Alice writes: Actually did get started around 6.20 – not bad at all! Finally the mystery of the vehicle is solved ; it’s Tim’s trusty Corolla. After all, we didn’t want to spend all of our travel money at the gas station, but instead invest it in the local cuisine and beverages.
Check out the picture – which suitcase do you think belongs to me? A little hint: mine is purple. Yeah, men can lug too much stuff around. And he calls that packing light!
Anyways, after a trip to McDonald’s to get coffee we were off, heading toward El Dorado and then on to I 35. We even saw some real-life cowboys on the way following the interstate all the way to Kansas City. There we crossed over into Missouri, staying on I 35, then heading into Iowa around 12.30. We pulled over into the Welcome Center, which was a huge building with a bunch of antiques, Amish crafts and furniture for sale.
There was also an Amish girl in the parking lot of the adjacent gas station, selling baskets. She had her carriage with her, but no horse. Guess it went home to sit in the shade.
Check out the picture – which suitcase do you think belongs to me? A little hint: mine is purple. Yeah, men can lug too much stuff around. And he calls that packing light!
Anyways, after a trip to McDonald’s to get coffee we were off, heading toward El Dorado and then on to I 35. We even saw some real-life cowboys on the way following the interstate all the way to Kansas City. There we crossed over into Missouri, staying on I 35, then heading into Iowa around 12.30. We pulled over into the Welcome Center, which was a huge building with a bunch of antiques, Amish crafts and furniture for sale.
There was also an Amish girl in the parking lot of the adjacent gas station, selling baskets. She had her carriage with her, but no horse. Guess it went home to sit in the shade.
We decided to have lunch downtown, at a cattle auction place. Lots of locals there with not so friendly stares, but the food was really good. Best mashed potatoes I ever had! The town itself had more Amish girls selling produce and was unbelievably clean. In general, Iowa was very clean with a very appealing landscape – there were actually trees! Oh yeah, and rest stops every 40 miles. Check that out, Oklahoma!
Since this part of the trip was such a long haul we decided to stay on the interstate for a little while longer, taking the bypass around Des Moines and then heading on I 80 toward Cedar Rapids. Shortly before reaching that town, we headed north to drive on some back roads. It was then we discovered the Amana Colonies, several towns founded by a religious group that had been kicked out of Germany back in the day, the leader being Christian Metz. They believed in isolation and God’s principles with the isolation part pretty much working out until the advance of the automobile and the resulting roads.
So that having failed, this religious group decided to become a stock company and cash in which resulted in old Christian spinning in his grave. Nobody can say religion doesn’t pay!
So that having failed, this religious group decided to become a stock company and cash in which resulted in old Christian spinning in his grave. Nobody can say religion doesn’t pay!
Anyways, the town itself looks like straight out of a storybook – very kitschig, like something out of Disney Land. I’m not complaining though, at least I got some cookie cutters there.
Leaving Amana, we drove toward Cedar Rapids on US 151, circumvented it, and continued to Dubuque. There we took a little detour south, because the map said there was a “picturesque Luxembourger village” in St. Donatus. We did find 3 houses there that looked like the ones in Luxemburg, but that was it. Oh well, at least we tried...
Continuing over the Mississippi River and into Wisconsin, we followed US 151 until reaching Mineral Point around 20.00, which is on the historic register. Yep, the whole town is!
We checked into the Dairyland Motel and then headed downtown to a local pub. We got to sit on the patio, surrounded by flowers, and give ourselves up to public drinking with a waitress that spoke Fargo (you know, like the pregnant cop in the movie). The food was great and I was just thrilled with my surroundings. In fact, I loved the whole town so much that I decided that we need to retire here – sorry Tom for breaking the news to you this way. But check out the bright side – there are 8 bars within walking distance and the town looks like Mr. Clean is the mayor.
Our motel is very clean and cute but doesn’t have wireless connection so I’ll post this tomorrow as soon as we get somewhere that does have it. Right now we’re under a thunderstorm warning and it already started raining, but Tim brought in a bottle of wine so who cares about the storm!
Also, gute Nacht und Prost!
We checked into the Dairyland Motel and then headed downtown to a local pub. We got to sit on the patio, surrounded by flowers, and give ourselves up to public drinking with a waitress that spoke Fargo (you know, like the pregnant cop in the movie). The food was great and I was just thrilled with my surroundings. In fact, I loved the whole town so much that I decided that we need to retire here – sorry Tom for breaking the news to you this way. But check out the bright side – there are 8 bars within walking distance and the town looks like Mr. Clean is the mayor.
Our motel is very clean and cute but doesn’t have wireless connection so I’ll post this tomorrow as soon as we get somewhere that does have it. Right now we’re under a thunderstorm warning and it already started raining, but Tim brought in a bottle of wine so who cares about the storm!
Also, gute Nacht und Prost!
p.s. drove 680 miles today…
Tim writes: of course I have the larger bag – where does she think that I stash all the wine!
Tim writes: of course I have the larger bag – where does she think that I stash all the wine!
Alice writes: all vicious lies!
p.p.s. couldn't get the photos posted in the right order so you'll have to figure it out - sorry!
2 comments:
I thought 'isolation and God's principles' still held there. Bummer!
There was probably a good hunk of lard in those mashies
Well written article.
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