Abe Lincoln and Taking a Chance...

For me and the kids -- the summer of 2020 will definitely go down as the YEAR OF THE ROADTRIP...and you've heard plenty about our new-car-adventures. So many places were closed...no movie theaters, no plays, no museums, no child-friendly park activities in the many small towns....no Princeton Days, no Labor Day Parade in McCausland...no Strawberry Festival in Long Grove (okay, we never actually went to that event -- but this could have been our year for it)...

The one thing we WERE ABLE TO DO -- was go swimming. Thank God the YMCA opened their pools. They had a virus protocol in place, of course (temp check for every entrant, limited number of people allowed in at one time, etc.)...

So, we spent many a happy Friday night or Saturday afternoon in the indoor pool at the Bettendorf location

But -- the EXTRA SPECIAL event would be to go to the beautiful, giant OUTDOOR pool at the YMCA Abe Lincoln camp in Buffalo, Iowa...

This pool is very popular with the weekly campers -- but, it was open on the weekends for YMCA members. For $10 per person, you could sign up for a 90-minute "session"...and that sounded like a bargain to me...

Although -- GETTING to the Abe Lincoln camp was kind of an adventure....

I signed us up for the second Saturday in July. We got up early, hit the road, picked up a Kwik-Star breakfast, and (after going in the wrong direction for about 20 miles) -- finally plugged in Google Maps and arrived on time. Our session was to begin at Noon.

We went into the locker room -- changed into our suits -- toted all our pool toys outside, claimed a nice umbrella table for all our stuff -- and sprayed ourselves with Banana Boat sunscreen...

Then -- there was a clap of thunder.

Ugh.

Everybody OUT OF THE POOL....no, wait, After a THREE HOUR PREP -- we didn't even put a toe in the water yet...

There was no actual rain. But rules are rules. So -- still in our swimsuits -- we left there and just drove to the Bettendorf indoor pool (an hour away)...Fine...

I signed us up for another session in August -- but that day didn't work out because the kids had to go school shopping.

So, here it was -- the LAST weekend of the summer -- and we really, really wanted to go swimming to an OUTDOOR pool at least one time...

But, nobody would answer the phone....ugh...I tried Friday afternoon -- and again on Saturday morning....So -- what to do? Should we take a chance and drive ONE HOUR to get to this place -- even though it shows "CLOSED" on their Facebook page?

Yeah, I think that's what we'll do.

First of all, it's not like we have a lot of other interesting options...

Secondly, it might be a good lesson. Sometimes, it's good to take a chance. And if Plan A doesn't work out, we'll graciously move to Plan B...

And -- hey -- we've got nothing to lose! No matter which way it goes -- it'll be our final ROAD TRIP of the summer...

AND IT TURNED OUT TO BE A WONDERFUL, BEAUTIFUL DAY...I cannot think of a better way to end our summer.

There was one other family (a Mom and two boys)...and us. THAT WAS IT. Six people in that beautiful pool!!

I'm so glad we took a chance that day...because Plan A was a big winner!!