Figures

Due to technical difficulties with the Ryder truck that transports all of our sets, we were forced to stay in Des Moines for an extra day rather than heading to Nebraska Saturday morning as planned.

We all met downstairs Saturday morning at 10am to take a trip over to Ryder to transfer the set from the old busted truck to the brand spankin' new 2005 truck (Mike is very happy!). This only took about an hour, and we were back home by around 12.

Days off are lazy days, and I napped and watched TV and played guitar...and napped some more.

Due to some very good fortune (and a little help from the JJP--thanks Jordan) I met some wonderful guys last night. And due to some even GREATER fortune, I was able to stick around one more night to hang out with them again! One, in particular, agreed to take me out for a night on the town in Des Moines (I swear I didn't even have to twist his arm!). Phillip was my escort for the evening, and what a wonderful evening it was. We went to Spaghetti Works for dinner (the large building displaying the SPAGHETTI WORKS sign is a fixture on downtown Des Moines' Court Avenue). I decided to go with the house specialty: spaghetti! The sauce was especially delicious...

Then we went to a great place called Gray's Lake Park, which Phillip had never even been to himself. It was so nice to be by water, and we even had a chance to swing on the swingset a little...it was a beautiful, cool evening in Iowa.

Next, we decided to meet up with the guys at a bar called Drink. Phillip said it was a pretty popular place in Des Moines, and he was right...when we walked in, the place was full of young people, loud voices and music, several bachelorette parties, and as I walked through the crowd I saw some familiar friendly faces from Oktoberfest the night before. There were AJ, Chris, and Jeremy...and Phillip's housemate Brad, and a few new guys. When Phillip ordered us two drinks at the bar and it came to $7.50 I was shocked...that's definitely the price of one drink, if you're lucky, in DC. Another point for Iowa! Drink was VERY fun (see, I told you I would like it...)

I feel so lucky to have experienced a night on the town with a true local (and I could definitely get used to the midwestern chivalry)...this East Coast girl had a ball. All I can say is..."goodness gracious", I love Iowa :). If this experience with such warm hospitality and generosity is a sign for things to come on this tour...I'm a very lucky girl.

We got on the van this morning and departed Des Moines at 10am en route to Nebraska. We drove clear across the corn-filled state (that is NOT just a stereotype...we're talking a lot of corn here) to nearly the state border...we are currently in a little town called Ogallala. The name Ogallala comes from the Dakota Sioux Indian tribe "Oglala" which means "to scatter one's own". This is a brief visit, and tomorrow we hit the road for Wyoming.

By the way, it's getting a little chilly all of a sudden. (See above pic of the hoodie crew). Hopefully in Cali it will be a little warmer...

I have to go tuck in Gilbert, Bertha, Mortimer, and Cleetus...