Brenda Outside Hahn's Bakery In Middle Amana, Iowa.

Breakfast has a whole new meaning now.  We got up and out early this morning to make it to Hahn’s Bakery for some fresh baked goods.  Hahn’s Bakery is one of the original businesses in the Amana Colonies.  It’s still in the original building in Middle Amana, IA.  To give you an idea of how old this place is, it was already 100 years old when David was born!

We stopped by yesterday to check it out and they were already closed. The hours of this bakery are 7am to whenever everything sells out.  We were told that is usually 10am.  So 9am we were there.  We still didn’t make it early enough to get the giant cinnamon rolls.  However, they did have a raspberry turnover and some cinnamon swirl bread.

David With A Raspberry Turnover From Hahn's Bakery In Middle Amana, Iowa.

The woman behind the counter told us she gets up at 12 midnight to start baking.  She supplies one of the restaurants in town every day with fresh bread, on top of the goods she has behind the counter.  She still bakes using the original brick oven that was first put to use in 1866.  They certainly don’t make things like that anymore.  It was her husband’s side of the family that started the bakery back in 1866.  So that’s probably 5th generation bakers, I’m guessing.  There are pictures on the wall of her grandchildren, perhaps 7th generation in the making?

When we got back to the MH we couldn’t wait to dig in.  MMMMMM!!!!!!!!  The raspberry turnover was so light and delicious…and giant.  One was plenty for us to share.  The cinnamon bread will have to wait until later.  Maybe we’ll make french toast with it for lunch.  One things for sure, it’ll certainly will get eaten sooner rather than later.  Too good!

The Counter Inside Hahn's Bakery.

A Little History Of Hahn's Bakery.

The Brick Oven From 1866 That Is Still Used Today, Inside Hahn's Bakery.

Hahn's Bakery And Home In Middle Amana, Iowa

Angel Sound Asleep In Front Window As We Drive To Amana, Iowa

We made it to Amana, Iowa yesterday.  Nice ride.  Just straight across I-74W to I-80W.  As you can see from the picture above, Angel has no worries in the world as she sleeps across the states.  The only thing that wakes her is when we go over a bad piece of road.  The other kitties are still traveling very well.  We are very thankful for that.

So we’re in Amana, Iowa, at the Amana RV Park, to visit the Amana Colonies.  We planned on going out today to explore a little bit, but it’s raining.  Raining so hard sometimes, you don’t want to be driving in it.  So we decided to take today as a laundry day and rest.  Plus someone was nice enough to give David a little cold at “The Rally”, so this will give him some down time too.  For those of you who have met David, you know, it’s hard for him to sit still for too long.  He has to be tinkering with something.  So orange juice, couch and movies is his prescription for the day from me.

Last night after we arrived the humidity finally broke and we were able to sit outside for a little bit.  Tasha really enjoys that, as you can see from the big smile on her face.  So below are some pictures we took from last night.  We had a hot air balloon, a by-plane and Canada Geese all fly overhead.  We had met a nice lady on a walk that told us about a hot air balloon festival going on all week, starting this weekend, not to far from here.  So that’s something else we may check out this coming week.

So for now, enjoy our pictures from our nice Iowa evening.  We’ll post more tomorrow when the rain subsides and we venture out into the Amana Colonies.

Tasha Enjoying The Evening. Hot Air Balloon Flying Overhead.

David And Tasha Sitting Out Enjoying The Nice Evening Air.

Canada Geese Flying Overhead With A Really Interesting Cloud Pattern.

Brenda And Tasha Enjoying The Evening.

Tasha With A Big Smile On Her Face, Enjoying The Nice Iowa Evening.

Hazy Sun With By-Plane Flying Around.

BK Bathing Himself In The Front Window As Evening Sets In.

An Iowa Evening At The Amana RV Park In Amana, Iowa.

Our Site At Jubilee College State Park In Brimfield, IL, Near Peoria, IL

When we left Indianapolis we headed west towards Iowa.  We only drove 4 hours to a town just outside Peoria, IL.  I found lovely Jubilee College State Park in Brimfield, IL that fits big rigs without an issue.  Nicely paved road in and out.  Level site, at least ours is.  Dark at night, no lighting and very quiet.  There’s not many people here so everyone seems to have given every one else plenty of space.

We’ll stay here a couple of nights to rest and relax.  There’s a Wildlife Prairie State Park close by that we may check out…or not.  We’ll see.  We’re just going to enjoy the peace and quiet.

So we’re taking a couple days off.  When we leave here we’ll head west to Amana, Iowa.  We heard from some friends of ours, that are fellow rvers, that the Amana Colonies in Amana, IA is place we should check out.  So that will be our next stop in a few days.  So until then…

Tasha Enjoying Jubilee College State Park In Brimfield, IL

Our Spot At Jubilee College State Park In Brimfield, IL

Lake Haven Retreat Campground In Indianapolis, IN

When we left the Louisville area we decided to head north west.  We have some friends in Iowa right now and we were in no rush to head home.  So we decided to stay on the road for a few more weeks and head that way.

