WINNEBAGO TOUR

Thursday we went on a bus trip over to Forest City and toured the Winnebago plant, which was very interesting. Nancy and Jake were on the waiting list, but made it on the bus.

This is the visitors center.

An old Winnebago.

They wouldn't allow pictures in the buildings, so this is how they begin.

And this is the finished product.

Our tour director said they had 3100 employees last year and 1200 this year, but they have money in the bank, are doing well, and have never had to shut down since they started. A very neat place and an enjoyable tour.

FMCA RALLY

We moved on to Albert Lea, MN to the FMCA Midwest Rally, where things have been interesting. Because they had a lot of rain the past few days, they already had to tow rigs out of the mud, so we were parked down the street at the high school on an area with some gravel. Here is our neighbor arriving.

The first evening, we had a storm warning and had to evacuate the building we were in, to go under the grandstand for safety. We found out later there was a lot of damage in Austin which is very close by. In the middle of the entertainment, the Spamettes, the power went out and noone could hear them-so that was the end of that. Things haven't been run very well, but we've had a good time. We're enjoying seeing old friends from the Rose Bowl Rally, Jake and Nancy Jacobs. We've had free breakfasts each morning and here we're waiting in line for one of them.

I'll admit I haven't taken many pictures, as I've felt pretty crummy all week with a cold and cough-so little sleep doesn't do much for my mood. We did really enjoy seeing the New Oddessey perform last night. We saw them about three weeks ago and they were even better the second time. We went shopping yesterday and saw a little of the town which has several lakes around it This is one downtown.

We went out to eat one night and ate pizza in a place that didn't look very good, but did a good business and had a great name-Jake's Pizza. It was delicious!

THE REST OF THE VISIT

On Sunday we went with the guys to the Farmers Market and met Jim and Mary Weingartner there. They invited us to dinner on Monday, along with their neighbor, Nola. We didn't get to see Linda this time because she was working at her school. Thanks to Scott and Jeff for storing more scrapbooking notebooks than they expected, and thanks to Mary and Jim for the lovely meal! Here they are by some of their beautiful flowers.

ART FAIR PURCHASE

Back at the house, the guys put their yard art purchase in the garden along the creek.

EXCELSIOR, MN

We met Scott and Jeff at the Excelsior Art Show. It's a pretty suburb around a lake with some cute shops downtown and lovely houses along the lake. This was a rock garden that we passed on our walk to the fair area.

The b00ths were right down next to the lake and many people were enjoying their day on boats.








We ate at a small restaurant in downtown Excelsior and it was very good.

DAKOTAH MEADOWS

We've moved on to Minneapolis and are staying at Dakotah Meadows at the Mystic Lake Casino while we're visiting Scott and Jeff. It's a very nice campground around a pond, at a complex that includes a casino, hotel, golf course, day care center, sports complex and other amenities for the Native Americans. The campground has very nice shower buildings, a car/RV wash/gas station, a storm shelter, a playground, a place to boondock, etc. Here are some of them.

You can even rent a tepee!

In our never ending quest to find a rig for Wilson's-here's the "Arctic Loon" sitting in the boondocking section. It's for sale, but I haven't stop to find out the price yet. You love to fish-what more could you ask?

SNOW IN IOWA IN JUNE???

Is it snow in the campground in Decorah? No, the cottonwood trees are shedding. It's kind of pretty!