Winding Pathways invites readers to enjoy past features in the Cedar Rapids Gazette.

Wandering Nebraska and South Dakota’s Rich Fossil Freeway. Follow US Highway 20 across northern Nebraska while exploring its fossil-rich history.  Along the way wet your line in trout streams, paddle clear rivers through sandhills, camp in a National Forest in the Great Plains, and bicycle parts of the Great American Rail-Trail. Then, end up in the enchanting Black Hills of South Dakota.

Alaska In Winter. Most folks experience Alaska in summer.  Winter has its rewards, too!  Plenty of activities for outdoor enthusiasts and mild-mannered indoor types. Museums. The Bear Tooth Theatrepub. Great eateries. Iditarod Ceremonial Start. XC ski races. Campbell Creek Science Center.  And, perhaps most wonderful of all – no skeeters or bears!

Indiana Dunes National Park.  A great stop while speeding along I-80 is the Indiana Dunes National Park.  A cooperative venture among city, county, state and federal government, this necklace of preserved areas rings the southern end of Lake Michigan. Soft sand beaches to explore, dunes several hundred feet high to scale, charming villages, bicycle trails to follow, and varied places to rest your head at night. This new national park can fulfill any family’s vacation dreams.

America’s Magnificent Mounds line the Mississippi River and many other waterways in North America.  While most mounds have been lost to “development” many remain. And, travelers can learn so much about ancient cultures and appreciate why preserving these mounds is important.