We didn’t leave Louisville until the early evening, so we didn’t want to drive too far.  So I found Lake Haven Retreat Campground in Indianapolis, IN which was only 2 hours from where we were.  So we set off in that direction.

Lake Haven Retreat was a nice stop.  Getting there was an easy in and out from the expressway.  It’s just far enough (couple miles) that it’s really quiet at night.  Nice lake, with fishing if you like, with a  fountain.  My complaint is the narrow roads.  Once you leave the asphalt road from the office, it turns into stone.  There are many pot holes which are not big rig friendly.  In our situation, we could not turn down the row we needed to because someone had parked there car half way on the road.  So, with a big rig, there was no way we would fit.  Luckily there was another row we could fit down and cut across an empty spot to get to ours.  We had a lovely spot right on the end.  Our view was the lake.  Nice.  The bad thing about being on the end is that every one going in and out must go past you. But it still wasn’t that bad.

There was a Nascar race that ended that day, and the campground is close by to the racetrack, so the park was more than half full.  We didn’t arrive to the campground until after 8:30 at night.  So we decided to stay another night just to catch up on some work and rest.  We’d stay here again if we were in the area.  Our only other choice in this area is at the speedway, and with a race that just ended, I didn’t think that would be a smart choice.

Our Spot At Lake Haven Retreat Campground In Indianapolis, IN

The Lake At Lake Haven Retreat Campground In Indianapolis, IN

BK Enjoying The Front Window

So long Louisville.  “The Rally” ended yesterday in Louisville, Kentucky.  Everyone packed up and moved on to there next destination.  We however stayed and got something installed.  I gave you all a teaser in our last Louisville post.  Well, here it is.  Window awnings!  Your amazed I know.  The company ShadePro was at the show and they were installing right there on site.  So we took advantage of that opportunity.

They had a sewing machine set up outside and all there trucks running around measuring, ordering, shipping and installing.  Yup, I said shipping.  ShadePro is based in San Diego and they ship all there products via Southwest Airlines.  Interesting I know.  It’s a lot cheaper than the commercial shippers.  They had to get special permission from the airline to do shipping with them, but it works.  They have the option to ship every day of the week, several times a day.  They had brought in many different awnings and such to the show, but they could not account for every type coach.  So when we wanted window awnings, the kind you can see through, not the solid ones, they of course did not have the sizes we needed.  So, they measured and ordered what we needed.  The main plant in San Diego made what we needed and they shipped everything the next day.

As you may remember, we didn’t stay on site for the show.  The last day of the show, we were scheduled to leave our campground.  So we drove up to ShadePro’s staging area in the Louisville Expo Center parking lot so they could more easily install the awnings.  So after a couple of hours, we had our window awnings.  I must say, what a great company in regards to customer service.  All there guys on site were wonderful.  The guy that measured and installed our window awnings, in 90 degree heat no less, had a great work ethic.  Anything you wanted or needed, they were right there making it the way you wanted it.  It’s so hard to find a company now a days that works like that.

So here you are…before and after pictures of our coach with the window awnings.  Let us know what you think.  We’re still getting used to them.  We like them, it just takes getting used to.  These should definitely help with the heat beating down on a black coach.

ShadePro's Staging Area At The Louisville Expo Center Parking Lot

Before Awnings

Before Awnings

During Install Of Window Awnings

After Window Awnings Installed

After Window Awning

Brenda With Big Boy Statue

I don’t know where you grew up, but in Rochester, NY, Big Boy Restaurants were the place to go.  They had one burger….the Big Boy Burger.  And even though their were other items on the menu, that’s what you ordered.  The dessert of choice?  Well for David growing up it was the chocolate cake sundae.  For me it was the regular hot fudge sundae.

Oh the memories.  Going with my mother and sister for dinner.  My sister and I having contests to see who could down the most sugar packets.  My mother loved that game by the way.  It kept us up all night long bouncing off the walls.

My sister’s senior high class prank was to steal the Big Boy statue and place it on the roof of the high school.  I still, to this day, have no idea how they managed that one.  I do remember that after the statue was returned, unharmed mind you, they bolted it down to the base.  As you can see from the picture, the statue in itself was huge!  As I said, it’s still a mystery to me.  I’m sure some football players had something to do with it though.

Sadly, Big Boy Restaurants closed all there locations about 25 years or so ago.  We had thought all had closed.  Apparently not.  When David was driving us back to our camp site after the rally, I glanced over at the various restaurants at our exit and low and behold!  A Big Boy Restaurant!  They do exist.  We immediately turned the other direction and pulled into the parking lot.

The Big Boy statue may be a little different.  The interior more modern.  No more dark wood paneled walls and burnt orange booths.  Oh well.  We each ordered, of course, the Big Boy Burger.  There was no choice in that one.  It still looked the same and tasted the same.  For dessert? The chocolate cake sundae of course that David was gracious enough to share with me.

We each reminisced.  I sent my sister a picture of me and Big Boy to tease her of course.  She immediately asked if the sugar packets with big boys picture were still on the table.  Ha!  Little does she know she’s going to get a couple  sugar packets in her Christmas stocking :)

David Trying To Steal Big Boy's Burger

David Enjoying Big Boy's Chocolate Cake Sundae