Watching sailors while we walk at Gray's Lake

Linda and I went back to Gray's Lake to log a couple more miles before we really start training in earnest. While we were there, we enjoyed watching two women on what appeared to be one of their first sailing adventures. It looked like they knew some parts of the sailing experience but probably learned a few as well. It took them a while to get things pointed in the right direction but once they did, they moved along nicely. It's not uncommon to see boats sailing on the lake but we don't often see them put in or take out. It added a sense of connection.

Reporting the Bristol Results

#1 Bear Down Racing 370 vs 404 #6 Red Neck Racing Academy
#4 halffastracing 80 vs 366 #3 Desert Denny
#5 Blue Bayou 413 vs 515! #2 Overdue

Anytime someone breaks 500 in a week, that's worth mentioning. The drivers for Overdue really did the job this week.

On the other end of the spectrum, it's probably even more uncommon for a team to not break 100 points. Our league leader, falffastracing, started Mark Martin again but Mark wasn't in the race.

Red Neck Racing Adademy has now caught up with halffast and is truly on a hot streak. He's certainly in contention to win this year.

Also, as a result of that 80 put up by halffast, his average points per race fell to 372.5 falling behind Blue Bayou with 380.9 and Bear Down Racing with league leading 383.7.

#4 halffastracing 16-8
#6 Red Neck Racing Academy 16-8
#5 Blue Bayou 14-10
#2 Overdue 11-13
#1 Bear Down Racing 9-15
#3 Desert Denny 6-18

Taking a Walk in the Park

As we did last year, Linda and I have signed up to walk the IMT Des Moines Half Marathon; some folks just never learn I guess. Saturday was a nice day for our first "training walk" to prepare so we hit a trail near downtown.

We started at Gray's Lake but we didn't take the usual loop around the lake. Instead, we walked along the trail that follows the south bank of the Raccoon River. An old iron bridge has been converted for pedestrian use so we strolled across there and made our way up by Principal Park, home of the Iowa Cubs. The statue of woman and child in the right side of the collage is just outside the ballpark.

Our loop took us up and into the Farmer's Market crowd. It wasn't as heavy a crowd as sometimes, it still changed our pace. We got behind a younger man and his bulldog, Tank, for a while. Tank reminded us of an entry in the Drake Relays Most Beautiful Bulldog competition. When we stopped at a corner, people wanted to pet him and asked his name. Seperated by the better part of a block, two passersby commented that Tank reminded them of Meatball, apparently (hopefully!) another bulldog... well known bulldog!

The return route took us back across the iron bridge and back to the lake. It was enough for a starting walk. Not too much but certainly a reminder that there are miles to go to get ready for this gig.

Friday Construction Photo #19

There's been good progress on the southwest corner. The steel is nearly all the way up and shiny floor material is filling in the framework.

There are signs that these areas are soon going to be active platforms for other workers. On the middle floor on the right, you can see a perimeter of posts defining a "safe" zone. Driving by, I saw men pulling safety cables around what will be the exterior walls. It won't be as visible but there will be a lot going on.

Adding another dimension....

About a month ago, I received an email from one of the computer newsletters I subscribe to. In that letter, they offered an online course on podcasting. I'm not really likely to become a podcaster but I do like to learn new things so I signed up. I read the courses and did an exercise or two. In the end, I came up with this. I don't know how often I'll be adding sound to my posts but it could happen any time.

Singing Bye, Bye Miss American Pie with Don McLean

Sunday evening, last night of the Iowa State Fair, Linda and I went back to the fairgrounds to see Don McLean. We arrived a little before show time but every seat around the stage was filled; we'd be standing. We grabbed a couple of sandwiches at a nearby stand and waited for the show.

It soon became apparent that the crowd was about half familiar with Don's work; the other half just recognized American Pie. Over all, the music was good and the crowd appreciative of the opportunity. Roy Orbison's Crying was immediately recognized and well received. A woman near us asked the name of the performer.

"Don McLean." No name recognition. "Bye, Bye, Miss American Pie..." Lights come on.

"OH! I knew the voice sounded familiar. I just couldn't place it." She turned to the man beside her. "Honey, that's the Bye, Bye, Miss American Pie guy!"

He played a couple lesser known pieces and then came Vincent (Starry Starry Night) in a very stripped down form. It was just Don's vocals and a gently, sparingly plucked Dobro guitar. This song has always been beautiful and this delicate arrangement was almost overpowered by the ambient fair sounds. Even so, it was quite a treat to get to hear it live.

Another older song or two and it was time to pay off the crowd. "A long, long time ago, I can still remember..." The crowd rose to their feet. A group of college age kids danced down the aisles toward the stage. It was clearly a sing-along but somewhat tentatively so; while it's quite recognizable, it's an interesting and large collection of lyrics so there was a certain amount of feeling around for the right phrases. This difference between familiarity and knowledge was quite clear as the song changed pace near the end: the crowd erupted in applause... but the song went on. It happened again a little later. Finally, when the true finish came, people were kind of cautious about finally unleashing their applause. The Song played, the crowd thinned out... but Don played on. Finally satisfied, he closed the show with the crowd wanting more. It was an excellent evening.

