Leg 4 - MidWest and Rogers

The 4th leg of the trip involves the Midwest and several distinct events over a month and a half:

• Des Moines for Iowa State Fair and Living History Farms
• Several visits in Rogers by friends or family
• Branson
• Midwest journey through Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa

We went in and out of Rogers several times...covered over 3,000 miles on the trip.

Iowa for the Fair

The Iowa State Fair is an annual state fair held in Des Moines, Iowa over 11 days in August and is one of the largest state fairs in the country - it attracts over 1 million attendees.  This being the start of the election period and Iowa being the state where politicians test their mustard, Trump, Clinton, Bush, Carson and every other Presidential candidate attended one day or another.   Trump drew the largest crowd. 

A good friend and fellow Cyclone (Jim and I also worked together for the past 8 years) is a State Fair connoisseur regarding the food and the politicians....here are a few of his pictures from this year....these folks were there when we were, but I am not as photogenic!   Jim is in Chicago and we coordinated a short get together at the fair.

Jim, his Granddaughter Amelia, and Jeb

Jim's son in law (Dan), Grandson (Daniel), Daughter (Jen), and Hillary 



The Donald

The State Fair features the normal 8,000 food booths with everything you can imagine being deep-fried.   We went to the fair with my sister Jane, her daughter Jen and husband Jay.   Jane and Jen know where each of the 8,000 booths are and what they serve.

My fair companions - Lesa, Jen, Jane and Jay

Deep fried corn dog wrapped in bacon

As one would expect, the fair is where you go to see the oddities of the world.   Always a large life size cow sculptor made of butter.



Largest pig - this pen is 10 by 10 feet

Largest pumpkin - over 1,200 lbs

Large chair for drinking Leinenkugels

The day after the state fair, Lesa, Jay, Jane and I went to Living History Farms.   Living History Farms in Urbandale, Iowa, is an interactive, 500-acre outdoor museum that tells the amazing story of how Iowans transformed the fertile prairies of the Midwest over 300 years into the most productive farmland in the world.

This was my second visit.   Living History Farms was the site of Pope John Paul II's ecumenical service, mass and homily to an audience of nearly 300,000 in 1979.   I had a front row seat for the event.

Lady getting water for the farmhouse

You can see an old time general store, church, Newspaper office, Blacksmith, etc....all in action at the farms - pretty cool to see how folks lived in the 1800's and early 1900's.

Jane and Lesa checking out a Indian teepee.

I think it put Lesa in the mood...she did some canning and baking when we got back to Rogers.

Pickled Veggies

Rolls

We hit another Drive-in Diner and Dive in Des Moines, too - the Flying Mango...good BBQ type food.   The owner seemed to take a liking to Lesa as you can see from the picture.

Lesa with the owner of the Flying Mango

Flying Mango BBQ

Back Home in Rogers

Dennis and Ann Tarrillion visited us from San Antonio.   Their son is off to college in Indiana.  They were delivering his car to him and then going to fly back home.   Having to pass through here, they stopped for a couple of evenings.   I've known Dennis for 37 years.   He and I worked together at USAA.   Tobe and Tim refer to him as Uncle Mullet. 

He and I played golf while Lesa and Ann shopped.   It was great to see them.   I can still beat him in golf, but I gave too many strokes and he won the money.   We've never exchanged a dime in 37 years...just maintain a fictitious ledger.

Dennis and Ann Tarrillion

Also living in Rogers are Mike and Becky Young.   We call them our niece and nephew, but neither is either.   Becky is Jean's niece - Jean is my brother Dave's wife for those of you not family knowledeable.   Anyway, we attended Madison's birthday party.   Madison is a piece of work.   Gallons of smiles and energy.....thank goodness for her...kind of like we have one Grandchild here.  

Madison turned four!!!

Mike's brother and father also visited from Memphis for the birthday weekend so we went out for a nice dinner at Bonefish.....
 


