Iowa Day One
Off to Iowa today where there's a family reunion in Susie's hometown of Clear Lake. Granpas JP and Grandma Suz have brought me along, but I know that it's really Sydney and Hannah who are the stars of the show.
Minneapolis is about as nice as it's ever been this morning when we land: no humidity, clear skies, and 77 degrees. After negotiating the confusing terminal to the rental car counter and making our way through the outskirts of the city, the landscape turns pastoral and somnolent.
We have lunch in the town of Northfield, a nice, quiet college town. In a field of nearby St. Olaf college stands a huge wind turbine, which the school's web site says could produce 6 million kilowatt hours of electrical energy. It's an asymmetric part of the skyline, an indicator that there's more going on here than meets the eye.
The landscape flattens and the already plentiful corn takes over when we reach the border of Iowa. Clear Lake, Susie's hometown, is small and modestly quaint. We check into the hotel and then catch up with Susie's brother and sister, who are here from Green Bay. We sit on the dock as the sky turns golden, waiting for the rest of the family reunion clan to arrive tomorrow.
Susie's brother Brian makes the mistake of betting me $30 that I wouldn't dive into the lake. I quickly oblige, stripping off my shirt, emptying my pockets, and doing a forward flip onto my back into the water. Good thing. It's only about four feet deep. Everyone has a chuckle and the first cracks appear in my outsider status.
The St. Olaf Wind Turbine.
Mmmmm... Malt-O-Meal. Seems appropriately wholesome for this small college town.
St. Olaf college.
A friendly welcome from the land of friendly folks.
Bean, with her awesome new haircut, takes in the Iowa scenary.
Sitting on the dock near sunset, after I jumped into the lake.
The Henry Clan with the girls.
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