Visiting Salisbury House, Des Moines Landmark

This American castle is another surprising find in this city on the plains. Salisbury House is another active participant in the Des Moines arts scene. Like the Sylvan Theater, Jazz in July makes a stop on these grounds. I've not been in the building yet but have heard that it's truly a treat. Built in the 1920s by the Weeks family, they went to great lengths to see that it reflected the King's House in Salisbury, England, in every way possible.

Visiting the Rose Garden at Greenwood Park, Des Moines Landmark

The blossoms may be waning but their color is still striking. The Clair and Miles Mills Rose Garden is just up the hill behind the stage of the Sylvan Theater. It's probably easier to get to from the Des Moines Art Center directly to the north but today, I was visiting the theater.

This handsome garden is often used as the site for any number of moderate to small events. When I was there, there were men setting up a tent for some sort of outdoor reception.

Visiting the Sylvan Theatre, Des Moines Landmark

Wikipedia gives the following description: "A sylvan theater is a type of outdoor theater situated in a wooded (sylvan) setting. Often adorned with classical motifs (columns, statues), a sylvan theater may substitute a simple green lawn for built seating and can include elaborate arrangements of shrubs, flowers and other greenery. These alfresco stages may be features of grand formal gardens or parks, or of more intimate settings, and may be intended for either public or private use."

There are no columns or statues but the setting is quite nice. Located just off the beaten path in Greenwood park, this Des Moines Landmark serves annually as a location for the annual Jazz In July series. When I was there, families would often take a breather and sit for a few minutes, probably imagining how their favorite performer might look on this stage.

Seeing Dragons on Gray's Lake

Well... dragon boats anyway. Saturday, sixteen teams of nearly twenty members each gathered at Grays Lake for the first annual My Angel Foundation Paddling for Hope benefit. The event was to raise funds and organ donor awareness. I later learned that a number of the participants were donors or recipients. The turnout was good and the people looked like they were having a good time.

Each boat had a several pairs of rowers, a person in the back to steer, a person near the front to beat the drum, and a person in the bow to grab the flag at the finish. It didn't look like there was much of a break when you were on the water. They'd paddle up to the start, race to the finish and then do it again. There were four boats in the water at any one time and the teams would swap out after their two timed runs. It looked like everyone was having a pretty good time but I bet there were some sore backs and shoulders before the day was done. It was quite a show!

One of the nice things about the way they ran this event was that, even while the races were going on in the east end of the lake, people were able to canoe and kayak at a more relaxed pace in the west end.

Friday Construction Photo #18

The steel in the southwest corner went up quickly. The crane now appears to be off the footprint of the building so it may get to stay there for a while. It looks like the base for the remaining girders has been prepared so things should keep moving along smoothly. I'm a little surprised that the steel has been such a focus but, with cooler and likely rainy weather ahead, I guess it makes sense to get the framework and exterior up quickly; they can fill in the interior when the cold winds are blowing outside.

Reporting the Watkins Glen Results

Even when Kelly starts Mark Martin who was taking the week off, he beats me. It's just that kind of year.

#1 Bear Down Racing 254 vs 297 #4 halffastracing
#3 Desert Denny 340 vs 434 #5 Blue Bayou
#6 Red Neck Racing Academy 319 vs 294 #2 Overdue

#4 halffastracing 16-6
#5 Blue Bayou 14-8
#6 Red Neck Racing Academy 14-8
#2 Overdue 9-13
#1 Bear Down Racing 8-14
#3 Desert Denny 5-17

Searching for the Tree in the Middle of the Road

Linda and I stopped at the Redwood Steakhouse in Anita to try their onion rings. I gave the door a little tug to see if they were open yet. A man came out and explained that it would be another hour before they'd be open. With an hour to kill, I figured Linda and I could take in another area sight. I asked about Albert the Bull and he confirmed that he could be found in Audubon and that it would be about twenty to thirty minutes each way. He then said, "If you're interested in seeing Albert, you ought to see the Tree in the Middle of the Road. It's just out north of town."

I asked for directions and got an idea of where this tree would be found. In the course of the description, I thought I heard a route from the west side of town and then another from the east side of town. Hmmm... "There'll be signs to help you along." I thanked him and let him go about his business of getting things ready for us to return for onion rings.

When I got back to the car and explained the idea to Linda, she was on board but seemed a bit less intrigued than me by the idea of going to see Albert much less this tree.

We rolled out of the east side of town and turned north, looking for signs or even opportunities to turn. There was only one and it was only about a quarter mile before the interstate. The man at the Redwood wasn't sure if it would be north or south the the interstate so that still seemed possible.

Gravel roads seem to be part of our weekend outings and this filled the bill. As we rose and fell with the hills, we came to a T-intersection. Fortunately, a local man was out on his four-wheeler driving down into the ditches and shooting into the air on the other side. We came to a stop and he shut down his ride.

"Is this the way to the Tree in the Middle of the Road."

"I think so... turn right and then left at the next turn... or the next one. It's about two miles from there."

We thanked him, feeling confident that we were on the right path. When the first turn came, we took it and drove two or three miles and could see the better part of the next mile from a hilltop. Nothing looking like a tree in the middle of the road.

