We arrived in Forest City just in time for this weekend's annual Steam Threshing Festival at the Heritage Park of North Iowa. This is a gathering of those who have a passion for steam-driven farm equipment. Their Steam School was held here in May for anyone who is interested in steam engineering. The collection of these machines in action was impressive to watch. For this city gal and semi-history lover, it was a treat to see all these things.

The event that drew us to the Festival was the Punkin Chuckin, but sadly there were no pumpkins to chuck this year. This was the high point for everyone. So we wandered around, watched the Parade of Power, watched oats being threshed (see below).

As you look at the photo above starting from right to left, the oats go into the thresher, the teeth separate the grain from the stalk. The chaff is blown out the chute and the good stuff (the oats) get poured into the wagon on the left.

Below are oats still inside the husk (the cluster) and one that I broke open to eat (the single one). For all you oatmeal lovers, this is where your breakfast porridge gets started.

This was like a mini state fair complete with fair food. We saw a vendor selling Hot Beef Sundaes. You got a bowl of shredded beef topped with a scoop of mashed potato, gravy, shredded cheese and a cherry tomato on top. Later in the evening  for a $6 dinner, you could have sweet corn and bologna. Not the sliced meat in the deli but a sausage. We sampled the fry bread cooked on an old-fashioned stove and coated with sugar. I had my once-a-year ice cream fix - homemade vanilla ice cream churned by a steam machine. Mmmm, good!

It was amazing to see all the steam-driven machines. We were told that one man owned a majority of the pieces at the festival. Some were working smaller scale models. Everything here was in motion including a washing machine complete with a roller to squeeze out the water.

But with all this steam power, the festival pays homage to horsepower. We did not see the horse plowing or corn shelling, but we did take a visit to the stables to say hello.

So long to the Steam Threshing Festival, to the friendly folks who took the time to explain how the machines work, who talked to us about 21st century farming (GPS & satellites), and to those who love to see how things work.

Our stay in Nebraska, south of Omaha was brief. To get into Iowa you cross the Missouri River. This toll bridge is manned 24/7 by very friendly folks, a two-man operation. Going to Forest City, Iowa was a "short" trip of about 300 miles. We are here to have work done on Miss Winnie. Forest City (pop. 4000 approx.) is in northern Iowa's farm country, and the Winnebago Factory is the largest employer (2900 workers) in the area. 

Our service appointment is next Tuesday, booked months in advance. We got here early hoping to get taken early, but that did not happen. Some folks here without appointments have been waiting several days to get service. This is a busy place, but what do you do while you wait days for your appointment - go to the Spam Museum in Austin, Minnesota, an hour north of Forest City. Hubby found it on the Internet when looking for things to do here.

Check out the website for the history of Spam - http://www.spam.com/spam-101/history-of-spam
The Spam Museum, Austin, Minnesota - this museum will be closing to move to a new facility sometime in 2016. Free admission. When I searched online for "quirky museums", it was in several lists. Well done and plenty of Spam to buy as gifts in several varieties. Enjoy.

We watched a short film about Spam. What stuck in my mind was how popular this food item is worldwide. 

Hawaii has a Spam Jam. It is thought that the worldwide explosion of Spam lovers may have been due to the thousands of cans shipped overseas during World War II - http://www.spam.com/#biggest-party. 

In south Korea, the largest consumer outside the USA, Spam is considered a classy gift to give especially for the Lunar New Year - http://www.spam.com/#impress.

Spam is even found in high-toned restaurants in New York City - http://www.spam.com/#new-in-new-york

My only claim to Spam fame is eating it during a weekend camping with my Girl Scout troop - Fried Spam sandwich with a pineapple ring on top.

To quote one of the characters from the TV mini series Lonesome Dove, we've been "ridin' real hard" covering over 1300 miles since we left Hill ABF on 4 September. It takes a LOOOONG time to get through Wyoming to roll into Cheyenne, and even longer to get through Nebeaska to stop in Omaha-Offut AFB. But we did stop and rest in Cheyenne.

We had been here in 2010 going west to California, and found a delightful bakery (of course) that makes Black Forest Cake Muffins. Found it again and ordered our usual. 
http://www.breadbasketbakery.com/




The day was gorgeous and comfortable after the rain overnight. We parked downtown to do some shopping at the farmers market and The Wrangler.

Enjoyed being in the open air market atmosphere, especially the smells. One stand was roasting green chili peppers. Hubby tried one. It snuck up on him with a mighty burn.

Time for more shopping the the Wrangler. I had a goal to get either a cowboy hat or boots.

The boots won and just the right color! I LOVE them.

On the road in Nebraska, a 494 mile, 10 hour drive from Cheyenne via RV, we stopped at a gas station. Next door, so to speak was the Sod House Museum, a converted barn. Out in back was a replica of a sod house complete with a pair or two of long johns on the clothesline. It got a chuckle out of me but I reflected on the fact that the westward pioneers out here on the prairie lived in these structures. Sometimes we complain too much about the much we have now.

After a day-long push across the state to get to Offut AFB south of Omaha, we were blessed with a beautiful Nebraskan sunset. 
Enjoy.