L-R: Lesa, Becky, Mike, Jeff (Mike Dad), Ashley, Matt (Mike brother), Jean and Dave (my Brother)

Went to my first collegiate women's soccer game the next weekend.   Erin Webster (our niece from Dallas) and her guy friend Johnny Barker came for the weekend.  Johnny's daughter Hannah is a highly ranked soccer player for Stephen F Austin in Texas.   SFA was playing Arkansas.   Unfortunately for Hannah, Arkansas won.  

I met the Arkansas Razorback and bonded with him

On Saturday, the rest of us had a good time though walking around the Crystal Bridges museum and having a good dinner.   After dinner, we hit the Music Pavillion for a Hank Williams Jr concert.   38 special was his warm-up band....not bad!!!!


Lesa and Erin at 21C



Two Hair people looking sexy for Hank Williams Jr

Me, Lesa, Erin (Lesa's niece), Johnny

Hank Williams, Jr

Not mentioned in this blog are the many parties with our friends from the club...the Potluckers.   Golf is a large part of our life.   We have to take the good with the bad.

Golf ball took out window

Senior Champ






Branson

Twenty years ago, we took Toby and Tim to Branson - not the tip of the spear for near-college-age adults.   I had heard of Jim Stafford (I don't like spiders or snakes) and thought...can't be too bad.   It was bad as 4 ladies and Jim came side-stepping out decked in feathers and yellow jackets.   We spent the next few dayd on jet skis, human rubber band bunge cords and go carts.   Ended up being ok, but don't take college age kids there.

Figured it was safe to go back....to be sure, we took Barry and Teresa (Lesa sister) and Dave (my brother) and Jean along.   We only promised trout fishing/shopping and the trout fishing was awesome...don't care about the shopping, but I guess it was ok.
Dave and Jean only stayed around for 1 night...even then, they stayed in another place - ust have talked to Toby or Tim.   Seriously, for their one night they'd have had to use a couch pullout.

Like I said, fishing was great.   Barry, Dave and I went out the first day without a guide.  We fished the Tameycomo.   It runs from 2-12 feet deep depending on # of generators running (1 to 4).   If it is at 2 feet and you hear the horn blowing....that means they are adding generators and you have about 15 minutes to get to higher ground. 

On Labor Day, we visited the trout fish hatchery and then did a bit of fishing.  After fishing on our own for day 1, Barry and I got a Guide from River Run Outfitters for day 2.  Dave had commitments and he and Jean returned to Rogers.   We did a boat drift trip down the river.   We caught a dozen trout each.   Then on Day 3, we found some wading fish holes and caught another 10-15 trout - mostly rainbow, but a couple of browns.  

Taneycomo at a pretty high level 8-10 feet

Dave

Usually had o walk shore to find an entry point



Barry...nice fly cast!!!

Dan got a rainbow - we released all that we caught



Usually released into water..this was for the picture

I usually ran my 40 minutes everyday...which was a interesting run going by all of the 3-D storefronts and show palaces.



World's largest meat ball

Mount Rushmore in Branson

King Kong was there



Every culture is represented

This will bring back memories for Toby and Tim

Barry and I stopped at Roaring River on the way back.  Barry caught another few there.   I spent most of my time un-snagging my line from trees and my ear.

Back in Rogers, we visited our beautiful Crystal Bridges art museum.   They had a special exhibit of Andy Worhol and Jamie Wyeth art.   Wyeth is incredible - his stuff looks nearly as good as a picture.

Crystal Bridges Art Museum

We also stopped by the Hive at 21c (restaurant) for a good meal.  21c is a hotel that also displays very strange art as you can see from the pics below.  Kind of fits into the new artsy image portrayed by Bentonville.

Add caption



L-R: Barry, 21c Penguin, Teresa (Lesa Sister)

At the 21c bar. L-R: Barry Lesa, Me, Teresa

The restaurant has a very comprehensive bar and makes excellent drinks.   After a couple of those we had dinner.   You can order dessert, but you always get cotton candy if you don't...so we didn't.


