Another reason Iowa rocks: Walcott Truckers Jamboree

Over 30,000 people watching the Trucker Olympics, the Super Truck Beauty Contest and other stuff. All at the World's Largest Truck Stop: The Iowa 80 Truck Stop.

http://www.iowa80truckstop.com/image...c.overview.jpghttp://www.iowa80truckstop.com/images/1999.gif
(in the right picture notice the watertower in the upper right corner- that supplies water for only the truck stop)

It's also the best wendy's on the planet. True story - it's amazing, and one of the few places with golden tee, wendy's, DQ, and wack ass truckstop trinkets.

Walcott's weird stuff.

Two words: Butter Cow.

http://img19.photobucket.com/albums/.../buttercow.jpg

(made for the past 40 years by a Pi Phi alum)

I *love* that Iowa I-80 Truck Stop!

I used to really like going to the Quilt Show in Kalona. And the All-Iowa Fair in Cedar Rapids, where the Midway Games consist of "Hit the Stop Sign with an Empty Beer Bottle." No lie. I have pictures.

I miss the Co-op food market in Iowa City. And the ice-cream stand right along the river. And Houseworks on South Gilbert.

I used to live above The Brewery/Fitzpatrick's on South Gilbert. Man, those were good times!

One other thing I love:

Corn Mazes.

http://www.theutechs.com/images/2003AmesMaze.jpg

Fitzy's is closed! too many violations, the brewery guys had to shut it down or lose the liquor license for the brewpub.

It's too bad - i live 2 blocks from there, it was the only 'normal' bar on S. Gilbert . . . now I have to hoof all the way downtown, or deal w/ massive amounts of hippies.

Argh! I can't believe Fitzy's closed. That's so sad! I really liked that place. It doesn't surprise me, though...the owner (who also owns The Brewery) was my landlord, and although he was a nice guy, he wasn't the sharpest knife in the drawer.

I used to go to the Fox Head Saloon sometimes...super sketchy, but that's where my grad school chums insisted on hanging out. (I forget what street that was on. Big writerly hang out. They served good scotch!)

Yeah.. I skip the bars near UofI and ISU- I'd rather go to Des Moines for The Saddle, The Garden and The Frathouse any day over a campustown bar. Well- except for Welch Avenue Station.
mmm... Pissed-Off Japanese Minnow Farmers... best drink in Ames.

Umm... I've been to the Que bar. Three times now, to see the Nadas. But that's the extent of my IC bar experiences. Too bad, the ones in Cedar Rapids suck even worse.

Now, I liked the campustown scene in Ames, as long as you avoided Sips and Dean's List (before it was Big Shots) and got to Paddy's early. The two-block walk home was a godsend if we couldn't convice someone to come pick us up in the middle of winter! We usually frequented Paddy's, Micky's, Cy's, People's and occassionally MoJazz.

Yeah, the Que sucks - actually, not bad to see a show, but it's a pretty weak bar by IC standards. If you dig Mickey's in Ames, or People's, that's how the ped mall/downtown area shakes down (ignoring the Fieldhouse and the Union). IC bar scene >> Campustown

also - not to be a dick, ISUPhiPsi . . . but The Saddle? In Des Moines? Good bar? WHuh? OK, we'll split the difference and just say, if you're going to be 'like that' in DSM, at least do the Royal Mile. There, that's WAY better.

Cosign. The Royal Mile is the closest to a true pub we'll get in Iowa. Plus, they have real cider on tap and know how to make snakebites (the drink, not the shot).

I think the reason we don't go out much in IC is because the 30-min drive back to CR sucks. And the reason we don't go out much in CR is because almost all the bars suck. Damn, I'm getting old. What I wouldn't give for just one night out like we used to do in school.

The Saddle is the place to be in DSM on Tuesday nights.
The Garden on Fridays has 2 for 1 bottles and strippers.
The Frathouse sometimes has decent shows and good drink specials.
The Garden's 10PM show on Sunday nights is pretty good- Dena Cass rocks, Vanessa Taylor does pretty good even though she's a bitch to work with for shows in Ames.

I've only done the Royal Mile with fellow campaign staffers after campaigns have been done.

Yup *nod*, I am a true Iowan. Went to the State Fair almost every year (except this year :( ), and saw the butter cow many times.

Visited Ft. Madison for a wedding last week, and I was happy to see corn fields again. I am excited for a good year for us, the corn are already knee high by 4th of July! ;)

I love Amana Colonies, and the famous Kalona. I know a Amish barn in Kalona-Wellman town limit, and they sell really good Amish food, comparable to the Chat and Chew bar in Wellman. And talking about the area, have you visited the Cheese factory in Kalona? They sell better cheese than Wisconsin!

Man, I miss home.

VITO'S!!!

so, can any of y'all Iowans tell me about Sioux City?

Apparantly it's pretty close to Vermillion, SD and some people will load up and drive down there to party.

Just trying to explore all my socializing options once school starts up in the fall.

I might be making the trek to Ames this fall to see A&M play the Cyclones, that should be interesting.

Kitso
KS 361 points we're gonna hang on the 'clones