Day 10, Sept 30, Touring the Area

We boarded our coach bus this morning at 9:15 under grey skies and light rain. It was 10.8C (52F) as we set off to visit the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum in West Branch, Iowa. During the hour-long bus ride, we watched a fascinating video which described Hoover's life.

He was born in 1874 in a simple two-room cottage in West Branch.
With two adults and three children, there was not much room for furniture.

His Quaker family had helped settle the town. Their principles of honesty, hard work simplicity and generosity guided Hoover throughout his life of service to the nation and the world.
He was educated at Stanford University, earning a degree in geology. Throughout his life, he travelled extensively around the world.

I could go on & on describing his accomplishments, but don't want to bore you! in a nutshell, he was a fascinating, self-made man who embodied the ideal of individualism.








Fortunately the weather improved for us.


At 11:30, we were back on the bus. Our next stop was the Iowa 80 Trucking Museum (which I thought would be boring) However, it was quite interesting, with over 100 very unique restored trucks, dating back as far as 1910.   

This 1939 International  D-15 armoured truck was purchased  new by the Minneapolis Police Department. It features a 1/4 thick armoured steel body that boasts 2-inch thick bullet proof  glass windows with gun ports. The steel plates mounted on the front bumper are bullet deflectors for the front tires All doors are made of armour plate. The D series was introduced in 1937 and was discontinued in 1941 This was the only truck of its kind produced.






This 1930 Ford A Snowmobile paved the way with its innovative skis and mechanical brakes. It was frequently used to get the mail through when the heavier trucks were stuck in the snow. The frame was also used as a Model A car. It consisted of a Ford 200.5 cu. inch 4 cylinder engine, 3 speed Ford sliding gear transmission and had a top speed of 45 mph with tires.

For anyone interested check out the website:
iowatruckingmuseum.com

We returned to the campground for a quick lunch, then it was back on the bus to attend "Circa 21" Dinner Playhouse presentation of "Mama Won't Fly". This is an outrageously hilarious race against the clock which begins when Savannah Honeycutt agrees to get her feisty mother all the way from Alabama to California in time for her brother's wedding. Savannah's only problem: Mama won't fly.
Prior to the production we enjoyed an excellent buffet dinner of Orange Dijon Pork, Santa Fe Swiss Steak, Texas BBQ Chicken, Louisiana-Style Cherry Snapper, Vegetarian California Lasagna, mashed potatoes, rice and a seasonal blend of vegetables.
With our tummies full and our sides sore from laughing, we returned to the campground for an early night.