Midwest Trip

Our Midwest loop started in Bloomington, Illinois at John "Woof Woof" and Nancy Mazur's.   John and I went to Iowa State together so we have 49 years of stories to tell...many need to remain untold in public.   Like me, John is retired.   Nancy still does some substitute teaching, but she is trying to get into retirement.   Like us, they have many friends from John's golf group, but are also trying to sell house to move South.

John and Nancy Mazur and me in their backyard

John is embarking on knee surgery in November.   Figured he might as well enjoy his next 50 years - he has long life-lines.  His folks in Sioux City, Iowa are both in their 90's, married 69 years and still living on their own.   We'll follow-up with them in December at their place in Branson.

Enroute to the Mazur's we passed through St Louis.   Was going to stop and run the arch, but roads were so messed up we couldn't get to it.  Pretty awesome site though...somehow they built it from both ends and got it to meet in the middle.

On Friday, September we headed to Chicago to see several nieces and nephews.   We stayed with our God-son Sam - Dave's oldest son.   While we waited for him to finish work on Friday, we returned to some of Tobe and Kassy's old stomping grounds near Lake Michigan and Lincoln Park Zoo where I used to run while visiting.   Lesa also did some Christmas shopping in the Magic Mile - Chicago's mega shopping area on Michigan Avenue.

Kind of a dark pic of me running by Lincoln Park Zoo

Eventually, Sam got home and we went out for drinks and dinner with him and his friend Katy (maybe Katie?).



Sam and Katy

Actually, we met my Brother Jim, his wife Deb and daughters Jenna and Amy (and friend Aaron) at a bar in Chicago.   They were all in town from Minneapolis for Jenna's 30th birthday bash (more on that later - it was the next night.

Amy and Aaron

  



Deb and Lesa

Saturday morning, we and Sam went to a great breakfast place - Ann Sathers Restaurant.   Everyone eating there gets a gigantic cinnamon roll...they were some of the best!

After breakfast and a run, we met up with Jim and Aaron to watch the Notre Dame game in an Irish bar.   Jenna's 30th bash didn't start until 5:30 or so.  It was held at a small neighborhood bar in Bucktown, The Red Door, that had a nice outside area....weather was perfect.

L-R: Deb (Mom), Birthday girl Jenna and dog Vinnie, Amy (Sis) and Jim (Dad and my Brother)

There were 30-40 of Jenna's co-workers and good friends at the party - open bar was nice.   While Jenna is a vegetarian, she served a meal that had a roasted hog as it's centerpiece.   The rest of the food was Jenna food though.   When I got there, the chef (from Iowa) asked me if I wanted to try the hog.....I said sure and he ripped an ear off the hog and handed it to me.  You'll notice in the picture that the left ear is missing.   Vinnie (Jenna dog) and I shared it.


Jenna (Vegetarian) admiring her choice for dinner menu - at this point it is cooked and ready to eat

Here are a few other select pictures from the party.    It got over around 10 at which time the young ones continued to party in other places.


L-R:   Deb, Sam,Jenna, Jenna Leg, Aaron

Birthday girl and me

Brother Jim and me - Very Happy

Uncle Jim and Sam - Even Happier

Nice BW Pic....Deb, Lesa, Me, Jenna, Vinnie, Amy, Sam, Jim

Sunday morning, we headed to Geneva (Illinois, not Switzerland) to stop by Tyler and Kate's.   We had never met their 2 sons, Caleb and Colin.   Tyler is son of my sister Jane and has been in Chicago working for the utility for quite a few years.   Their neighborhood is full of parks and open areas...good for Kate's running - she is embarking on her 4th Marathon soon.



Tyler, Caleb, Kate and Colin Wulkow

After a short visit we headed North to Wisconsin.   My sister and both of her kids are in 3 different cities up their.    Along the way, we stopped at a DDD restaurant - Comet 95.   There claim to fame is a hamburger that is made between 2 grilled cheese sandwiches and heaping amounts of bacon.   You can order a bottomless bowl of bacon there.   We did neither.

