West Branch Iowa

Today's loop of our Iowa tour started out heading North on 151 into Cedar Rapids. Once into town, we tested out the directions to get to the Cummins dealer for our appointment on Tuesday. We've learned without an emergency, it is not a bad idea to see where to go and where to park in advance. Saves freyed nerves and makes most arrivals a piece of cake. I brought my computer along so that I could test the conectivity after the trouble I've been having. I spotted an A&W and decided that would work, and jokingly said I needed a Root Beer Float! (At 10 in the morning!yeah right) So I settled for a diet root beer and settled in a booth, booted up and twas just as I suspected...my service out here is not good. In or near a town of any size I'm fine. Looked over, and yeah, DH was sitting there drinking a root beer float! Having taken care of that, we headed down 380 to Coralville and Iowa City. I didn't really have an agenda for today, but wanted to tour the area. Right away I spotted a sign for a Firefighter Memorial, drove by an Antique Car Museum and the Visitors Center. We pulled in the Visitors Center and snagged some info and brochures. The attractions weren't open until noon, so we pressed on, seeing signs for the Herbert Hoover Birthplace, Library and Burial Site. I chose to go visit these things, thinking we would catch the car museum on the way back. The Herbert Hoover National Historic Site is one of three National Sites Operated by the National Park Service. The original Birthplace cottage, his father's recreated BlackSmith Shop, a Quaker Gathering Friends Church and School house are within walking distance to the Presidential Library, Gravesite and the Herbert Hoover Visitor Center. We started at the Center, followed the walk through the Birthplace buildings and continued on to the Library and Museum, then ended up in the beautiful shaded park and walked up the hill to the gravesite. It was a very informative visit that took much longer than we had intended. We left there and stopped at Little Amana on the Interstate bofore coming home. One Sunday down the tubes. We'll have to catch the Antique Cars and the Firefighters Memorial another time! I learned something today, and that's a good thing! I was amazed to learn of all the business and enterprise that originated here in Iowa. Just a few: Earl May Garden Centers, HyVee Grocery Stores, Lennox Furnaces, Pella Windows, Maytag and Amana Appliances, Roto Rooter, Wells Blue Bunny Dairy and Ice Cream, Winnebago and Younkers Department Stores. A couple of Products that their origins are here in Iowa are Rice Krispie Treats and Eskimo Pies. This is also the Pearl Button Capital of the World, buttons made from mussels. President Hoover was in office during the great depression and couldn't get anyone to listen to him. In 1929, having had a career as an engineer, he was very interested in and signed Boulder Canyon Project Act, beginning the construction of the Hoover Dam in Nevada. He was only in West Branch for the first 9 years of his life and then him and his siblings were orphaned and he was taken in by an Aunt and Uncle in Oregon. He continued on to graduate from Stanford and married his college sweetheart, Lou Henry. She passed away 20 years before he did. He was a great humanitarian, and played a key role in the inception of Unicef. Iowa as a whole is turning out to be a lot more interesting than I ever thought possible and you can find interesting History everywhere, all ya have to do is look around! See ya the next time I have service. It's taken me a long time tonight to do this, and DH has that early tee time in the morning, so it's nite nite time!