Riverboat - Iowa Welcome Center

Sioux City's Iowa Welcome Center is housed in a Paddle Wheel Steam Ship! Really cool - exhibits inside focus on river travel and commerce on the Missouri as well as the Lewis and Clark Trail. This paddle wheel was the flag ship for the US Army Corps of Engineers on the Missouri River.

Sioux City, Iowa - Sergeant Floyd Monument

As we leave the Iowas to head into the Dakotas - we make a couple of stops in Sioux City located along the might Missouri River at the intersection of Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota! One of the interests of the trip is the Lewis and Clark Trail. Our first stop is the Sergeant Floyd Monument overlooking the Missouri River. Sergeant Floyd was the only member of the Lewis and Clark Expedition to die. He was buried on a bluff. We had driven through fog and mist on our drive from Lake City and the mist still clings to the bluff overlooking the river.

Iowa Farms and fields

Iowa is known for their practical and beautiful farm land. I snapped a couple of photos of farms and fields. Not possible to do justice to the landscape with a photo taken from the side of the road.

One new change is the increase in windmills - they are huge - and they are everywhere!

Lake City, Iowa - Incredible Class of 1960 - Dinner

Many of Darrell's classmates from the 1960 Lake City High School gathered at the Carnegie Library Restaurant on the Square in Lake City for the Reunion Dinner. Richard Wernick did a wonderful job hosting the evening! Mr. Jerry Kinney -Band Director had fun telling many stories on members of the class - what an amazing memory!

Dinner was great and we had fun seeing old friends! Missed John and Gail Richardson who represented us well at the Iowa State game in Ames!

Pictured: Elaine and Darrell; Christi and Richard Wernick from Atlanta; Karen and Kent Willis and Nikki and Chuck Loecke from Lake City.

Lake City, Iowa - Incredible Class of 1960 - Reception

Many members of the "Incredible Class of 1960 of Lake City, Iowa High School" joined together at the beautiful home of Kent and Karen Willis for a reception honoring the 50th reunion of the class! A wonderful bbq dinner was served and lots of conversation enjoyed by all. Later Lake City (SCC) HS won the homecoming game 27-0!

Lake City, Iowa - Football Homecoming Parade

The entire town turns out for the Homecoming Game Parade! Including a purple dog!
The marching band leads the way! Every student in the school gets to march in the parade. The route leaves the school and heads to the court square for a pep rally.
Go Titans!

Lake City, Iowa - Darrell's hometown

We are visiting Lake City, Iowa for Darrell's 50th High School Reunion. Lake City is a wonderful small Iowa town that has it all - parks, library, great schools, and corn fields! And good friends! We joined John and Gail Richardson for a great dinner and wonderful lunch with Kent and Karen Willis. The "Welcome to Lake City" sign and the Rainbow Bridge.

Father Tim's Church in Mitford! (Blowing Rock, NC)

Readers of the beloved "Mitford" Series of books by Jan Karon will recognize the St. Mary's of the Hills Episcopal Church of Blowing Rock, NC as the home of "Father Tim". (Could it be Father Tim mowing the lawn?)

Julian Price Lake on Blue Ridge Parkway

View of Grandfather Mountain from the Blue Ridge Parkway and Julian Price Lake. Our friend Amy Dietrich from Jackson visited us at our cabin in Beech Mountain for a few days!

Linville Falls along Blue Ridge Parkway

Darrell and I enjoyed a visit from Amy Dietrich from Jackson! Elaine and Amy went exploring along the Blue Ridge Parkway. The "Wee Kirk" Presbyterian Church is in Linville and we visited Linville Falls - a beautiful double falls!

Markus' football practice

Markus is playing Junior Football this year - it was fun to watch the practice in Huntersville, NC!

NASCAR Museum in Charlotte, NC with Wennborg's

The Wennborg grandchildren enjoyed visiting the NASCAR museum in Charlotte, NC! Darrell with Kitty, Linnea, Emma and Markus! The kids would make a great pit crew as they race against the clock! And Elaine waves the checkered flag!

We all drove race simulators! Great fun! Elaine and Emma like Jeff Gordon! The Buffalo Wild Wings for lunch!

II NASCAR Museum in Charlotte, NC with Wennborg's

More photos of the NASCAR Museum in Charlotte, NC. The museum had many interactive features and hands on activities for all! The young and old kids all had a good time! The entrance to the museum show how the track has evolved from a flat road to a 30 degree slant in the turns at Bristol - (the kids are hanging from the turn). And of course - the number 3 car is featured.

Our Grandchildren in Columbia, SC

Lindsey and Matthew are growing so fast! We enjoyed the back yard while visiting Matt and Susan Christian in Colombia, SC! Plus Lily the dog!

Hike on Appalachian Trail

Fun day with the Beech Mountain Hiking Group! We hiked part of the Appalachian Trail in Tennessee - at Watauga Lake. Along a pristine lake on the Appalachian Trail to the highest earthen dam in the United States. 4.2 miles with lunch at the picnic area at Watauga Lake!