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Iowa has some beautiful places that are wonderful vacation destinations. One of the must see places is Crystal Lake Cave. There is an interesting story behind this location. Back in 1868 lead miners were looking for a lead vein and they drilled 40 feet into the ground. And although they were not successful in finding the lead they had hoped for they did find something else even more amazing. What they found was Crystal Lake Cave. Although the cave was discovered for many years it was not open to
the public until 1932. Bernard Markus, one of the original miners, played a role in getting the cave open to the public and it finally became so after his death.

While the miners were digging they found quite a few different types of gems and minerals that are on display in the gift shop. There is no other show cavern like Crystal Lake Cave and this is the longest a cave has been “alive” in Iowa. The cave is underground and continues to be one of the most amazing places to visit in Iowa. The tour of the cave takes about half an hour to 45 minutes and it is an adventure like none other you have ever taken. A tour guide will lead you so that you get the most out of the adventure. Keep in mind that no matter what the temperature is outside it will be quite cool in Crystal Lake Cave and the year round temperature is usually around 52 degrees Fahrenheit.

The cave is open from 9 am to 5 pm on weekends in May and daily in June, July and August from 9 am until 6 pm. In September the cave is open from 11 am until 5 pm on weekdays and 9 am until 5 pm on weekends. The cave is open through mid October from 11 am until 5 pm on weekdays and 9 am until 5 pm on weekends. The rest of the year the cave is closed for winter. Prices for adults are $10 and $5 for kids four to 11. Kids under four are free and senior citizens receive a 10% discount. Group pricing is available. The cave is located three miles south of Dubuque, Iowa and 20 minutes from Galena, Illinois.

There is a website that has great information on USA Vacations and Unique Travel Spots Listed State By State and Season, the website is called: Seasonal Vacation Spots, and can be found at this url:

seasonalvacationspots.com

By Robert W. Benjamin

Copyright © 2007

You may publish this article in your ezine, newsletter, or on your web site as long as it is reprinted in its entirety and without modification except for formatting needs or grammar corrections.

Robert W. Benjamin has been in the software business on the internet for over 5 years, and has been producing low-cost software for the past 25 years. He first released products on the AMIGA and C64 computer systems in the late 1970’s-80’s.

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Sooner or later it happens to almost everyone…you’ve been involved in a car accident.

After information has been exchanged and everyone is back home, it’s time to start thinking about getting your vehicle repaired. When you do, most auto repair shops will give you a choice as to whether you want to use OEM or aftermarket parts to restore your car back to its original condition.

OEM stands for Original Equipment Manufacturer. These are basically the exact same parts that your car came with. Keep in mind though, that many auto makers have outside companies manufacture parts for them, so they may not be actual Ford or Chevrolet parts, for example, but they will be of the exact quality that originally came with your car.

Aftermarket parts are supplied by third party manufacturers. These parts are designed to the same specifications as the OEM parts. For various reasons, they are often cheaper to purchase, and therefore, most auto body shops will recommend using aftermarket parts to repair your vehicle. For one thing, most insurance companies will not pay 100% of the cars repair costs if OEM parts are used, since the insurance company will incur higher overall costs as a result.

Keep this in mind if you decide to insist that the repair shop uses only OEM parts, as this generally means that some (or all!) of the cost of repairs may be coming out of your own pocket.

In most cases, aftermarket parts are as good, quality-wise, as their OEM counterparts. Occasionally, they are even better.

Where this becomes a bit tricker is in those instances where safety-related parts must be replaced, such as bumpers, brakes, etc. Aftermarket parts are not subject to the same rigorous crash-test standards and procedures that all OEM parts are required to go through. As a result, there is a belief that the aftermarket parts may not hold up as well in a crash as their OEM counterparts.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has disputed this notion, and states that aftermarket parts do not degrade the overall safety performance of an automobile.

One thing is certain though, whether OEM or aftermarket parts are used, whether or not you paid out of your pocket for repairs, you will pay dearly when the time comes to trade in your vehicle at the dealership. With the advent of detailed auto databases, dealers can quickly find out if your vehicle has ever been in an accident. If it has, expect the amount you are offered for your car to be cut nearly in half.

It’s nearly impossible for a car dealer to sell a vehicle that has been wrecked, and they are forced to sell it to a wholesaler for pennies on the dollar, which is why they must drop their offer to you so dramatically.

Ultimately, you must decide whether you wish to use OEM or aftermarket parts on your vehicle for its repair. Depending on the make and model, you may have no choice but to use OEM parts, as aftermarket parts may not be available. Fortunately, most insurance companies *will* pay 100% of the repair costs in this particular situation.

Mike Long is the author and publisher of ten different blogs covering a wide range of topics. He creates new content daily to distribute all over the web. If you would like to learn more about different types of insurance, an excellent resource can be found at mikes-insurance-blog.blogspot.com Mike’s Insurance Blog.