One of our goals is to visit all 50 states. I lack 5 and LW lacks 6. North Dakota is one of those we both need to visit so we headed up there on Monday.
The temperature in Council Bluffs had been hovering around mid 70. When we stopped for lunch in Watertown, South Dakota, the temperature was 58 degrees. In Fargo, we checked out the Walk of Fame and a replica of a 12th century Norwegian church. We had dinner at Old Broadway Sports Bar while watching Monday night football. The food was great and the free popcorn was even better. That night I saw people walking around in shorts and t-shirts, while LW and I were wishing we had brought warmer clothes. They probably thought it was a nice day. I guess that is all relative. This morning when we woke up, the temperature was 48 degrees. Brrr.
 |
| Fargo Walk of Fame |
 |
| Woodchipper from Fargo movie, Norwegian church |
This morning we headed south to visit Storm Lake, Iowa. This will accomplish 2 things. First and most importantly, I hope the temperature will be much warmer. Second, it is a sentimental stop.
Storm Lake is the home of Buena Vista University. Both LW and I are alumni. We graduated 31 years ago in 1985. What? Whoa! That can't be right! I know its been awhile but....31 years? Where the hell has the time gone? We have not been back to Storm Lake in many years.
So here's the sentimental part. Cue the oohs and aahs. This is where we met. This is where the great love affair began. (Maybe I'll tell the whole story in another post.) Anyway, we wanted to check out how the town and college had changed in those many, many years.
Along the way we made a few stops. First was Devils Gulch in Garretson, South Dakota. Supposedly Jesse James evaded capture by spurring his horse to leap the 20 ft ravine. Historians believe it is impossible.
After that we stopped at a spot where you can see 3 states...Minnesota (To LW's right), Iowa (behind LW) and South Dakota (to LW's left).
Then we came across a town in Iowa called Lester. So of course we had to go 5 miles off our track to stop and get a picture.
Next stop...the ice cream capital of the world...Lemars, Iowa. Wells Blue Bunny got this distinction because in 1994 they were producing 100 million gallons of ice cream a year. There is a nice little free museum highlighting the company that has been in production since 1913 upstairs above the ice cream shop.
Arriving in Storm Lake, we drove around town. Our Pizza Hut is now a China House. The site of our first date, the movie house is still in operation. The Villager, our favorite restaurant, is still there and tasted just as good. Storm Lake High looks much the same. (I did student teaching in the high school Spanish program there.) But the college has changed A LOT! Although the buildings we lived in looked about the same.
We had hoped to spend the night and walk the campus, check out the bookstore, let LW play golf at one of the courses he played while on the college golf team. However every hotel was booked so we headed back to Council Bluffs.
Back in Council Bluffs with a few more things to do and see here before we leave on Sunday.
No comments:
Post a Comment