Day 24: Des Moines, IA to Chicago, IL

A local country buffet place was recommended to us for breakfast. I am normally scared of buffet food for breakfast for two reasons, both being that I'll eat far too much and then want to go back to sleep afterwards. It was a great place, and the food was excellent. I ate too much and didn't care.

The place was like 'Farm Land' in a Disney park, with tractor rides, the staff dressed in farming attire, drinks served in jam jars and agricultural oddities and souvenirs everywhere. I wonder whether it's just what Iowa is like, or just catering to tourist's expectations.

From 2007 USA Elises

From 2007 USA Elises

We chatted with the tractor driver who was a really nice chap, but the English/American sarcasm gap reached new lows with the conversation. After I commented on John Deere stealing the green/yellow Lotus livery, Jared implied the contrary. I then quipped that surely the farming profession didn't predate Formula One, to which he began explaining that I must be wrong. I pictured a Greek farmer unable to try out his new Archimedes Screw due to his mates racing their cars around the field.

Iowa by day is a little less exciting as it is by night. We passed a place called What Cheer. Indeed. There was also another called North English. We call it topspin where I come from. Another was Keokuk, which I had to laugh at as it was on Krusty the Klown's list of amusing sounding places he taught at clown college "OK, memorize these funny place names: Walla Walla. Keokuk. Cucamonga. Seattle." We passed Cucamonga when entering Los Angeles. Not sure where Walla Walla is, and we went nowhere near Seattle, but two out of four isn't bad.

The trip to Todd's house an hour or so west of Chicago was actually a little shorter than we expected. The weather was pleasant, but very windy. We passed a place called Joliet, which I recognised from somewhere. After some thought realised I had misinterpreted a bit from The Blues Brothers all this time. When Jake says 'And I thought I had it bad in Joliet' I always assumed that Joliet was a slang word for Jail, not an actual place. Apparently the jail is all that is there, so maybe I wasn't too wrong.

We had a little trouble finding Todd's place, but thankfully he heard us in the area and like a sheepdog herded us back on his motorbike. We were about an hour earlier than planned, which gave us a little while to get settled before people arrived.

From 2007 USA Elises

The barbecue was fantastic with really nice people. We had 11 Elises there and Mike, a former Elise owner, brought along his Vette Z06. One of Todd's neighbours also brought his yellow NSX over, so a good group of cars. It was a great afternoon. Thanks to Tracy for grilling!

Very special thanks though go to Todd and Margarite for putting us up for the day, hosting everyone so kindly and allowing us to crash there overnight. It turns out we were the perfect alibi to finally get Chicago Elise owners together, as they have not really had many meets outside of track events. It seems they may get together more often now, so everyone won. Here is the Elisetalk thread about the meet. The first few pages are preparing the event, but there a plenty of comments and pics afterwards.

From 2007 USA Elises

From 2007 USA Elises