We arrived in Des Moines, Iowa around lunchtime. Our hotel is downtown and within walking distance of the Gold Wing Rally. We all agreed we would NOT get on the bike to go anywhere today or tomorrow!!!! Have you ever noticed that the more expensive a hotel is the less they give you? No free breakfast and high speed internet is $15.00 A DAY!!!!! You have to be kidding me! For what we are paying for our room you think the internet would be included!!!!! Good Grief! so... that is why there was no blogging updating for several days.
Every morning Ray and I walked to a local restaurant, Mr Fillet's for breakfast, Father and son owners and running the place, great food, great prices. It was such fun to get to visit with them each morning. We found out Thursday morning that this past January 11, Mr Fillet's burned down. Because of all the regulars there was such concern that it only took 2 months to rebuild! Amazing huh? Their regular customers pitched in and helped rebuild. That's the difference between a "mom and pop" restaurant instead of a big chain restaurant.
Thursday we rode to Pella, Iowa, yep, that's where they make the windows. It's a lovely dutch town with the largest working Windmill in the U.S. The windmill was built in Holland and shipped to Pella in sections. We took a tour! Pretty darn cool! We had lunch at the Windmill Cafe of course, great food. And then we went to the Bakery.... yummy!!!!!!!
I test drove a Can Am it's an odd looking cycle with two wheels in the front and one in the back. Like a reverse trike. It was fun to drive. We spent lots of time roaming through the vendors, and did our fair share in supporting several vendors! We've eaten way too much and I am scared to get on the scale when I get home. It was hard work getting 11 pounds off I just hope I don't gain most of them back. :(
We met several folks from New Zealand! That's one of the places Ray and I would love to go and tour. The group told us if we ever make it over there to let them know beforehand and they would tour with us. They also told us to buy a Gold Wing, ship it over there, use it for the touring then sell it. So, we are seriously looking into doing just that. It would save us the daily rental of a Gold Wing and selling it would recoup the cost of shipping it over. So, actually an affordable trip. We're shooting for 2012.
Unfortunately I didn't take daily notes so I can't remember everything I want to, it's very late and I'm exhausted. We are in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Tomorrow we'll be in Minnesota. I'm as caught up as I'm going to be for now.
