native ecosystems.

[KOHLSDORF] Established in 1990, the refuge is named for former Congressman Neal Smith. The dedicated lands are reserved in a special distinction, and unlike national parks, places like the Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge hold the largest amount of conservation land in the US.

[NANCY CORONA] This refuge is protecting an ecosystem where there's only one tenth of 1% of the original ecosystem left in Iowa. So it used to be 80% that covered the landscape of Iowa, tallgrass prairie, and now there's one tenth of 1%. So you're getting to see your heritage and the wildlife that would not exist if we didn't have these grasslands, the tallgrass prairie. 

[KOHLSDORF] Walking trails, adapted for varying abilities, help visitors learn how the refuge is maintaining and enriching Iowa's prairie landscapes. 

[KOHLSDORF] The Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge propagates tallgrass prairie with a group of helpers who don't mind what the job pays. 

[KOHLSDORF] A herd of 72 bison and 25 elk forage over an 800 acre enclosure, giving visitors a front row seat to active working prairie restoration.

[NANCY CORONA] And you can drive through that, but you have to remain in your vehicle because we do treat them as wild animals. So it's a really vital part of our program is having the bison on the landscape managing. They’re grazing and their habits actually help to provide a very healthy ecosystem, the tallgrass prairie. It's our connection to our heritage. This is something that is not just about bringing back wildlife. It is our connection to people's ancestors are connected to this. This is not many places you can come and see tallgrass prairie. 

[KOHLSDORF] Prairie City is host to an upbeat eatery serving up traditional small town delights.

[BRAD MAGG] We really strive to not just be the small town ice cream shop, but be a step above and and offer something that you can't get everywhere else.

[KOHLSDORF] Goldie's Ice Cream Shoppe first came into being in 1995 as a seasonal ice cream eatery, keeping Prairie City residents cool with sweet treats on hot summer days.

[FEMALE WORKER] Have a good day.

[FEMALE CUSTOMER] Thank you very much.

[FEMALE WORKER] Hello, how are you doing today?

[KOHLSDORF] After more than two decades, a new owner stepped in to expand Goldie's offerings.

[BRAD MAGG] I got to be the new owner of Goldie's in 2007. My intention was to serve just a lunch special so that there was somewhere for people to eat in the community because at that point in time, there had been a restaurant in Prairie City for a few years, and it got a little out of hand. And so now we're more of a full fledged restaurant.

[FEMALE WORKER] Order whenever you're ready.

[KOHLSDORF] Brad Magg is the owner of Goldie's Ice Cream Shoppe. His love for cooking and baking began at an early age, and the restaurant he now owns is where his love of serving good food got its start.

[BRAD MAGG] So as a kid, I always loved coming in here and sitting at the counter, spinning on the stools and Golda always just cared about the ice cream so much. And it's, you know, the best part about small town is seeing your neighbors and seeing people and not only having your own family traditions, but making those traditions with your neighbors. 

[KOHLSDORF] Magg's chance at creating traditions would arrive in a big way when he set out to honor an Iowa menu statement.

[FEMALE WORKER] And then the tenderloin.

[BRAD MAGG] Every restaurant in Iowa has to have a good pork tenderloin, in my opinion. And so that was something we knew we wanted. And then, lo and behold, in 2009, the Iowa Pork Producers named us the best tenderloin in Iowa. We went from doing 300 tenderloin sandwiches a week to 500 a day like that. So that was quite an experience. It was life changing and amazing.

[KOHLSDORF] Today, Goldie’s serves a combination of small town diner staples and ice cream favorites. They also align their options to match other nearby traditions.

[BRAD MAGG] We honor the Tulip Time and all the travelers coming by on Highway 163 with a Dutch letter twister. We only do it for about 30 days because it is very labor intensive. We make our own almond paste filling, we mix it in with it, and we bake our own puff pastry. So that way you get the right ice cream to almond paste to puff pastry ratio to make sure you really taste the Dutch letter experience.

[BILLIE REED] Well, it's a very quaint little restaurant in itself. When you walk in the front door, you feel very welcome because you have people that greet you and they greet you very kindly. Goldie's is just a shining example of that. Everyone here is lovely and friendly and very kind. And they have fabulous food. So what more could you ask for? 

[KOHLSDORF] With pride in their communities, the Iowans along Highway 163 offer an open invitation to fans of the fast and not so fast. 

[KOHLSDORF] We stretched our legs in the City of Bridges. We turned a few laps at the Southern Iowa Speedway. Soaked up the views overlooking Lake Red Rock. And sampled sweet treats in Prairie City. 

[KOHLSDORF] From racing through the skies to strolling through a tall grass prairie, Highway 163 has something for everyone. For more on the history, culture, and landscapes along Iowa's highways, join us next time on Road Trip Iowa. 

[ANNOUNCER] Musco Lighting is an Iowa company that travels across the US and to more than 125 countries to light community recreation fields, stadiums, airports, monuments and more. While our reach is global, we're committed to our local communities. 

[ANNOUNCER] Beverly Thomassen Schultz -- honored to support local programming on Iowa PBS.