Quad Cities Roadshow

A two day mission to rediscover, to share a few of My Favorite Things with a few of My Favorite People, my absolute oldest friends on the planet, since the single digits of my youth, my brain and reputation not yet tarnished by years of unintended abuse. Reunions sparse during the frenzy of raising kids, growing families, etching the circle of life within our separate universes. Months, even years pass but gaps easily forgotten in the familiar comfort of old friends. The advantage of history coupled with the luxury of time, worn and arthritic, seasoned with bouts of wisdom, patience and a humble appreciation for a lifetime of true, simple blessings. A two day mission then, challenge accepted, the tale unravels.

One of our entourage has confused the plan at the outset, inadvertently heading to a rural campground while the rest of us await her arrival at my place. We begin then precisely where we left off in our elementary school days, lost and in a daze, mayhem day one. She has only the clothes on her back and hiking boots, no toiletries, just two mega coolers full of Press, Margaritas and Walking Tacos. Priorities.  

Arrival day afternoon, my kitchen filled with the delicious aroma of freshly baked pies along with hazy memories of awkward adolescence and goofy antics. Butter, sugar and friendship are essential partners in feeding the soul. While our creations cool, the lure of a cold brew beckons our aging posse across the Mighty Mississippi despite various height/water/vertigo phobias. Memory lapses present unlikely advantages, but all fears forgotten as we lace up, proceed on our hike across the great expanse. Brilliant alabaster steel segments band together arching skyward, eyes climbing upward along the towering curve, occasionally glancing below, sidestepping likewise gawkers and bicyclists. The structure trembles, bounces foreboding under the stream of constant traffic.  A young skateboarder agrees to snap a few pics to commemorate our groundbreaking moment, flipping through the photos as he raced away, mostly selfies of our clever smiling photographer. We are impressed.  

Vanderveer Park is a must see among Davenport's finest, enjoying sunshine, a gentle breeze as we stroll the Grand Allee Promenade. Roses, hostas, daisies, lilies, dahlias, all absolutely perfect, exotics arranged masterfully, gorgeous in full bloom, blanketing meandering pathways. Around the pond Grandpas bait fishing lines, a catch about the size of my little finger elicits squeals of joy from junior anglers, an audience of curious geese waddles close hoping to snatch the delicacy before it's tossed back into the mucky water. Monstrous hydrangeas and elegant orchids steal the show in the conservatory, golden rays beaming overhead showcasing a radiant spectacle of flawless rainbows tucked masterfully into this heavenly paradise.  

Next landmark emerges unexpected, mammoth walls of opaque blue grey glass define the iconic Figge Art Museum providing an appropriately formidable window to the jewel of the city, the erratic, often ferocious Mississippi River.  Certainly our city fosters a love/hate relationship with the untameable, raging beast but its muddy depths are the heartbeat of the community, boldly flowing, threatening at times but perfectly enhancing the historic architecture of downtown Davenport's stately brick and stone icons.  

Expansive spaces echo footsteps and whispers then settle among Grant Wood's American Midwest and exquisite Frank Lloyd Wright Stained Glass collections. A field of vibrant, delicate blown glass ears of Iowa's finest hang uniformly, mezmerize the sparsely lit space, brilliantly illuminated colors cast subdued shadows highlighting an imperfectly modified crop. "Corn Zone" symbolizes the beauty of a Midwestern farm field, a show stopping combo, Iowa corn and iridescent glass. Yeah this must be heaven.

Cultural overload, the end of an amazing day, time for a cold beverage to clear the senses, we rejuvenate at The Taproom. On deck, an expansive view of overloaded barges, boats drifting, joggers, walkers, amblers, all savoring a beautiful afternoon.  Imposing bridges span the Mississippi, a menagerie of bikers, old folks, toddlers and dogs, a light breeze and soft tunes, a train chugs by momentarily pausing conversation with the long blast of an engineer's whistle. 

The ultimate place to relax, check out, ponder, the world slows and the beer is cold. Life has a way of intentionally pausing, catch your breath, sit a while and if you are really lucky, to chill with old friends who bring chaos and spice to an ordinary day, a gift you never imagined was waiting. Life is but a dream sweetheart, and friends are the sparkling stars. Cheers!