Cold, Wet, Cozy?

Made it from Topeka to Amana Colonies, Iowa yesterday. I arrived at an RV park with 450 sites on 60 acres! I am out in the boondocks, so far from everyone, I seem to be camping in the middle of nowhere. The bathrooms are a short drive or a very long walk away.

However, I have WiFi and TV and Electric and water. What more can I ask for! Sun maybe, but that may come in the next day or two. For now it's drizzle and 60's. I have the little heater from WalMart going and the place is toasty. It was 61 when I walked in a half-hour ago, and now it's 68.

The fridge was up near 50 yesterday after the drive, so I turned it to a colder setting. Of course, all the lettuce froze! Maybe I need to buy an Amana! The Amana Plant is, surprise, in Amana. It's a little village, and a big plant.

There are seven villages scattered among 26,000 acres of prime farmland: Amana village, East Amana, West, High, Middle, South Amana and Homestead ("It's called Homestead," it is explained, "because there weren't any 'Amanas' left."). In those villages are about 2000 people, and maybe a half-zillion restaurants.

They were a communal religious (not Amish and not Mennonite) society until 1932, when they separated the economic activity from the personal. Must have been caused by the teenager's music!

So what does an Asperger tourist do in a tourist trap? I drove through all the villages, walked the main street of Amana Village, went into the wolen mill and saw the computerized looms at work, tasted two beers at the micro brewery, read the plaque at the Millrace which produced power for the community, and came back to the camper for lunch.

After lunch, an Asperger tourist writes his blog, and reads the weather report.

It's so hot in here (73 degrees) I have to turn the heat down.

The next step is to slow down enough to grab a book and read a bit..... Maybe tomorrow.