We turned back to try the second turn. Like the first, it didn't bear fruit either. I was beginning to wonder if this was a town practical joke; when people with out of county plates ask for directions or points of interest, point them out north of town to find some tree in the middle of the road. Good one...

We did go ahead and found Albert and returned to the Redwood for our onion rings. While in the parking lot, the man recognized us and stopped by to ask if we'd found everything alright. We said we'd found Albert but not the tree. He did a nice job of concealing any amusement and said that the signs were small... we must have just missed them.

After enjoying our onion rings, we set out for home. As we were approaching the interstate, we thought we'd give it one more try. This time, we took a turn we hadn't yet. We rolled over the hills and, after cresting one, could see foliage that certainly could be a tree and could be in the middle of our road. When we cleared the next hill, there is was! Quite a sight... possibly even worth the search. It's probably like geocaching; the pleasure is in the successful search, not the value of what you found. Click here to see the tree or go to 41°30'15.63"N latitude, 94°50'5.78"W longitude, or 710th and Akron. That's where we found it.

Trying the Onion Rings at the Redwood Steakhouse

After visiting Albert the Bull, Linda and I returned to Anita to try the onion rings at the Redwood Steakhouse. By now, they'd certainly be open and we'd get to put another check mark on the 100 Things You Must Eat list.

We arrived and, before we got out of the car, the gentleman who I'd spoken with earlier stopped by and asked how our search had gone. We told him we'd seen Albert and were ready to try the rings.

When we got inside, it was clear that this was a place very well suited to parties of four to twelve. There were booths along the wall, circular tables for six near the entrance, and long, family style tables across the main floor. There was evidently a party in the back as people kept streaming in and being directed to the back.

Contrary to the suggested small order of rings, we ordered the medium. It was plenty! And, yes, they were tasty. We weren't overly hungry after the Adel Corn Festival so this was a suitable follow-up. Another nice stop on our trip around Iowa.

Visiting Albert the Bull

If you've seen much Iowa tourism literature, odds are you've seen a photo of Albert the Bull. He's also on the list of 100 Places You Must Visit in Iowa. Linda and I were in the area looking for some onion rings on the 100 Things You Must Eat in Iowa but found we were an hour early. Having time to kill, we set out to find Albert. There's more to that story but I'll leave it for later.

We found our way to Audubon and there, in a park on the south side of town, stood Albert. Having seen the Super Bull competition at the Iowa State Fair had not prepared me for the scale and majesty of this specimen. He's huge! Okay... yes, he's a statue. He's still huge. I walked under his belly ducking only slightly.

Linda I speculated about what he was actually made of. It's an unusually beaded surface that otherwise could be very much like fiberglass; maybe it is fiberglass, we couldn't really say. To paraphrase Charlotte, "Some Bull."

Stumbling onto a little Iowa history, Part 2

After the Adel Corn Festival, Linda and I were still up for some more exploring. The eastern end of the White Pole Road described on their website wasn't far away and we'd not actually travelled that portion of the Great White Way yet so we headed over to Dexter.

Just to the east of Dexter, you find the eastern end of this segment of the White Pole Road. When the Eisenhower Interstate System laid out I-80, they ran right down a part of the old road. We picked up where they left off and headed into Dexter and on to Stuart.

In Stuart, we found another example of surprising architecture dotting the countryside. This massive brick hall, complete with clock tower, is quite a sight to this day. Across the street and down the block, we found an interesting sign above the current police department:

First National Bank 1882-1924
Site of Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow Bank Robbery Apr. 16, 1934

I wasn't aware that Iowa had such a history for criminal activity! First we ran across the site of the first Jesse James train robbery in the west and now we stumble across what I've since learned to be the next to last bank robbed by the notorious Bonnie and Clyde... both along the White Pole Road.

In reading more about the activities of Bonnie and Clyde in Iowa, I also found that they had been in the area nearly a year earlier:

On July 24 1933, the Barrow Gang was at Dexfield Park, an abandoned amusement park near Dexter, Iowa. After being noticed by local citizens it was determined that the campers were the Barrows. Surrounded by local lawmen and approximately one hundred spectators, the Barrows once again found themselves under fire. Clyde, Bonnie, and W.D. Jones escaped on foot. Buck was shot in the back and his wife hit again in the face and eyes with flying glass. Buck died five days later at Kings Daughters Hospital in Iowa of pneumonia after surgery.

Now Dexter's in on the act! The things you find out when you step out your front door.

We rolled on through Menlo and Casey, oblivious to their pasts and completed our run at Adair where we'd left the White Pole Road the first time we found it.

Adair has fully embraced this white pole theme. If there's a wooden pole along the road, it's painted white. Stop sign posts that are black metal a block off the route are wood and painted white along the storied road. It was a bit subtle but, once I recognized it, I couldn't not see it from then on.

Chowing down at the Sweet Corn Festival in Adel

Linda and I returned to Adel, one of the 100 Places, to enjoy one of the 100 Things You Must Eat, sweet corn. Another of the things that only happens once a year, the Adel Sweet Corn Festival is a classic late summer event. Scheduled on the first weekend of the Iowa State Fair, it's up against a major event not more than fifty miles away. That didn't seem to slow the crowd.

