Iowa flood and Wood Congress show

[xsailer]

I getting ready to leave for the Wood Congress Seminar and show tomorrow(Tuesday) and not sure if I can make it from K.C. to Des Moines to Bettendorf. Has anyone been along 35 and 80 Interstates today? What a tragedy for Iowa this weather has been.

[Jim-Iowa]

Just checked KCCI and the Iowa DOT is going to open the stretch of I80 that was closed in Cedar County this evening at 6:00 pm. There was a 120 mile detour until today there.
You should be good to go provided you don't plan to stop in the Iowa City-Cedar Rapids area, Those cities have gotten hit real hard and are shut up tight indefinately.
I assume you would be coming up I-35 & I80 so should have no problem.

For anyone traveling through Iowa, Here is the link to Iowa Dot's listings of Road closings, Try using the lowband section, lasy I knew the Highspeed band was down to overuse.
Iowa DOT Travel Information Service

I probably won't be there(work) but wave when you go past the 155 milemarker at Colfax(25 miles East of Des Moines on I80).

Have a good trip!

[xsailer]

Thank you very much Jim, I feel for you guys. The storms this year have been terrible. I will feel guilty driving thru awful stuff to have a good time carving. It won't be as enjoyable thou knowing what is just down the street.

[Jim-Iowa]

Don't feel guilty just enjoy yourself!
I had a couple thoughts on my drive home.
1) Even The Missisissippi is misbehaving, You might want to call the Woodcraft Store and get a local report as far as local street and roads.

2) When you get to Des Moines 80/35 will turn east just north of Douglas( I work in the first office north of Douglas) Be prepared for slow traffic.
From Merle Hay Road to 2nd avenue traffic is just crawling(5 minute took me 18 tonight). Nothing to really slow one down except there seems to be a lot of "Rubberneckers" who have never seen a little water. Just be careful.

[xsailer]

Jim,
I thought I would call them tomorrow when I go thru Des Moines. Thanks again. Are you going to the event? If you do look in Randy Landen's group for a hello from me, xsailer. I went two years ago and thourghly enjoyed the whole week. So I decided to do it again this year. I made reservations when gas was $2.67. Obviously camper MPG sucks. Waited my whole life to go camping in my camper and now can't really afford it. Could always be worse thou as a lot of folks will attest. Our gov will get it fixed.....................they care.

[Jim-Iowa]

No I won't make it over, though I think it would be an interesting trip.

[DiamondWillow]

Bob sounds like you are getting an early start on the Congress. Good for you, I won't make it this year. Darn..... Oh well, maybe next year. Have a good time. The Congress is June 26-29th right??
Gene

[xsailer]

DW,
Yes I'm meeting some fine friends and members of the Congress early. The week long siminars/classes start the 23rd and run all week. The show is the following weekend.

[DiamondWillow]

Ah ha.....Sounds like great fun to take off and share it with some friends and maybe take in some seminars. Maybe you are giving a seminar I guess I don't know for sure. I have been there a couple of times but won't be able to make it this year. Got to plan ahead for next year I guess. I had hoped to take Bob Berry's class on fish carving.

Have a good time at Congress and travel safely.

Gene

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

Thats not too hard Gene, you have to scale'em first tho