EST-CE LE PARADIS? NON C'EST IOWA!

I started my time in Iowa with a few days in Des Moines. Even after visiting all these fantastic cities, my love for this city has only grown. Sitting on the back porch enjoying a beautifully crafted dinner with my parents is always the highlight of my stay. Garcia and the chickens always bring joy to the house. I was able to spend some time with the infamous Daveman as well. You already know we like to hang out at The Bartender's Handshake, maybe too much. You know what!? Dirty Money Island ain't half bad, but my college town awaits my return.

True to my word, I returned to my lovely tutorial town. When I am in Iowa City, everything feels leisurely and carefree. My sleeping spot this sejour was the boss' house. We got to spend some quality time together before the family traveled home to Morocco. Now I had a house, garden, and restaurant to look after for roughly six weeks! Luckily I had sufficient support from Cori and Daniel. While it is hard work keeping the shop rolling, there was still plenty of time to enjoy that beautiful Iowa summer. I promise you, nothing will beat the crepes routine. We open eleven to two for the lunch shift, followed by a three-hour siesta, then the five to nine dinner service.

My mornings were typically spent at the rec, which still reigns as the premier gym in IC. Perhaps exclusively during the summer because it was not packed with students. My afternoons were spent crafting my usual skills. Many evenings you would find the crepes crew playing pool or chilling at local drinkeries. Our regular spots included: Gabe's, Fox Head, Dublin Underground, Deadwood, and Big Grove Brewery. I was happy that most of my classic hangout spots were still going strong. Some things never change in this city!

While Iowa City was the home base, I still managed to get some exploration done. Naturally, I spent a decent amount of time in Des Moines. We had to make it out to Maquoketa Caves. My favorite trip was camping at Sugar Bottom. I definitely want to give a special shoutout to Solon, Sutlif, and Davenport too. Dave and I did our yearly road trip to Salt Lake City. One of our buddies was getting married, and we had to make it. It had been too long since the whole squad was together like this. Twas a glorious affair indeed. It would only be an Iowa summer if I did a day of RAGBRAI. Luckily there was an easy day that ended in Des Moines.

It was a magnificent summer indeed! The truth, it may have been one of the best summers to date. My one complaint is that it went by much too fast. That is a classic post-summertime feeling. The next thing I knew, I was walking around Osceola with my pack filled to the brim. I had time to kill before the train. As I explored this small town, I felt like a vagabond once again. Even though I was a forty-five-minute drive from my hometown, I still felt like a foreigner. After a few hours at the quaint public library, I found the local watering hole. Bellied up to the bar, I heard the local town drama. It was rather amusing, but I had a train to catch. Just like that, I was on the late-night train. My destination... the end of the line. I will be with you soon, my sweet, sweet California.