All the way around the square, there were tents with people selling various items to wear or decorate your home. The brick paved streets held a steady flow of people checking out the varied offerings. From time to time, someone would pause to chat with someone they'd not seen in a while. There was a nice mixing pot feel to the square.

For a couple of blocks west of the square was what I'll call Food Row. Both sides of the street were lined with food vendors offering barbecue, pie, ice cream made on the spot, and the ubiquitous kettle corn.

At the end of Food Row, there was an covered stage with a nice green lawn for folks to gather and listen; a group was setting up to perform so we moved on. A half-block to the north was the "Shady Stage," an area of concrete in front of the bank that did have nice shade for most of the performers and audience. With temperatures around ninety degrees, paused at the shady stage and watched a group of dancers doing something similar to clogging; it looked like too much activity for me on a such a day but they looked good.

South of the Food Row, we found area firefighters engaged in a water fight. Linda and I both remembered having seen these before but it had been a long time. For those who've not had the pleasure, two teams of four firefighters man their hoses about one hundred feet apart facing each other. Above them is a heavy cable with a metal "stopper" above each team. Suspended from the cable, midway between the teams is a beer keg. Someone says "Go!" and the two teams dry to drive the keg down the cable to the other teams stopper. To watch it analytically, it's a good test of the marksmanship of the firefighters as well as their ability to work as a team. To watch it as a kid, it's a great way to cool off on a hot day... maybe even stomp around in a muddy puddle.

Just around the corner from both the water fight and the square, we found the corn. Adel knows how to put out the corn. They had a huge boiler that was loaded with several milk crates of shucked sweet corn. When the corn was ready, the baskets were brought out of the water and sent down a roller track system to the serving area. We, the consumers, simply said how many ears we wanted, were served, and on our way. There was a table with a softserve butter, salt and pepper shakers, and, thoughtfully, toothpicks. Nicely done.

Seating was limited but we found a shady spot along a curb and enjoyed the featured food. Across the street was an apparent veteran of this event. As he'd finish an ear, he'd extend his arm, flick his wrist, and the toss the kernelless cob into the nearby dumpster. No wasted motion, no muss, no fuss; this guy had game.

As we were heading for the car, KIOA, Des Moines oldie radio station was on site and calling for corny jokes. One little boy asked the age old question "Why did the chicken cross the road? To get some corn!"

Friday Construction Photo #17

They're really moving now. Each week, the steel skeleton adds new sections, new floors, new stairwells. I can't tell much about what's going on within the framework but the expansion is impressive. As expected, the crane has made his way out of the box in the left corner. The ground appears to be ready for all of the steel to be assembled above it; it won't be long now.

Visiting the Iowa State Fair

Okay... it's been over a week and I'm just getting around to posting this.

When I go to the fair, one of the things I enjoy is the livestock. Huge crowds tend to visit the huge animals; I like them all... or nearly so. Linda and I did see the Big Boar, all 1203 pounds of him. We didn't see him on the hoof but did see him in the flesh, lying on his side in the sand. He'd been there for a while, only moving his legs, tracing arcs like a child making a snow angel but, in this case, he made a sand piggy... a really big sand piggy.

We took a swing through the sheep barn and saw several varieties, some getting that final trim before the show. There were various jackets, hoods, and sweaters protecting the sheep; some looked like they were wearing wrestling singlets while others had full capes and hoods like members of the Klan. The image in the bottom right shows one family (I assume) catching up on some sleep. It was a wee bit surprising to see the number of people who were bedding down in stalls next to their prize sheep. With the heat and humidity that we'd been having, that showed commitment.

The Super Bull weigh-in was an interesting show. The first bull had horns so long that they wouldn't fit into the chute for the scale without turning the bull's head; the bull understood and, without human prompting or manipulation, he waggled one horn into a gap in the bars of the chute and slid his head to that side to make room to get the other horn in. He'd clearly had to deal with this sort of thing before. When the weight came in, it was something like 1900 pounds; a big fella in my estimation. Next up was even bigger. Then another... and another! Each one bigger than the last, and not by a little bit! The fourth of the five entrants, a purebred Limousin from Minnesota, weighed in at 3322 pounds, approached the Iowa State Fair record of 3378 set in 2004. The fifth and final bull came up short so the record still stands. Charlie, a Charolais from Iowa, took second place in the competition weighing in at 3148 pounds. 3322 pounds... TWO of the Big Boars would still come up 900 pounds short... and this guy was walkin' around! burning calories! After seeing the rodeo bulls, it was pretty amazing how easily these bulls were lead around the ring.

There's also plenty of non-livestock activity at the Fair to keep a person gawking as well. There's the Orange County Chopper commissioned by the Iowa Farm Bureau to run on E85 fuel and highlight Iowa's "green" energy sources: wind, ethanol, and soy biodiesel. (Check out the corn head down by the kickstand.) All over the fair grounds, we kept seeing decorated giant soybeans of the Iowa Soybean Association's Soy On Parade project. There were several nicely restored tractors on display; a few International Harvester Ms, a Super M, and a Super M Torque Amplifier were among those shown. This year, the traditional Butter Cow was joined by a Butter Harry Potter. Of course there were rides and games on the midway; the Big Slide wrung a few squeals out of those who dared the descent; the thrills of downhill skiing without all those broken legs. Of course, there's food... LOTS of food! There's even an item on the 100 Things You Must Eat and it specified that it be enjoyed at the Iowa State Fair: a Campbell's Corn Dog! Not folks to argue with The List or tradition, we enjoyed our corn dogs on the Grand Concourse of the Iowa State Fair.

