The Amana Colonies...

Happy Father's Day!

We left Winterset this morning, heading east.  We had to put our staying-off-the-Interstate mode on hold today, because there wasn't a great, and reasonably direct, back road.  Still plenty of green Iowa farmland to see...

The Interstate got a bit busy as we passed just outside of Des Moines.  The pace is definitely more laid back on the back roads.  I was doing about 65 mph when this guy blew past us...

Most trailer tires are not rated for more than 65 mph... and most people are not aware of that.  Most find out after the first blow out.  ;-)

One thing about being on the Interstates: rest areas...

Iowa knows how to do rest areas... not just in pretty grounds, but having them spaced about 30 mile apart.  More like 120 miles apart in Texas, but people do drive 80+ mph there.  No, we don't need the facilities at the rest areas, but it is a good place to stop so Izzy can have lunch on her schedule.  I am not just a good Daddy, I am also a good cat Daddy.

It wasn't long after that stop that we were off the Interstate and getting close to the Amana Colonies...

When I was much younger, I thought the Amana Colonies were an Amish community... not so.  Mostly Lutheran leanings, the folks who populated the Amana Colonies were more about being a self-supporting communal society; until the 1930s, the community did not have work for pay - the people in the Colonies worked and the Colony took care of itself.  Meals were served, people were clothed, furniture in homes, all from within the community.  They had a furniture factory, a woolen mill... they made what the population needed and everyone participated.  After 1932 or so, it became more of stockholder type of arrangement, with services being offered to the public as well as those in the community.

Today, the main community of Amana is some interesting shops and restaurants.  We walked our way around town...

We had our late afternoon meal at the Ox Yoke Inn...

Good German food.  As you would expect, it was very busy on Father's Day... a wait for a table, but we are not on a schedule.  With our bellies full, we continued our walking tour - my favorite shop was a wine and cheese shop that had some interesting (adult) gift items...

One I didn't get a photo of: "It may be the wine talking, but... I love wine!"

Walking the other side of the street, we went into the General Store - more eclectic shopping opportunities, including this taffy flavor...

We strolled by this sign outside...

Things began to close down around 5:00, and we headed back to our RV site...

We put out chairs, brought Izzy out, and I settled in with the X7...

Little Izzy truly enjoyed her time outside...

A truly beautiful day today, in the upper 70s.  Nice to be outside, relaxing.  Izzy wasn't quite ready to go in...

Yeah, I'm kidding... that was mid-yawn, but it makes a good story.  She is just a sweet little furry girl, and really doesn't make a fuss.

Inside the coach, we called Steph back - we had talked for a while while enroute, with the understanding that we'd call her when we were in for the evening.  Time to let her adore me a bunch for Father's Day.  She is a sweet girl, too.

While I did miss being with my sweet daughter today, she had sent cards to John's house for me for Father's Day.  And, getting to visit with her twice today on the phone was a delight.

A nice Father's Day.