OELWEIN, IOWA: When Reality TV Came To Northeast Iowa

August 5, 2016

Do you know that TV show in which a family that has run into some difficult times sends their sob story to the show's producers and then the producers dispatch their celebrity contractor to turn the family's ramshackle home into the mansion of their dreams? You know, the show where the host sends the desperate family on an exotic vacation while the contractors perform the miraculous transformation? You know, the show where the family comes back from their vacation and all their friends and neighbors are on hand for the unveiling of their new home. You know, the show where the family starts crying when they tour the home for the first time and all the children positively LOVE their expensively decorated bedrooms, and the parents burst out with emotional shouts of "Oh my god!" and "I can't believe it!" and "This is amazing!"

Well, West Union has one of those dream homes.

I heard a story on National Public Radio that reported something like 90% of those families sell their dream homes within two years. They either can't afford the taxes or they simply would rather have the cash. The West Union family was among the 90%.

A lovely Iowa summer morning provided me with a great ride to my old home town, Oelwein. Along the way, I made a couple of stops. One of them was in the town of Fayette--home of Upper Iowa University. I cruised around the town for old time's sake, and around the campus just because I like college campuses.

You don't see many small town opera houses any more.

There is something about Upper Iowa University's team name--The Peacocks--that might give its opponents a feeling of overconfidence.

This picture really has no purpose. I just kind of liked the cattails.

Another great feature of Iowa is that it provides restrooms for bike tourists almost everywhere throughout the state. Simply walk two or three rows in and you have a nice, private stall of your own.

I made it to my dad's house in Oelwein, unloaded my gear, and made myself at home. Coincidentally, my dad is in Michigan for a class reunion of his own.

My first order of business was to visit the local grocery store where I ended up buying more food than I could stuff into a single pannier. As a result, half a dozen ears of fresh sweet corn spilled out onto the road as I pedaled home. I gathered them up between passing cars because I'll be needing them over the next couple of days.

Today's ride: 27 miles (43 km)
Total: 217 miles (349 km)

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