Catching up on NASCAR Reporting: Pocono

Well, I see I've fallen behind in NASCAR result reporting... again. The news hasn't been very good lately. Maybe I'll get a good draft pick out of this!

USG Sheetrock 400 / Chicagoland Speedway

#2 Overdue 415 vs 436 #5 Blue Bayou
#3 Desert Denny 242 vs 345 #4 halffastracing
#6 Red Neck Racing Academy 450 vs 327 #1 Bear Down Racing

Allstate 400 at the Brickyard / Indianapolis Motor Speedway

#1 Bear Down Racing 381 vs 466 #5 Blue Bayou
#3 Desert Denny 228 vs 299 #2 Overdue
#4 halffastracing 381 vs 404 #6 Red Neck Racing Academy

Pennsylvania 500 / Pocono Raceway

#2 Overdue 422 vs. 417 #1 Bear Down Racing
#4 halffastracing 429 vs. 388 #5 Blue Bayou
#6 Red Neck Racing Academy 404 vs. 293 #3 Desert Denny


Standings
#4 halffastracing 15-6
#5 Blue Bayou 13-8
#6 Red Neck Racing Academy 13-8
#2 Overdue 9-12
#1 Bear Down Racing 8-13
#3 Desert Denny 5-16

Checking out an Iowa Rest Stop

Okay... this one of the more poorly titled entries but bear with me. On our way west to the rodeo, I'd noticed the lights at the reststop at milepost 80 on I-80 and commented that they could be interesting to check out on our way home. As "luck" would have it, when we got back on the interstate after travelling some of the While Pole Road, we'd be there in just a couple of miles. Linda humored me and turned off to take a look. Sure enough, the lights were interesting. The thick black band at the base of the lit portion of each light shows the thickness of topsoil in Iowa since 1850; a nice way to illustrate unfortunate news.

The exterior of the building behind them was decorated with excellent agricultural themes and a plaque about the importance of soil conservation. Inside, there are several more soil related quotes, many by Henry A. Wallace. A brief history of the career and global impact of Mr. Wallace is also documented inside. It was nice to have recently read a bit about him after finding his home in Des Moines.

It actually was an interesting little stop along they way. (We also picked up new maps while we were there.)

Stumbling onto a little Iowa history

On our way home from Council Bluffs, we stopped in Atlantic (home of some great fudge) for dinner (not more fudge... this time.) As we were leaving town, we took the longer route back to I-80 along US Highway 6. The evening drive was pleasant as the sun was setting behind us and the countryside rolled on before us.

In a few miles, we were talking about the unusual painting on the telephone poles along the highway. About three feet up, nearly every pole was painted white for the next several feet up the pole. Was it to remind people when to cut down the grass / hay / weeds? Was it to protect the poles from some kind of insect? Would it prevent some climbing critter from getting into the lines above? Or maybe some sort of cruel trick to play on snowmobilers, camouflaging the poles against the snow??

As we continued on, we noticed a street sign labelled White Pole Road. Duh... Someone thought long and hard on that one. Kinda like fireplace; it's the place you put the fire. (I sometimes think Linda would label the chair where I'm sitting right now as the Daleplace.)

We continued on, enjoying our drive when we cruised by a roadside marker, complete with turnout. We both commented that that looked interesting, wonder what it's doing out here. We could find out. We're not likely to be any closer to it in the next could of weeks... even years! Linda turned us around and we took a closer look. It was the site of Jesse James first train robbery in the West. A nice little find along the way!

We soon were back on the interstate and headed for Des Moines. Enjoying our little find in the prairie.

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The next day, I had an email from Linda with a link to a White Pole Road website. I clicked on it and learned a great deal more about our curious stretch of highway. Appears we'd stumbled onto a piece of Americana ... or at least some Iowana (if there is such a thing, my spellcheck doesn't know it.) A lot of people don't know this, but this road is kinda famous. Reading from the card in the image:

For YOU --- and for all "who, in the love of nature, hold communion with her visible forms," by motoring, we have prepared "THE WAY." Follow the Great White Mark over the "Best dirt road in the United States," so described by those who have "seen them all."

The history of this road does make for some interesting reading. The website is primarily focused on five of the communities along the way and their efforts to maintain their connection with this highway. I'd like to find more about this route and possibly travel other segments of it. It was another very nice find on our trip.

Circumnavigating Bayliss Park

There's a word I don't get to use very often. I've probably chosen a two dollar word when two bits would have done but that's some of the fun.

Just to the north of the Union Pacific Railroad Museum and, by extension, the Historic Pottawattamie County Squirrel Cage Jail lies a very engaging square of green space called Bayliss Park. It has apparently been the subject of a substantial improvement project; I think they did quite well. I'm guessing that this park had remained largely unchanged for several years and received rather limited use. When we were there, there was a wedding party photographer working to pose his subjects to catch the right light and get the updated fountain and dome in just the right spot in the photo.

