Dirty Gertie Adventures

Dirty Gertie Adventures Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Dirty Gertie Adventures, Photography Videography, 302 E Bloomington St, Iowa City, IA.

šŸ‡ŗšŸ‡øSteve and MarcišŸ“Follow along as we head to the Arctic Ocean and Alaska in our šŸš 2021 Storyteller Overland 4x4 Classic Mode šŸ§” making memories one detour at a time! ā¤ļø

Our last night in Iowa turned out to be one more unexpected treat! ā¤ļøWe spent the night in Larchwood at Zangger Vintage ...
08/25/2026

Our last night in Iowa turned out to be one more unexpected treat! ā¤ļø

We spent the night in Larchwood at Zangger Vintage Airpark, a really unique Harvest Host not far from Sioux Falls. We were treated to a tour of the property, including an incredible garage filled with cars and several hangars packed with all kinds of vintage treasures and artifacts.

The best part? We even got our own little air show, watching a small plane take off and land a few times right in front of us! āœˆļø

It was such a fun and unexpected way to wrap up our time in Iowaā€”a state that gave us way more adventures, friends, music, and detours than we ever anticipated. ā¤ļø

Iowa, you were VERY good to us! Next upā€¦South Dakota! šŸššŸ’Ø # pilot

Sometimes the best stops on an epic road trip arenā€™t the famous landmarksā€”theyā€™re the ones where you get to spend time w...
08/25/2026

Sometimes the best stops on an epic road trip arenā€™t the famous landmarksā€”theyā€™re the ones where you get to spend time with great friends. ā¤ļø

We spent a few wonderful days at The Waypoint, a beautiful Harvest Host owned by our friends Jason and Emma near Earlham, Iowa. With acres of old-growth trees, a peaceful pond, a giant barn, and plenty of room for campfires, it was the kind of place that makes you want to stay awhile.

I wish I could say my Dutch oven braised short ribs were equally impressive. Unfortunately, they were completely inedible. šŸ¤Ŗ Apparently Dutch oven cooking comes with a learning curve, and I found it!

Between a legendary breaded tenderloin sandwich at Ambroā€™s Roadhouse, morning coffee in the hay barn, adorable alpacas, and the sweetest Highland cows (including one bottle-fed baby who stole my heart), this stop was filled with simple moments weā€™ll remember for a long time.

This trip keeps reminding us that the real magic isnā€™t always the placesā€”itā€™s the people. This van has connected us with an incredible community of adventurers and friends who have become family. The best kind, because theyā€™re the ones you choose. ā¤ļø

08/06/2026

Believe it or not, this stop was actually planned! šŸ¤£

Our second planned stop of the trip took us to West Des Moines, Iowa, to see our good friend Jason Walsmith and his band, The Nadas, perform at Jasper Winery. We had built part of our route around their July 2nd and July 4th shows and were excited to catch both.

The atmosphere was amazing. People of all ages were up dancing, singing along, and having a great time. We loved seeing how engaged everyone was and how live music brought the whole crowd together.

The Nadas have been rocking for 30 years and were inducted into the Iowa Rock and Roll Hall of Fameā€”a well-deserved honor for a band that clearly still loves what they do.

Great friends, great music, and a beautiful summer evening. ā¤ļøšŸŽøšŸš ā¤ļø

08/05/2026

Custer State Park might just be one of South Dakotaā€™s best-kept secrets! ā¤ļø

We settled into Center Lake Campground for a few nights and quickly decided weā€™d be happy staying much longer. The campground was peaceful, beautiful, and the perfect home base for exploring the park.

The Wildlife Loop Road did not disappoint! We spotted bison, pronghorns, prairie dogs, and the famous begging burros. Fair warning: those burros know exactly how cute they are and arenā€™t afraid to use it! šŸ«šŸ¤£

Back at camp, I dusted off the Dutch oven and put together a beef stew over the fire. Nothing fancy, but after a day of wildlife watching and exploring, it tasted like a five-star meal. šŸ”„šŸ„˜

The recipe was a hit, the wildlife was incredible, and the scenery was straight out of a postcard. Weā€™d call that a pretty perfect few days.

Now excuse me while I try to convince Steve that we need more Dutch oven meals on this trip. šŸ˜‰

The elusive Maid-Rite! All Steve was talking about when Iowa hit the itinerary was to get a loose meat sandwich and Paul...
07/27/2026

The elusive Maid-Rite! All Steve was talking about when Iowa hit the itinerary was to get a loose meat sandwich and Paulaā€™s in West Des Moines didnā€™t disappointā€¦thanks for the recommendation Jason!

Steve had the classic and Marci had the the cheese rite!

The spoon is a must to grab every last bit!

Happy customers!! Especially since we had the last sandwiches of the dayā€¦an unhappy customer was sent away empty handed šŸ˜„

Iowa City turned out to be a WILD detour! šŸ¤ÆWe took Rachelā€™s advice and stopped to visit Iowa City, home to Iowaā€™s origin...
07/23/2026

Iowa City turned out to be a WILD detour! šŸ¤Æ

We took Rachelā€™s advice and stopped to visit Iowa City, home to Iowaā€™s original state capitol and the University of Iowa.

While we were walking around, I felt compelled to text my friend Laura. Her husband, Rob, is a huge Hawkeye fan and a University of Iowa alum, so I thought heā€™d appreciate seeing where we were.

Get thisā€¦

Laura, Rob, and their son Michael had just arrived in Iowa City for a family wedding! šŸ¤Æ

The crazy part? They live just minutes from us in South Florida, but we never managed to get together before we left on this epic road tripā€¦errā€¦Detour Tour! šŸ¤Ŗ

Thousands of miles from home, and we ended up in the exact same place at the exact same time.

If thatā€™s not being in the right place at the right time, I donā€™t know what is. That one truly felt meant to be. ā¤ļø

Address

302 E Bloomington St
Iowa City, IA
52245-2102

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