I have a legitmate excuse.....

Well the last 9 days has seen 2 trips to Iowa, 3 friends from the old country, 2 quarts of moonshine smuggled aboard a domestic flight, my brain was all but melted trying to learn how to use MS Access, Big Al admitting to soft pedaling on the tandem, and a gradual thaw of things here in Nuh-baska (I have started saying Nebraska as Bobcat Goldthwait would pronounce it)



Last Friday I cut out of work early to head to Iowa City to watch the Collegiate wrestling match of the year, as #1 Iowa was going to lay the beatdown on #4 Ohio State ( I hate Ohio State). I allowed a very generous 6 hours to get to Iowa City. Well after 5 hours we were just outside of Des Moines and the interstate was just getting worse with a pretty solid snowpack. One of my closest college friends, Greg, married a Iowegian and they had bought a farm south of IC. Well, My childhood friend Pesci was also flying in for the weekend, and it was intended that it would be a big surprise for Greg since we all were scholarship kids at Berea College. Well, the weather delayed our arrival until Saturday, but we made up for lost time by destroying a German breakfast food establishment in Amana, IA.

Greg with the Pesc and I in tow

We spent the afternoon feeding cattle, engaging in a no holds bared snowball fight, cleanin the chicken house, and trading lies.

Someone was fixing to get it in the teeth.

That evening we engaged in the time honored tradition of country cruising in the Excursion, and finally made our way out to Herb and Lou's (whose slogan, by the way is, "Not just another small town dive bar") for pizza.

Engaged in the worlds longest game of pool.

It was great to get out there to see Greg and his lovely wife, Heather, who was such a wonderful hostess. It was also great to see the Pesc. The Pesc and I grew up together in the mountains of NC. We went to college together, He was my best man, we are thick as thieves. I am trying to get the Pesc to take a job out here since there are little opportunities for agronomists with graduate degrees in the old country.


Then this week I was back in IA for MS Access training. I learned a ton, but man by the 2nd day my brains were oozing out of my ears.
Then yesterday the weather broke, and Al and I took the Tandem out for some gravel time. Things were pretty swampy.

Was good to get out in the pleasant weather though.

We did manage to find this in the healthfood section of Hyvee.

Life is worth living again.

If you have never had sweet 'tater pancakes your life is empty. Plus the sweet potatoes are grown in NC, and the mix is manufactured there too. Try them. I guarantee you will never go back to bisquick.

I intend to get in some morning gravel jaunts this week since things are gonna be pretty wet during the day. Highs in the 30's. Woot!