The "Homeless" Two RV Gypsies: Full-Time RVers
USA map with Iowa highlighted
in Forest City, Iowa
September 16 -19, 2009
Welcome to Forest City, Iowa which is often called "the smallest big town in Iowa". With a population of 4,500 people in 4.2 square miles. Forest City is a city in Hancock and Winnebago Counties in the U.S. state of Iowa, and the county seat of Winnebago County. It is the headquarters of Winnebago Industries, which manufactures motorhomes. It is also the home of Waldorf College, a small college affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Forest City claims to be the smallest city in the United States with its own YMCA. Pilot Knob State Park is located a few miles east of the city. Forest City Community Schools operates a wind turbine that provides 60% of the energy needs of elementary, middle, and high school.
sign - entering silos and smokestacks National Heritage Area
sign - the people of Iowa welcome you
Below: The Visitor Center - and a cute LITTLE RV that says "THINK BIG" on the back of it.
 a cute RV that says "THINK BIG" on the back
a cute RV that says "THINK BIG" on the back
Tower - Diamond Jo Casino
sign - Forest City Iowa
Below: The Visitor Center building and a miniature recreation of the visitor center building that can be seen inside the visitor center.
the visitor center building
miniature recreation of the visitor center building
Below: Inside the visitor center
inside the visitor center
sign - time, date, temperature
 

Although, the two RV Gypsies RV was obviously able to be driven, it was under partial warranty and needed some things fixed. The two RV Gypsies had an appointment at the Winnebago Repair Factory and they arrived in Forest City a day ahead of time, so they had to find a campground for the night.

Below: Three Fingers Campground
35604 135th Street, Forest City, Iowa 50436
Seasonally Open - usually April 15th - October 15th - (weather permitting)
so call before you go - '507.304.0829
only 9 seasonal spots available in total.

sign - Forest City Welcomes You
sign - 3 fingers campground
The new yard of the two RV Gypsies
Below: The view from their front window
The new yard of the two RV Gypsies
view from RV window of the two RV Gypsies
Below: The view from behind the RV of the two RV Gypsies
the view from behind the RV of the two RV Gypsies
part of the lake at the campground
Below: Looking at the RV from the lake area
This is pretty in the lake,
but the USA flag was not in good condition. SHAMEFUL!
looking at the RV from the lake area
a USA flag in very bad condition

Three Fingers Campground was nice with water and electric hookups and 50 amp electrical; but if you have a big RV, be sure to have a reservation, as big spots seem to be filled constantly by local people. On the other side of the lake, there were several spots for really small RV's. The lake is pretty big, and they have two old paddle boats campers can use for free, which is a very nice way to spend an afternoon. Full hook-ups but No cable, No Wi-Fi.

 

NOTE: As mentioned above, the two RV Gypsies were in Forest City, Iowa to have repairs done to their RV at the Winnebago repair center. So once they put AWO in at the factory, they had to find things to do in the area, and there was not a lot of choices. It took three days and a lot of money for repairs not covered by warranty. Winnebago had some parking spots just up the hill from the repair center for each night, but not enough, so it was hurry hurry hurry to get a spot. Sites had electric hook-ups and free, unsecured Wi-Fi.

The two RV Gypsies and all other RVs needing repair MUST have the RV at the repair center by 7 A.M. Customers must be back at the repair center by 3 P.M. because they close at 3:30 P.M. After picking up their RV each afternoon, the two RV Gypsies parked their RV back up on the hill (spots were not reserved) for the evening and repeated the procedure the next morning until repairs were done.

Most people sat in the lounge area of the repair center all day while their RV was being repaired. There really was not much to do in Forest City all day while waiting for RV's to be repaired. It sucked being "homeless all day". Definitely not a favorite place of the two RV Gypsies

 
Below: The two RV Gypsies, found a very small park in Forest City with a neat suspension bridge. Each slab of wood had someone's name engraved on it. This was the ONLY thing the two RV Gypsies found interesting in the area on this date.
a neat suspension bridge.
Lee Duuquette on the suspension bridge
Below: The view from each side of the small suspension bridge.
view from the small suspension bridge
view from the small suspension bridge
suspension bridge
another wooden bridge and steps
Below: The two RV Gypsies had dinner at The Lodge for Lee Duquette's birthday, and lunch there on the next day. It was good food at a reasonable price, decent service, and a nice view from the veranda. Forest City had decent food at several places. (They obviously could not eat in their RV while it was in repair).
The Lodge
 
Karen Duquette chose to go the the local YMCA and use their hot tub, swimming pool, steam room and sauna. At a visitor's cost of $10 daily, it was well worth it. Karen also got a nice massage at the YMCA, at an additional charge, of course. The director/manager of the YMCA saw Lee Duquette in the YMCA waiting room waiting to pick Karen up and introduced himself to Lee. He was extremely pleasant, as was Sharon, the front desk person, and the female lifeguard. The Manager gave Karen a YMCA pin, plus a free pass for the next day, which she did use. A very pleasant YMCA.

go to the next adventure of the two RV Gypsies Continue on in order of travel to
the Grotto of the Redemption in West Bend, Iowa

and a rose for Brian Lee Duquette at the memorial

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