Lesa at the Comet

We spent Monday-Thursday with my sister Sherry and Hubby Jim Shelp and their dog Elcee (No clue how to spell it, but it is LC).

Monday, late in the day, Jim got off work and we played 9 holes of golf at Whispering Springs in Fondulac....gorgeous course with unique holes.  Had dinner in Fondulac at the Backyard Grill & Bar - another good candidate for DDD.

Whispering Springs



Sherry pointing out that Lesa beat Jim by 5

I won Jim's hat...now have a Walmart hat



Backyard Bar & Grill - Paying off the scorekeeper for the win over Jim

On Tuesday, I witnessed something I never saw before.   I was helping out with some lawn work I think Jim and Sherry have about a 20 acre lawn ot mow and keep up) and guess who joined in?   No manual labor, but she did touch the machine and drove it for me while I picked up grass clippings.


She even looks like it might be fun

We drove 30 minutes to Oshkosh (actually it's Eldorado) to visit Sherry and Jim's daughter Julie's  family and have some salad, pizza and apple pie in a bag.   Julie is the oldest of the Reiff grandchildren and happens to be my God-child.  Todd is an Architect....Julie manages retail clothing stores....Wilson goes to school. 

Todd and Julie moved to a farm setup of their own awhile back.  Their farm has high potential for a party during CountryFest.   Just as we remembered from a previous visit, Wilson is a ball of wild energy that can not sit still for more than 1 minute.  He and I explored a Guiness World Record book that we gave him....homework was already done.


Todd, Julie and Wilson Clark

Looks like a Dallas Cowboy jersey on Wilson...certainly not Packers

Wednesday was a sad day.   Andy the Cat of many years at the Shelp's passed away.   It was noted on Facebook and Sherry got nearly 50 comments by people that knew of and liked Andy the Cat.



Andy is in the Shelp Pet Cemetary

 

Later on Wednesday, we went to see Andy the Human - Sherry and Jim's son is Andy (now goes by Andrew though) and Andrew's family - Stephanie and Sophia.  Andrew lives in Milwaukee where he has many things going - singing group (Mossfolk), job at hospital, tends bars on weekend.  Andrew was recently highlighted in Milwaukee paper as having the best bar to watch the Packer game....nice.   Luckily for Sophia, for now Stephanie has made Sophia her fulltime life occupation.


Andrew with his band Mossfolk

Since Andrew lives in Milwaukee and due to job schedules, we met halfway in a good BBQ place.  What a treat to finally meet Stephanie (married last year), and Sophia (about a year old).   Sophia wasn't there 5 minutes and she let me hold her...what a brave young lady. 


 Here are some other pictures.


Lesa and Stephanie engaged in deep conversation

Grandpa Jim



Lesa, Stephanie, Andrew, Sophia, Sherry, Jim



3 Generations of Reiff Blood-line

Julie had Thursday off and we convinced Jim to take a half day off.    Julie and I took on Jim and Lesa in a scramble.    Sherry helped the teams putt, but we didn't want anyone injured so did not give her other clubs.  It was Scary Sherry enough putting her behind the wheel of the cart.
 

Dan/Julie killed Jim/Lesa

 


Our God-Daughter with us at a Supper Club

 
On Friday, we headed for Minneapolis to see Brother Jim (Yes, same guy we saw in Chicago) and his son Jason and family.   Jason and Melissa live in Maple Grove with their 2 kids Greta and Jacob.  Both Greta and Jacob consider you their best friend within 5 minutes.    We walked to a neighborhood park/lake with the four of them and drew pictures in the sand.  Sunday was Jacob's 1st birthday.


Melissa, Jacob, Jason and Greta



Sitting on a boat rack

Greta showing off her fishing pole

We met Jim and Deb later on for dinner/drinks at Malones - good sandwich type food.   Jim and I tossed the kids around at the restaurant.

Teaching Jacob something

Tickle!!~!!

Saturday, Jim and I played golf at Pheasant Acres while Deb and Lesa shopped and went to a home show.   No pictures, but Jim kicked my butt.   I shot 81, but he did a 75.   Jim grilled some kabobs for dinner and Jenna (30th birthday girl) came in from Chicago to spend a week with her family.  

