Take Me -not so far- Away

a travel series dedicated to the Hawkeye state

I had a couple other places written up and ready to post about, but honestly, after having such a relaxing and pleasant time up in Decorah, IA this past week, I just had to make this the first post in this series.

I originally heard of Decorah when a bartender at Murphy’s Pub in Dewitt over heard me talking with a friend looking for a place to go for a family vacation. After finding a ton of vacation rentals I couldn’t decide. Life got busy and I put the family vacation on the back burner until I read about Piper’s Skoolie.

If you’ve never heard the term Skoolie, it refers to a school bus converted into a tiny home on wheels. I have found myself many a nights down rabbit holes on Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube looking at skoolies, dreaming of owning one and converting it, joyously envious of these rigs.

Anywho! I found out about Piper’s Skoolie and immediately booked a stay through their airbnb site.

Minimalist’s Dream

No matter what my bag, car, or closet might make you think- I hate clutter. Stepping up into the bus was such a relief. This well-maintained rig is exactly what I had hoped for. The simple layout of the the kitchen/living area felt welcoming without being crowded. The hosts ensured the kitchen cupboards had all necessary tools to cook and eat any meals prepared on the gas stove or the outdoor grill- and of course roasting skewers for making s’mores and heating up hot dogs. The counter opposite the kitchen was a live edge wood counter, which is just *chef’s kiss*. There was a TV with Roku that worked wonderfully, even though we only used it once due to spending most of our time outside. Next to the counter was the couch which turned into a bed with storage underneath it. Just on the other side of the wall and beyond the kitchen sink is the bathroom- well I think water closet is probably a better word. As with most skoolies the toilet and shower are in a very small space, but this didn’t feel or look cramped at all. At the back of this tiny home was the queen bed which for me was the perfect firmness making sleeping actually restful.

Oh! The best part my kids couldn’t get enough of? The rooftop deck, my oldest thought it was perfect for keeping watch over camp- you know in case of an enemy invasion of sorts. My youngest, however, made it her stage to sing her heart out to nature and any other campers within ear shot.

I am home among the trees

-J.R.R. Tolkien

This location couldn’t be more perfect.

Steps away from the Upper Iowa river, trees everywhere, a big field to run in and nestled against high bluffs the site was only made more heavenly by the perfect weather. While I unloaded the car, my mom set to unpacking and beginning dinner while my kids explored.  Once I was done, they begged to go to the river; we stuck our feet in and decided we would spend most of our time river-bound.

Wasting time in the water is never wasted, especially for my two water babies. Being outdoors is just one of our favorite things to do, if the Monster and Tiny Tyrant aren’t running around like the barefoot hooligans they are, then they’re most likely taking a slight rest from being wild banshees for 83% of their day.

Although they act like animals, nothing is more soothing than watching them be unrestricted. This stay let me truly relax. I’m in no way saying they stayed wild little angels the whole time (they’re tiny humans they had their moments) but damn, there is just something so therapeutic about watching your children be/feel wild and free. Not to mention when they’re allowed to be off exploring and yeah even doing dangerous things cautiously, they’re not constantly at your side asking for this, that, and the other- they’re just content, truly a dream.

Leaving Town

The only “bad” thing that happened was I drove over a tiny little nail and ended up having a flat. I definitely put bad in quotes because it didn’t even seem to be a problem because of how awesome the Midwest is. Don’s Service and Sales came right out to the camp site and not only put my spare on and take my flat to get fixed, but when we showed up the next day to have the fixed tire put on they inspected all my tires, found another problem tire- fixed it- chatted us up, and sent us on our way. As a single mom I can not tell you how comforting it is to walk into an auto shop and know they’re kind, they didn’t talk down to me or my mom and I felt safe knowing they are truly helpful. Everyone there was just super friendly and their location is right next to a food court: The Landing Market which is also Decorah-beautiful and Midwest nice. 

Next time we go up, we are going to try and hit up Decorah’s Nordic Fest!

Thanks again Decorah, you truly are an Iowa Gem! 

Have you been to Decorah? Let us know your experience- especially if you’ve made it to their Nordic Fest!