Tours of Pella and Newton

On Saturday morning, Chuck and I went for a ten-mile bike ride in Newton.  As we rode down 13th Avenue that runs parallel to the I-80, we could see the Iowa Speedway which has some NASCAR Nationwide Series and Camping World Truck Series races a couple of times a year along with some other races.

We picked up the bike trail at 19th Street and followed it all the way to the end.

On the way back, we stopped at a bench across from the Jasper County Museum for some water and to rest for a few minutes.

The bike trail goes through Maytag Park.

 

Through most of Maytag Park, the trail is shady...

...but also hilly.

Later that afternoon, Craig and Fos drove us over to Pella.

 

Pella is known for its annual festival:  Tulip Time. 

 

The tulips were late in blooming this year because of all the cold weather.  This was not good for Tulip Time (which occurred a couple of weeks ago), but was great for us.  We went through the gardens behind the Scholte House Museum that were filled with all kinds of beautiful tulips.

 

While Fos and I were admiring the tulips, Craig and Chuck were (I'm sure) discussing something real important. :)

 

The flowers were so beautiful.  I just couldn't take enough pictures of them (as you can tell)!

Craig took our picture...

 

...and then Chuck took this group picture of us all.

 

We walked across the street to the Public Square Park which also had a lot of tulips.

 

Chuck tried on some wooden shoes that were just a little big.

 

We then walked down to the Klokkenspel where an animated clock with 8 four-foot mechanical figures tell the story of Pella at the top of every hour.

 

Then we walked over to a decorative canal that runs between some of the buildings.

This is where Pella Windows & Doors is located.

 

While we were touring the town, we saw windmills everywhere -- at the Sunken Gardens Park...
 

 

...at the Public Square Park...

...and at the historical village (which is an actual working mill).

 

At the historical village store, Craig tried on this dutch hat.  Quite the Dutchman, wouldn't you say?

Next, we walked down to the boyhood home of Wyatt Earp.

And to top off our tour of Pella, we visited a dutch bakery and ate our treats at the Public Square Park across the street.

 

After our tour of Pella, Kyle and Allison (Cory's brother and sister-in-law) took us on a tour of Vermeer, which was started by Allison's grandfather, Gary Vermeer, in 1948.  Vermeer manufactures all types of farm equipment...

and construction equipment....

...of all shapes and sizes.

 

It was amazing to see how the company had grown from Mr. Vermeer's mechanical hoist to help unloading grain...

to the international company it is today.  These flags represent all the countries in which Vermeer does business.

 

Later, we went back to Kyle and Allison's house and enjoyed watching Isabella and Emmaline's cousins:  Drew and Clair...

and watching Papa C showing them how to play golf.

 

On Sunday evening, we got to see all the Van Wyngardens one more time when Craig and Fos invited all of us over for dinner at their house.

Even though the weather was bad outside...

we were having a lot of fun inside...

 

and we REALLY enjoyed Grandma Pat's French Silk Pie.  Yummy!!! 

Thank you to all the Van Wyngardens for showing us around everywhere and for all the food and fun!  We had a wonderful visit and hope to do it again sometime!