The fountain and dome are the obvious updates to the park. Lower profile, literally, is the brickwork in the cement walkways from the four corners of the park. It starts in the center of each walkway but soon arcs away, into the grass where a bench awaits overlooking a little flowerbed nestled in the gap between the brick and concrete walks. The bricks then come back and cross the concrete and arc off to the other side. There's an organic feel to this brick and concrete; like a vine winding around a tree or pillar. It's a very nice, inviting effect.

On all sides of the base of the fountain, there are benches set up for conversation areas. On the north, these benches circle sculpture of playful squirrels. In the center of the squirrels, flush with the walking surface are a pattern of holes that, when someone steps on a button, become the water jets for a fountain about kindergarten tall. The button is clearly seen and outside of the fountain so it's not a booby trap sort of thing; it's just fun.

Along the east edge of the park, Veterans Plaza incorporates a low wall and fountain. Along the memorial wall stand three statues, two are seen in my photo. This place communicated very well a reverence for the sacrifice of those lost. Plants and the fountain added color and texture not found in many monuments. The statue of the couple at the wall helped illustrate that it was a place to come and remember, that the names were for reading. Very nicely done.

Finding a Squirrel Cage Jail

It wasn't really on my list of things to do... in Iowa or anywhere else. I didn't even know they made such a thing. I still found out about it, looked up where it would be found, and, when I learned it should be right next door to the Union Pacific Railroad Museum, I thought it would be a nice place to stop; even if it would just be to see the exterior, take a picture or two, this would be a place I'd like to take a minute to see. It turned out to be a nice stop to satisfy a little and whet the appetite for a little closer look than this trip would allow. The Historic Pottawattamie County Squirrel Cage Jail was a nice find.

Admiring a Carnegie Library that is now the Union Pacific Railroad Museum

While in Council Bluffs, Linda and I cruised down the hill from the Dodge house to the old downtown district and took a little walk. We found one of Iowa's 101 Carnegie libraries, now serving as the Union Pacific Railroad Museum. Again, we didn't get to go inside but were able to appreciate the Beaux-Arts design, updated with a couple of railroad motifs. Free to the public, this museum is surely still on my list of places to visit.

Seeing the Dodge House

Linda and I stopped off in Council Bluffs to at least see the Dodge House. We knew were were going to be arriving too late to step inside but we could find the place and, given the sun and sky, get a nice photo of the exterior (something you can't always do.) The home is on a hillside overlooking the old downtown area and not far from some pretty decent railyards. This would certainly have been a nice location for a man of his position and responsibilities. I look forward to seeing the interior some time.

Driving a section of the Loess Hills National Scenic Byway

On our way north from Sidney, Linda and I found our way onto a portion of the Loess Hills National Scenic Byway. While returning along I-29 would have been straight across the river plain, travelling the byway kept us in the hills and communities. From time to time we saw signs showing an entrance to a loop of scenic interest but we didn't take them this time. Even without the loops, it was an interesting drive through the rolling countryside.

Checking out the Sidney Rodeo

When the 100 Places listed the Sidney Rodeo, Linda and I both thought that the southwest corner of the state was a little far to go for a rodeo. We'd been to rodeos before; how different could this be? We found out...

The Freemont County Fairgrounds are located in Sidney, Iowa. The most significant building on the grounds is the rodeo arena. This facility has to be one of the finest rodeo grounds in the state, probably several states. And they know how to put on a show! From the fully covered stands on the north and south sides of the arena to the huge replay screen in the east end, this place shows an investment in the fan that makes an immediate impression. Add to that an announcer that is on the field and has a quick wit, an equally clever sound system operator with an impressive selection of musical riffs and humorous sound bites, and a rodeo clown voted entertainer of the year last year and you've got a show... before the horses and cattle show up!

We found our seats on the more popular south side of the arena and immediately appreciated that the builders had left a significant gap between the top row and the roof to let a wonderful breeze roll down over us. We had a few minutes to soak in the facility and assembling crowd. It was the family matinee performance so there were a significant number of young buckaroos in the crowd, some with hobby / stick horses in tow. I should probably mention that this rodeo is a four day, five session affair.

The opening ceremonies brought several competitors, dignitaries (including senior linebacker from this year's football team), color guard, and band onto the arena floor. One of the nice touches was the naming and pause to remember those members of the rodeo family who'd passed on since last year's event. The anthem was played and fireworks started ... literally! Part of the opening was a volley of Fourth of July grade fireworks!

The opening event was bronc riding. The first rider and horse put on a great show down the west half of the southern stands. The rider made his time and we were rollin'. The replay on the big screen was immediate and, by the time it was done, the score was shown as well. The announcer introduced the next rider and his gate opened. He didn't fare so well but the pace was established. They knew that people didn't need to be sitting on their hands waiting for the next rider. That image in the right has been altered to better show one of the more spectacular jumps and falls; the announcer called that one a Chiropractor's Delight. Ouch! He scrambled away without medical attention.

After the broncs, the Two County Dusters, a group of around thirty high school horsemen and women took the arena. They arrived in two columns but quickly split into two lines and wove figure eights, reversing circles, pinwheels, and other synchronized patterns to patriotic country music. It was quite a show and really communicated how horsemanship is an important aspect of many of these kids lives. They looked good out there.

