After breakfast, we head out for a tour of natural disaster damage. We begin with the flood damage to the town of New Hartford. Then it is a brief stop at Steve’s house before heading with the whole family to Bret’s house.
We then stop by unannounced at the farm where my mother grew up. The house that my grandfather built was not in the path of destruction, but they did find a great deal of debris and wreckage in their yard and fields. I stopped here for a visit when I drove through town 12 years ago on my last drive across the country. Then I was impressed by how well maintained the farm was and by how charming the young family that had taken it over. They were sitting outside by a wading pool and their young toddler was busy throwing his shoes in the water. Twelve years later we drive up and I see a boy that looks about 13 riding the mower around the extensive front lawn. When we park and get out, Steve Koop, who owns the farm walks up and greets us. He asks “You look familiar. Have you been here before?” I can’t believe he remembers. The Koops are as friendly and hospitable as ever and stronger by two more kids. They invite us in and show us the features of the house that my grandfather built and they have lovingly refurbished. Then outside to meet the calf, the goats and to climb on the new combine.
There is a large friendly dog named Lucky, and so Andrew, who has an irrational fear of dogs tours the grounds on Todd’s back. There are also two friendly and affectionate kittens who follow us much to the delight of Christopher and Katie. Steve proudly points out that it is my grandfather who was the first in the area to terrace his farm and thus was a sort of pioneer in soil conservation. Steve also is interested in environmentally friendly farming and is proud of his choices of crops and pesticides. It is wonderfully reassuring to know that the farm is in the care of such likable and like-minded people.
Reverse Culture Shock Moment: At one point Steve offers the kids some pop and Christopher says “Sure, what’s pop?” He probably would have had the same reaction had he been offered a soda, and it makes us all laugh.
Then over to the town of Parkersburg where the damage is unbelievable! I have seen tornado damage before and I was struck then by how capricious a tornado can be. It touches down here, then there, striking one house, then lifting up and passing over the next to strike the third. Parkersburg was different. This was no capricious, fickle tornado. This tornado was serious and hell-bent on destroying everything in its very wide path. Every single house on both sides of the highway is completely leveled. One block over the houses are badly damaged and it is unclear whether they can be repaired. Another block over and things seem completely fine, though some houses have a broken window or two. It is as if a gigantic tank has plowed through the town squashing everything. The kids proclaim it “Spooky!” and that pretty well sums it up.
We go back to Steve’s house where Elizabeth and her mother are waiting to go swimming. They come back to our hotel and the kids enjoy a very well earned afternoon of play in the pool. We have dinner again at Steve and Pat’s and we stay way too late catching fireflies and enjoying the beautiful Iowa sunset with family. It’s too hard to leave even though tomorrow is an insanely long driving day.
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