It's day 471...It's also...August 20th, 2020...and we are in Thornton Iowa.

It's day 471...It's also...August 20th, 2020...and we are in Thornton Iowa...

Another pretty short drive.....barely put 45 miles in the rearview today....We zig zagged our way across this part of Iowa for a bit when we found the Ingebretson Park Campground....A small city park sorta thing...complete with Electrical and water hookups .... and onsite dump station. Not really sure why we felt like stopping here....but soon figured out....it was a good call....

Backing into our spot...at the very back of the park, we found ourselves just feet away from yet another slow moving creek....This time The Beaverhead dam creek.....seems it doesnt matter if we're in Humbolt...or Daniel Wyoming.....Craig Montana....or Thornton Iowa...there's just something about the sound of water passing by that makes no matter where we are...just right.

And then that wooden bridge...that stretched over it—weathered, sturdy—the kind that creaks just a little bit under foot...but you only hear it if you pay attention.

That bridge would become a familiar path for Dougie and me, a shortcut into town...and the Cenex, the neighborhood convenience store...you know....that place where the smell of diesel....and gas....mixes in with the warmth of coffee....and a bag of chips and a sandwich....becoming so familiar...the hum of small town life I guess...and the things you loose site of after a few decades in the urban sprawl of America.

But just beyond that bridge, tucked into a grassy area behind the RV park, was something...I hadn't seen before. At first glance, it looked like an open field dotted with metal baskets, each one standing on a single pole, some sortta chain basket like thing hanging from them. We didn’t think much of it until that one afternoon....when the field came alive.

A group had gathered—players of all ages, gripping brightly colored discs, their postures shifting between casual conversation and intense focus. Some took long strides, launching discs high into the air, while others threw with precision...like a bullet shot at that bullseye.....Figured out... A game was in motion...Both Dougie and I were curious....we sat alongside that creek watching....trying to piece it together. It was clear there was a system—tees, fairways, targets—but the scoring? The strategy? That was all a mystery.

That night, curiosity got the best of me. I typed into the search bar: "Tell me about Frisbee Golf."

Officially known as Disc Golf, it’s a sport that dates back to the 1970s, its roots tangled in the counterculture movement that also gave rise to the modern flying disc itself. The concept is simple—players start at a designated tee, aiming to land their disc in a metal basket in as few throws as possible. Like traditional golf, courses have pars, hazards, and various shot techniques, but instead of clubs and balls, it’s all about the flick of the wrist, the arc of the throw, and the wind’s cooperation—or defiance.

As for how a town like Thornton, Iowa, ended up with a disc golf course? That’s part of the charm. Unlike basketball or football, which demand packed stadiums and roaring crowds, disc golf thrives in the quiet corners—public parks, forgotten fields, green spaces where a few metal baskets can transform an empty lot into an arena. It’s low-cost, easy to maintain, and open to anyone willing to give it a try. So I guess... in a place like Thornton....it sorta fits....a map says it's 100 mile trek in most any direction to get to any serious population.....so instead of going there...why not bring some of them....here....

So the next afternoon...crossin that wooden bridge again... I found myself watching those players differently. Now, I knew the game they played. I understood their concentration, their laughter, the quiet nods they exchanged after a particularly good throw. It was a world... I hadn't expected to find here...in Thornton Iowa.....population 400—but then again...at the same time...that's kinda the beauty of it all isn't it....Life Out There....ya never know what your gonna find....or where your gonna find it....

But...probably goes without sayin...Thornton Iowa....isn't just Disc Golf....a bit more internet surfing would tell us as we sat here...that we were in just one more piece of it...a piece of the country.....formed millions of years ago...sculpted by the glacial movements that left these fertile soils and gently rolling hills...The ones native americans would trek down into and across North America to find..... only to be joined by us European explorers...all those centuries later.

Here in Thornton....it's the same ol' story....just different names....different pioneers....

Here...A guy named William Thornton would show up in the area in the late 1800's....stake himself some land....and before he knew it....a settlement....growth....and a town...that would come to bear his name

It's become more than clear at this point that throughout this part of the country...it's always been the soil..... crops.

No different here...in Thornton .....they'd built themselves a town...complete with two grain mills...a blacksmiths shop...general store .... and a railway line ...in no time.

And in the 167 years that have passed since Thorntons settlement....and founding....doesn't "feel" like much has changed....really. Sure....dirt roads and streets are mostly paved over....Horses and buggies replaced with cars....and the mills are bigger...and lots of trucks through a railway yard with a lot more tracks....

Few more houses....most of em pretty old....

It's still a place....a community...revolving around the lives of some 400 folks.....just like 100 years ago.

And then...that one more click...happened again here....

During an afternoon walk with Dougie.....passed a yard that had a sign in it....read "Thornton Militia Meetings here"

Hmmm....studied it....in fact ..... took a picture of it.

Thornton Militia?

Well...first of all...stupid pandemic! I really just wanted to walk up...knock on the door .... and ask.... but somehow...that just didn't feel right....besides...place looked pretty empty.....

So I'd have to resort to the internet again....

What's a militia?

According to the internet......The term "militia" in the United States has a long and complex history. It originally referred to a group of civilians trained as soldiers but not part of the (quote unquote) regular army. The concept dates back to colonial times when local militias were formed to defend communities against threats, such as Native American attacks or even foreign invasions.

During the American Revolution, militias played a crucial role in the fight for independence. After the revolution, the importance of militias continued, and they were incorporated into the new nation's defense strategy. The Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which mentions the right to keep and bear arms, was partly intended to ensure that states could maintain militias.

In modern times, the term "militia" can have different connotations. Some militia groups are involved in historical reenactments, while others may focus on community defense or political activism.

Man....I had to stop there...for now anyways...made myself a note to dig into it a bit more later...

That reference to the second ammendment....and right to bear arms....sorta left me feeling a bit embarrassed....when I realized I didn't know exactly what the 2nd ammendment said...I ....of course...knew...."The right to bare arms part".....but thats what every shouts....what did the rest of the ammendment say?

But I just didn't have the brain power for that rabbit hole this evening.

A beautiful August evening in Thornton Iowa. Instead...the evening would be spent crossin that bridge one more time for our last walk around Thornton....quick stop at Cenex for some snacks...

And later....those snacks and a movie...

No idea what direction we'll head tomorrow. Septembers coming....probably should think about South....maybe...

And I wonder what we'll learn there?