Steer wrestling was up next. Sometimes called bulldogging, the he man event of the rodeo went off pretty much as you'd expect. Big guys drop off of speeding horses onto racing steers and wrestle the steer to the ground. What's not to like? (Okay... PETA might have an objection.) All the steers got up and a couple even got away.

Team roping was next. You better be a true Lariat Sam to have a chance in this event. Getting a rope around the pointy end of the steer is the first step; that's certainly not easy. Getting both of the rear legs with the second rope can't be easy either. Thinking about it, you'd probably have a much better chance of catching those when the steer is still on the run; once it stops, it's gotta be harder. We only saw a few teams accomplish the task at hand. In this collection of images, I actually have a photo of the winning team taking their Shell Victory Lap. Generally after each event, the winning competitor or team would take their lap in the arena.

Throughout the performance, four time PRCA Clown of the Year, Lecile Harris entertained us with his wit. Twice, he was also the featured act between events and shared a couple of his skits. In one, his taxi career took a pretty serious hit when his car acted up. In the other, he showed his skill with the bull whoop; of course, not all went as one might have been expected. Lecile's career has been long and varied and he can still put a smile on your face. It was a real treat to see this showman in the arena.

Tie down roping was another challenging event in our session. Some of the calves got away clean while others escaped after their knots were tied. One cowboy caught the back hooves instead of the head; he just let the calf go. The timing of this event is pretty amazing to me. This is just one of my photos of this event where the horse is skidding to a stop while the cowboy is dismounting but the calf hasn't even broken stride yet.

The ladies took the stage with barrel racing. The thought of bringing a galloping horse into a tight turn around a steel barrel and then get it back up to a gallop to do it all over again... and again is pretty scary, at least for me. You've got to have a great deal of trust in your horse, your balance, and the arena; one misstep and it's not going to be much fun. There were only four or five competitors in our session but they certainly put on a show of steely nerves and horse control. When they were done, there was a brand new high banked turn carved around each of the barrels.

Last up... the bulls. While the name of the event is bull riding, we didn't see a lot of long rides. There were certainly a few who were fortunate enough to get to stay aboard; there were several more who hit the dirt. As we watched this event and as I looked through my photos, I saw that there was one man in nearly every shot. If you didn't see him, it was because he was behind the bull. The guy in the red and white striped shirt has an amazing job. He's generally the first thing the bull sees when it comes out of the gate. He's often the last thing the bull goes after before heading back to the pens. That's his job. When a cowboy goes down, this guy puts himself between the bull and the fallen man as quickly as possible.

The picture in the bottom left is pretty scary but I know that that man got up and ran off on his own. The bull hung around to play for a while longer. That's him in the picture in the middle of the left side. He'd lowered his head and pawed the ground in an obvious challenge / warning; this bull was looking for trouble. The clowns faced him down, took his best shot, and lived to tell the tale. The bull then trotted off to his pen.

The top two photos are pretty dramatic as well. In the big picture in the top right, you can see the clowns on the run as the cowboy is heading down. This is also the only bull that got the lariat; I have to wonder if he has a history of bad behavior. The image in the upper left has the clown with the bull "in his pocket." There can't be much room between that bull and the clown. Pretty amazing stuff.

The event closed with a short video message about the cowboy spirit and values, encouraging those present to try to live up to the ideals of that way of life. A small herd of horses and foals were released in the arena as a tiny stampede representative of freedom and independence. It doesn't translate well in words but I hope you get the idea.

As you can probably tell, I had a whale of a time and would happily return. I really have to recommend this to anyone with even a remote interest in rodeo. These folks know how to do it. Happy trails!

Sampling the Fudge in Atlantic

Mmm... fudge. The people of the Main Street Grill in Atlantic, Iowa, know how to make it. Linda and I stopped to try this 100 Things You Must Eat item and were in for a wonderful treat. While I enjoy many things chocolate, I'd not have called myself a huge fan of fudge. Understandably, it's been quite a while since I've tried it and that may affect my perspective on the subject. All that said, this slightly gooey block of walnut speckled goodness melted in my mouth releasing just the right flavors to get my attention. This experience justifies a stop when "in the neighborhood." It's easy to understand how this made the list.

Visiting Elk Horn, Iowa

Home of the Danish Windmill, Elk Horn is a typical Iowa small town. Their authentic windmill was originally built in 1848 and moved to Elk Horn in 1976. Located along the main north-south road, it was easy to find. A gift shop and welcome center have information about the mill and the community. Having seen the windmill in Pella, one of the striking differences was the blades of the fan. The mill in Pella was a fixed framework with canvas that could be varied to change the aerodynamics of the surface; this mill had variable pitch shutter type vanes that did the job. Tours are available but we were on the move and declined the opportunity. A nice stop on the list of 100 Places.

Visiting the Indianola Balloon Festival

Friday evening, Linda and I went south to have a bit of dinner and check out the balloons. Dinner at the Crouse Cafe had the local color we'd hoped and I got to try the hot beef sandwich, half order. We topped it off with a warm piece of cherry pie ... with ice cream. It's not hard to see why these two made recent Register's lists. Hunger staved off for a bit, it was time to head out to the balloon grounds.

