Living in the Mounds

Evan performing at the Iowa State Fair. We had great seats!

"I got something in my boot!" Evan takes a seat on the curb to
empty out his shoe.

They had deep fried butter at the fair! Yikes, sounds dangerous.

Do you see the Viking resemblance? 

Amber and Evan enjoy an enormous turkey leg. 

Ann Wilson asked the crowd if they tried the deep fried butter
but a silently guilty crowd left Ann to believe the delicacy was
merely a myth! So we ate this deep fried butter for you Ann!!
It does exist, the heartburn we experienced was very real indeed.

As we made our way back to the car, Def Leppard finished out
their set which was followed by a firework show. We were so close
to them, the ash covered our windshield. 

Sunday we went into downtown Des Moines and had lunch at
another respected brewery, Court Avenue Brewing Co. Now this is
what I call a flight! 

West End Architectural Salvage & Coffee Shop in Des Moines
is awesome! They have the most interesting treasures and good chai lattes.

Industrial design chandeliers on the second floor.  

Art in the park, this horse is made out of tree branches.

Des Moines is french for 'of mounds'. A perfect description of
the land which isn't elevated at any one point enough to be
considered a hill but is not flat like Ohio or Indiana. 

This piece reminded me of The Lord of the Rings, The
Return of the King. Nerd alert! 

Charles is taking a dip to cool off. The water was very clean
and refreshing. Des Moines is really very beautiful.

I know this picture is blurry but I had to share it. We played
Buck Hunter at the El Bait Shop which had the most extensive
beer collection we have seen yet on tour!