I figured it out!! A NEW blog!! Geez, what an idiot. (me) Probably already figured THAT didn't you. Man it it hot today. WHO cares! Remember the last 2 Winters?!! No complaining from me. Years ago in the late 50s early 60s we Coralville kids had a few ways to beat the heat. First, we could swim in the Iowa River. The water actually got pretty warm, but if you dived deep enough it would cool off quick! I mean quick. I jumped off Lover's Leap a few times, and it is COLD down deep! Where is Lover's Leap?? It is still there today. Across from Edgewater Drive homes, (flooded homes) you will see a BIG limestone outcropping.. THAT is Lover's Leap. At one time there was a 2 x 12 as a diving board. Neat stuff! OR, we could ride our bikes to the Iowa City pool in Upper City Park. Great fun! We rode all the way, BUT we rode along/thru all the parking lots of the businesses on the North Side of the Strip.., then under the CRANDIC trestle on Rocky Shore and along Rocky Shore ( NO big sidewalk on the west side back then) UP the big hill on Park Road, to the pool.. On the way back we ALWAYS stopped at the Zesto.. THAT was a neat little ice cream 'stand' where Tom Riley Law Firm is. (was) The Zesto sat below the street level, and had a gravel parking lot. GREAT place! We could also stop next door at the Dog 'N' Suds too! What a great Strip back then.. Coralville sure looks better when all the trees are in full regalia. The old part of town where I grew up looks a little 'old' these days, and the trees, flowers, and yards sure look better this time of year. Another way to cool off was to head to the Gift Shop.. That was on the southside of 5th street at the south end of 8th avenue. It is now a 2 story office building, but back then it was a one story building. They sold the frozen popsicles in a long plastice tube!! Those were great!! 10 cents if I recall. We also bought our Revel models there. Cars, planes etc. I remember buying my Mom a birthday gift there one time. It was a little statue that said "World's Greatest Mom'... ( such a nice kid!!) She still has it. If we needed cold pop and a candy bar AND baseball cards there was only one choice,,, Koser's Store. It was at the corner of 1st avenue and 5th street, NW corner.. A legendary store. Opened in about 1903 or so, it was then purchased by the Koser Family and opened as Koser's in about 1912 or so. They sold Red Rock Cola. THEE choice of the Coralville Kids. 7oz (SEVEN) bottles for 5cents. A BIG Snickers was 5cents, baseball cards AND gum was 5cents, a donut out of the box was 5ents.. BUT wait, there was ice cream, popsicles, ice cream bars,, AND AND AND,, Kalona bars!! Ice cream bars with chocolate AND nuts on the outside. Outstanding. Koser's only got about 2 boxes a week so you had to be there!! I think they were a dime.....Did I mention the Village Pharmacy, or the Purple Cow, or C & D Grocery or the little ice cream motorcyles that used to drive up and down the streets...Maybe next time! Keep cool.. I do every day!!