AHOOGA!

BY: RACHEL WUMKES

Have you ever wondered what happens when you put four lifelong state park enthusiasts in a room together?  The wheels start turning, that’s for sure.

Literally.

It just so happens, those wheels kept on turning until the All State Park Tour was born.

It all came to fruition when Kevin Szcodronski purchased a 1930 Ford Model A Tudor Sudan and named her Anna Rea.  His good friend, Ann Raisch had always dreamt of visiting all the State Parks in Iowa.  Gerry Schnepf had planned Motorloway Vintage car tours for over a decade and brought a plethora of knowledge to the table.  Mark Ackelson came on board as the Iowa cruise master, although he was used to cruising those Iowa roads on two wheels instead of four as an avid cycler.

Together, they have planned the ultimate summer road trip series as they take the Anna Rea to every state park in Iowa to commemorate the State Parks Centennial celebration.

And you’re invited to join!

The purpose of the tour is to show support for state parks in Iowa, recognizing their contributions to our quality of life.  It’s also meant to get out and enjoy some of Iowa’s most scenic roadways at a leisurely pace.

As of now, they’ve successfully completed five tour loops and visited 68 state parks.

And guess what?  TWO parks located along beautiful Clear Lake are on the schedule for this month!!

On Monday, September 12, the crew for the Anna Rea invites anyone to drive along for their visit to Clear Lake State Park and McIntosh Woods State Park.  While the tour puts an emphasis on vintage or classic cars, participants can join the fun in any vehicle of their choice.

For those wanting to participate, meet at the parking area along Lakeview Drive between the seawall and City Park at 9:30AM.  They will depart in time to arrive at Clear Lake State Park by 10:00, where they will do a windshield tour (an in-depth look at its characteristics) of the park and listen to a short presentation by park staff.

Upon leaving Clear Lake State Park, the tour will proceed to McIntosh Woods State Park.  If you’d like to join in the fun along with Anna Rea for this portion, you can do so by being at the parking lot of Clear Lake State Beach by 1:30PM.  They will depart from there with plans to arrive at McIntosh Woods State Park at 2:00 before they depart on to other state parks in the North Iowa region.

You can follow their complete journey at https://www.annareamodela.com/

Whether you’re a classic car enthusiast, or someone who knows absolutely nothing about cars, you’ll appreciate the simplicity of Anna Rea.  She was Ford’s second success after 18 years of producing the Model T.  While boasting many upgrades from the previous model, a big one was the fact it had safety glass in the windshield.

No more picking bugs out of your teeth after going for a drive!

So, grab your keys and come along for the ride.  Roll down the windows, turn up the radio and be sure you’re wearing your biggest smile.  Let’s welcome Anna Rea and her owners to Clear Lake with open arms and show our support for our two incredible state parks.

AHOOGA!