Vinnie came to Minneapolis, too.

Sunday, after church, we headed to the Des Moines area...about 4 hours.   Two sisters, Jane and Joan, and many nieces and nephews live around there.  
Our first stop was at Joan's and then we headed from there to her daughter Abbey and Husband Ryan's house for son Reed's 3rd birthday party.  Ryan and Abbey  served a lot of snacks and topped it off with homemade lasagna and birthday cake.



My sister Joan and my niece Abbey (Joan Daughter)

 

3 year old BDay boy - Reed...he was so excited!

Here are some other pics from the party.


Joe and Jen's daughter Emily

Joe and Jen's Taylor



Reed's little brother Max

Abbey with Joan and Steve's son Brian




Joan's hubby Steve with son Joe and wife Jen.  Andrew is a small version of Joe



L-R: Jen, Abbey , Ryan (Abbey Husband), Joan and Steve

On Monday, we played 27 holes of golf with Joan and Steve.    9 hole par 3 and then an 18 hole real course.  Like we did in Wisconsin, we chose a scramble format.    Steve and I took on Joan and Lesa.   On the 9 hole par 3, Steve and I killed the girls.   So then we gave them 14 strokes on the big course.   We shot a 67 and they shot a 76....so they suckered us out of too many strokes.

Joan and Lesa - kind of dark pic

me and Steve - nice hat!!

After golf, we found some Chinese food and then stopped by my nephew Chris's house - Chris is Jane's son.   Chris and Katie live in a Des Moines suburb - Grimes.   It was Jacey's birthday....she is a little Princess.


Chris and Katie - Chris is Jane's son



Reese with his $10 bill

The Princess trying on costumes for her BDay party

Sebby the Basset hound

Tuesday morning, Joan and Steve took us to an area landmark.  The longest trestle bridge to be converted from RR track to running trail....I had to run on it!


Joan, Lesa, Steve walking towards the trestle



Me running it.

On Tuesday night, we watched Chance (Jane's Jennifer's son - Iowa State Fair Jennifer).   His team won the game easily.   Chance plays QB and DB - in on every play of the game.



 The next evening we saw Chance again for game night - Jane tries to host it once / week.   He did a nice job of teaching us how to play card Monopoly (fun game)....I won.

The remainder of our Des Moines stay was with Jane and Jay.   They have no children at home although they have 6 between them scattered about.   They do have pets though.   I could only get pictures of 3 of their 4...couldn't get 1 cat to hold still.

Jay and Jane

There are 2 cats that look like this

Atlas



Buddy - took him for several walks

Jen's dog Kobe....at Janes a lot, too

Lesa, Jane and I drove over to Carroll, Iowa on Wednesday and had lunch with a bunch of my Dad's siblings.   That was really a special and fun lunch.   Always nice to have people around that you can ask the questions you'd like to ask your Mom and Dad.

L-R:  Dad's Brother Ray, sister  Bubbles, Ray's wife Ethyl, Jane, Lesa, Dad's step-brother Art, sister Karen, me, sister Louise.

After lunch, we went to Karen's house for a couple hours.    Ray, Art and I played cribbage (they are sharp as a tack).....the girls told stories on the back deck.

For a good part of Wednesday and Thursday, we helped Jane move things around in her store......she worked us like dogs.   Really nice store...lots of purchases made, but she gave us a good deal!!

Jane's store

We closed the Midwest trip on Thursday night by returning to Joan and Steve's for dinner - had nice Iowa beef, and all the trimmings, including another apple pie with  apples from Joan's tree.   Played a card game of Oh Hell.    I lost / Joan won, so I was required to post the score sheet.

Jay, Jane, Joan, Steve, Lesa....Steve made the table.

After I returned, having seen the many great nieces/nephews I built this one page of the 21 3rd generation direct blood-line descendants of Paul and Irene Reiff - my parents.   Long live the blood-line!!

The end of Leg 4.