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+-- Thread: Heading to Muscatine, IA... What to do? (/showthread.php?tid=7093682)
Heading to Muscatine, IA... What to do? - Gregory of Sherwood Forest - 09-09-2015
I'll be in Muscatine for a couple days for a weekend of MRL soccer with my son. I'll have a few hours to kill and would like to know if there's anything of interest about.
* Woodworking related?
* Any Woodnetters in the area?
* Good shopping for old tools?
* Good restaurants, museums, other sights?
Thanks!
-Greg
Re: Heading to Muscatine, IA... What to do? - Lynden - 09-09-2015
You could visit the grist mill.
https://www.google.com/search?client=saf...-8&oe=UTF-8
Re: Heading to Muscatine, IA... What to do? - 1Spirit - 09-10-2015
Not to far away is the motorcycle museum in Anamosa. Nice place to spend several hours. Museum
Re: Heading to Muscatine, IA... What to do? - Arlin Eastman - 09-10-2015
See me in Western Iowa in Council Bluffs.
Arlin
Re: Heading to Muscatine, IA... What to do? - PedroOhare - 09-10-2015
There will probably be a bunch of politicians out wandering around.
Pedro
Re: Heading to Muscatine, IA... What to do? - srv52761 - 09-10-2015
We have the Button Factory museum, 1/3 of all the buttons in the world were made here. The bend in the river made it a natural depository of clam shells. But that takes all of 15 minutes....
The soccer complex is nice. Funded by several wealthy families, they had to scrape off the top 12" because of the use of farm chemicals, then shipped in enough amended soil to cover 40 acres.
Only 8 fields, but the first six are REALLY nice.
Fields 3 & 4 are internationally sized plus extra. Usually rotate the location of the goals every day of competition so there is never a wear pattern on the grass. Another area is used to grow grass to be used as plugs to address any major divots.
They were voted the best soccer pitches in the USA by the turf management association a couple of times.
Not a lot of seating, bleachers for fields 3, 4, 5, and 6. If it's a day they rotated the field to the east, you'll be about 30 yards from the sidelines, so most have their own folding chairs, but if you're coming all that distance to play soccer, you're already a pro at this.
Parking adjacent to the fields is tight. But there is a lot of parking at the back of the baseball complex and then you walk across a bridge to enter the soccer complex from the back, about 75 yards. Drive the access road between diamonds 1 & 2 to get to that area.
No shade, and the gnats were bad, so plan accordingly.
If you have the time and are interested, there are 2 large consignment auctions. The bigger One, on Friday, about 40 miles west. Saturday is about 20 miles, I think. Mostly farm immplements, but a lot of tools for woodworking, metal working, mechanics.
50 miles west is the Amana Colonies and a couple of Amish woodworking shops and museums and restaurants.
Most go to Iowa City or Quad Cities for touristy things....
Re: Heading to Muscatine, IA... What to do? - Gregory of Sherwood Forest - 09-10-2015
Thanks Charlie! Good info there.
Yeah, we are old hats at this. Lots of travel weekends. We have a wagon we pull around full of our chairs, cooler, books and Kindle Fire for my younger daughter to keep her occupied, and snacks. I don't sit at the matches. As the team photographer, I'm walking around the field getting different angles and chasing the light. I take about 3000 pictures per match, of which about 300 end up being good.
We have heard good things about the fields and we are glad they are natural. Most MRL fields are required to be turf, so we are a bit surprised to hear these are grass. Our boys are fast, so they like turf, but grass is safer and easier on the knees for them.
Thanks again for the info, and thanks for the hospitality of your fellow Iowans.
Re: Heading to Muscatine, IA... What to do? - dg152 - 09-11-2015
If you can get away, Le Clair, Ia is about an hour's drive to the north. It's the home of Antique Archaeology of the American Pickers TV show. I've not been to this location and can't say what all there is to see there but have been to the Nashville location and enjoyed browsing around.
Re: Heading to Muscatine, IA... What to do? - vernonator - 09-11-2015
dg152 said:
If you can get away, Le Clair, Ia is about an hour's drive to the north. It's the home of Antique Archaeology of the American Pickers TV show. I've not been to this location and can't say what all there is to see there but have been to the Nashville location and enjoyed browsing around.
Honestly I would not bother - the store is tiny and basically used as just a set for the show. If you are a HUGE fan it might be worth it but otherwise not-so-much.
Re: Heading to Muscatine, IA... What to do? - 1Spirit - 09-11-2015
My wife took my nephew there and he got a hug and kiss from Danielle, he is a BIG fan now!
Plus one on tiny and the only thing you can buy are souvenirs from the show.
vernonator said:
[blockquote]dg152 said:
If you can get away, Le Clair, Ia is about an hour's drive to the north. It's the home of Antique Archaeology of the American Pickers TV show. I've not been to this location and can't say what all there is to see there but have been to the Nashville location and enjoyed browsing around.
Honestly I would not bother - the store is tiny and basically used as just a set for the show. If you are a HUGE fan it might be worth it but otherwise not-so-much.
[/blockquote]