The weather was a bit overcast but the breeze from the east made for a comfortable August evening and (what looked like) good ballooning. I believe I heard them announce that ninety pilots were present at the evening briefing. Two balloon games were called and half the balloonists were sent off site.

Those who were going to launch from the field were going to play Fox and Hounds. One balloon, the fox, would take off carrying a large yellow banner. At some point, he'd (probably) land and lay out that banner as a target. The remaining hounds would take off carrying bean bags. When they they got "close enough," they'd toss their bean bag as close as they could to the banner. Closest wins.

The balloons that went off the grounds headed for locations a few miles upwind of the balloon field. There were going for a Ribbon Grab. Their job would be to get back to the field and, if possible, grab a large ribbon from atop one of three poles. Anyone with a ribbon would win two hundred dollars. If you didn't get close enough to grab the ribbon, you could toss a bean bag and hope that ribbons went unclaimed. Again, closest would win.

The take off of the hounds was a great, colorful display as various balloons would take off individually or, sometimes, several at one time. As we watched the hot air parade float by, I wondered whether it was better to take off early and try to quickly follow the path of the fox or to take a little time and see how the other hounds were flying and then chart a course. In either case they were nice to watch as they started their "chase."

The balloons in the ribbon grab dotted the sky high to the north but were following the terrain from the east. As they'd get close, you'd see them rise or fall trying to get the right adjustment to their approach. Some of the early balloons were close, some were definitely not. Before long, we did see one grab a ribbon but the most anyone else could do was toss their bean bag.

As the balloons approached the field, some knew they weren't going to be near the poles and would land where the hounds had just left. One of my favorite moments is captured in the horizontal photo in the top row of the collage; the family / team posed for a picture on the field as other balloons were approaching over their shoulder. Nice shot, I'm sure. I did get one of Linda taking a photo of the approaching balloons.

Friday Construction Photo #16

The steel keeps arriving and taking shape. The metal sheeting for the second and third floors has also expanded quickly. Stairwells zigzag up from the ground as well. They're smoothing gravel in the right center so I'm guessing steel will be going up there before too long. The crane in the left center still has an escape route but it looks like it'll be an interesting drive. The forms for the footings in the lower center look like they could pour more concrete soon.

Going to the 48 Hour Project Screening

Last night, Linda and I went to the Fleur Cinema and Cafe to see a screening of seven of the local 48 Hour Project films. Since nearly all forty teams had completed their films in the alloted time, they organizers had compiled the entries for four showings.

We stopped by early to be sure we got our tickets and to avoid what had promised to be longer lines. Tickets in hand, we went for a bite to eat. When we returned about fifteen minutes before the scheduled showtime, a nice crowd was gathering. We joined in and added to the general buzz of the place; there was good energy and anticipation. A ballot and pencil was given to each person as we entered the theater.

The show started and we saw our set of submissions. Each ran about seven minutes and had their own strengths. After viewing the films, representatives of most of the teams came forward and talked about the experience and answered questions from the audience. It sounded like most of the people had a good time and had learned a lot about filmmaking.

When Linda and I compared notes after voting, we found that we'd each chosen three different movies. In two weeks, there will be an awards showing that will screen the top twelve entries this year from Des Moines.

If you would like to see some of the submissions from over the life of the project, they're available at their website, www.48.tv. Be advised that they are not all family friendly. It is interesting to see what people have made given forty eight hours.

Helping a friend... and getting into show business!

Friday night, Linda and I went to the Vaudeville Mews to act as a local liaison for Scott, filmmaker husband of one of Linda's friends. He was doing some work related to RAGBRAI, the Register's Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa, and needed someone to act on his behalf at the Vaudeville Mews in downtown Des Moines. Scott had registered to participate in The 48 Hour Film Project and needed Linda to draw the genre.

We, like a few others, showed up a little early and had to wait outside while final preparations were made. While we waited, we got to chat with a woman who was going to also be making a film; she and her family had spent the day at Adventureland so the kids were asleep in the car with her husband. She was looking forward to the next forty eight hours of little sleep with some concern. Fortunately, she had a writing team waiting for the specifications so she'd be able to sleep on the ride home.

The doors open and we filed in to a very dark venue. Soon, representatives of forty teams were seated and ready to draw. Four groups of ten went on stage to pull their fate from a fuzzy, black and white, leopard spotted hat. Teams reacted as desired or dreaded genres were drawn from their pool. Some of those possible were horror, drama, comedy, buddy, road, and musical / western. Scott had hoped for a road film and really did not want horror. Linda was in the last group and next to last to draw. We were both happy when horror was drawn a few places before her. She drew Fantasy, sounded okay.

After each team had drawn, the final elements were given. A character named John or Juanita Shold, a tourist, had to appear, a business card had to appear as a prop, and someone had to say "If at first you don't succeed... you know the rest."

We left the Mews and Linda phoned the information to Scott. Linda said he seemed happy but was very careful about getting the elements right. She said you could almost hear the concepts bouncing around as he asked the details over and over. Others were milling around outside the Mews, asking one another what they had drawn, wishing each other well. It was fun! We look forward to seeing the screening later this week.