Today we left Sioux City, IA and ventured to Storm Lake, IA.
Storm Lake, population 10,000+ is the county seat of Buena Vista County and home to Buena Vista University. Tyson Foods operates a large hog slaughterhouse and meat packing plant here and Sara Lee has a turkey processing plant. Also, Metabank is based in Storm Lake.
Right in front of the hotel is a 9-mile hiking/biking trail. It was very beautiful and the ride was great until you turned around and the wind was in your face! :-(
The ride out from Sioux City, IA brought us through a couple of really neat small towns. The Town of Pierson was small but the mural was very well done.
Then it was on to Washta...and the sign says it all. -47 degrees Farenheit in 1912....toooo cold for me.!
Just about 11 miles outside of Storm Lake, IA I came across from folk art that I just had to take a picture of....It makes me wonder if the farmer has too much time on his hands or just has a really great sense of humor....I like his sculptures...
The Teradactyl in the tree caught me off guard!
But it is quite creative!
Once in town, the folk art continued. This carving adorned the front yard of one of the residents...
The Buena Vista County Historical Society Museum wasn't the largest but it was interesting.
I even rode through the Living Heritage Tree Museum...There was a tree named for Harriet Beecher Stowe and one for Sergeant York...I forget what species of tree for each but at the time I remember thinking that the selection was appropriate.
Storm Lake is not very deep, just about 9 feet, but it has lots of recreational activities for the tourists to participate in.
Also, the Town of Storm Lake's park system is home to a number of inspiring statuary.
The Pioneer gazes across the lake from his perch on Lakeshore Drive.
The Three Sisters, members of the Paxton family of Storm Lake, play amid the flowers in Sleepy Hallow along Lakeshore Drive.
The Buddy Monument in Chautauqua Park honors our veterans.
Another tribute to those who protect our freedom!
This unique tree sculpture is one of about a dozen ranging from pelicans to trolls, angels to dragonflies. They are only carved from trees that must be taken down anyway.
A child looks for the sign as he readys to throw a pitch.
A lad races with his kite at Kolb Memorial Garden near Kings Pointe.
At the Lakeshore Cyclery Shop in Storm Lake there is a large collection of antique bicycles from the 1880's...this one pictured is from1917. It is a folding French military bike designed to be straped to the back of the soldier during the war.
We had our map meeting / happy hour outside tonight on the lakeside. It was very nice, but the biting flys were making a pest of themselves.
Tomorrow we are off to Fort Dodge, IA.
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