The Adventures of Suzy Belle - Winterset Convention Walk

Wednesday, June 22 is the first day of the 2011 ”Walk A-Maize-ing Iowa” AVA Convention meetings and workshops and a walk in Winterset just a short drive from Des Moines.

Winterset is located in Madison County which is home to six covered bridges and one of those, Cutler-Donahoe, will be included in both the 5 and 10K events. Both walks, also, include special events for Artistic, Museums, Historic Churches, Firehouses, Veterans Memorial and Hollywood. If you’re into special events this is a walk you don’t want to miss! You will pass the 1876 limestone Madison County Courthouse with its dome and beautiful black walnut interior. There is a “pocket park” located on the site of a hotel where former slave, George Washington Carver worked for two years before going to Simpson College and to the Iowa State faculty. Dr Carver was a genius with plants and found over 300 nutritional & commercial uses for the common peanut, including peanut butter!

A name that is familiar with all is John Wayne, known in his birth town of Winterset as Marion Robert Morrison. You will walk by the home where he was born on May 26, 1907 and a few steps off the trail will take you to the new seven foot bronze statue of John Wayne that was presented by his family to Winterset—a great photo op!

If you walk the 10K trail it will take you through the city park to the 1926 Clark Tower which overlooks the beautiful valley below.

Do you need a challenge after your walk?? Why not visit the City Park Hedge Maze near the start point and find your way to the center with its old English sundial that was purchased in London.

This is a great walk in small town Iowa!!

See you real soon.
Your Friend,
Suzy Belle

The Adventures of Suzy Belle - Right Here in River City

We don’t have Trouble with a capital “T”, even though it rhymes with “V” that stands for the Volkswalk that will be in Mason City on Monday, June 20, 2011. Mason City is the original River City in The Music Man movie written by Meredith Willson. Suzy Belle, that fun loving Iowa cow and mascot of the 2011 AVA convention, took her trombone to northern Iowa to see if she could join the seventy-six trombones in the big parade. The parade was over and all the trombones were hanging from the ceiling in the room we will use as our startpoint in Music Man Square. Music Man Square is a replica of the 1912 streetscape used in the movie. Starting at Music Man Square the walk route will take you past Meredith Willson’s boyhood home and over the Meredith Willson footbridge.

Mason City boasts the only remaining Frank Lloyd Wright hotel in the world, one of two banks ever designed by Wright, and the largest cluster of Prairie-style homes unified by a common natural setting in America. The Prairie-style consisted of overhanging eaves, symmetric lines and a flowing floor plan. The first Wright commission in Iowa with this design, completed in 1908, is now a museum known as the Stockman House. The hotel and bank building is currently undergoing an $18.6 million restoration. The Historic Park Inn Hotel will be completed by convention time and will be our checkpoint.

Suzy Belle had a wonderful time visiting the Charles H. MacNider Museum on her visit to Mason City. It contains a large collection of art, but Suzy Belle particularly enjoyed the Bil Baird: World of Puppets subdivision. It is the largest holding of the late puppeteer’s work to be found anywhere. Among the collection are the puppets from the film, The Sound of Music. Remember Maria and the children performing the puppet show? The museum is free and open to the public. Unfortunately it is closed on Mondays, but open Sunday 1-5 and Tuesday 9-9.

The Mason City convention walk is another must do event during the 17th Biennial AVA Convention in Iowa, June 18-26, 2011. One of two walks on Monday June 20; the Clear Lake event was featured in the last issue of TAW. Routes of 5K and 10K will be available at both events. Suzy Belle will be so excited to see you in northern Iowa, 120 miles north of Des Moines on I-35. Check out Suzy Belle’s previous adventures and pictures on the 2011 convention link at www.ava.org. Also, links to all walk locations and “Meet Me at the Barn” convention t-shirts and buttons are available on line.

See you real soon.
Your Friend,
Suzy Belle

The Adventures of Suzy Belle - Whiterock Conservancy Convention Walk

Suzy Belle, that fun loving adventurous Iowa cow and mascot of the 2011 convention, has been out touring Iowa again. On this outing she probably found her most favorite place to walk, Whiterock Conservancy. Whiterock Conservancy, located in west central Iowa near Coon Rapids, is 5,400 acres of prairie grasses, oak savanna and sandstone bluffs carved out by the Middle Raccoon River. Over 30 miles of trails wind through the property and connect to the paved trails in Coon Rapids. This is the perfect place to escape from a hectic urban life to a quiet walk with nature in rural Iowa.

Since the 1800s, the Garst family has farmed, recreated, hunted, and lived on the land of Whiterock. Elizabeth Garst, granddaughter of Roswell Garst, still lives in the River House on the property. In 2004 the Garst family formed the nonprofit Whiterock Conservancy, to ensure protection and public access to this unique land. As of January 2009, Whiterock Conservancy owns 2,443 acres of the eventual 5,400-acre land gift.

Whiterock’s Home Farm (formerly called “Garst Home Farm”) was once the family home of agricultural innovator and citizen diplomat, Roswell Garst. In 1930 Mr. Garst developed hybrid corn seed. He sold hybrid seed to the Soviet Union beginning in 1955 and played a role in improving US-Soviet communication. In 1959, Roswell and his wife, Elizabeth, hosted Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev during the height of the Cold War. Many photographs of the visit are on display at the farm. Now, the Home Farm is a Bed and Breakfast and the main headquarters of the conservancy. In addition to the bed and breakfast, other lodging options on the conservancy land include cozy cottages, a remote 3-season log cabin, and low-impact campground facilities, should you want to spend the night. During prohibition the River House Barn was converted into a place for celebration and remains today for that type of use; often used for dances, weddings, and other events such as the startpoint of an AVA walk.

This is an event you won’t want to miss during the convention. It is an opportunity to encounter the Iowa country side (Suzy Belle’s home territory) and enjoy the wildlife. Due to the uneven trails and hilly terrain; walking sticks are advised. Routes of varied length and difficulty will be available to accommodate most everyone’s desires and level of ability. Additional information about Whiterock is available on their website: www.whiterockconservancy.org. Additional pictures of Suzy Belle’s visit to Whiterock and her past adventures are available on the 2011 convention link of the AVA website,www.ava.org. Also available on the website is a colorful convention brochure, links to information about all the walk locations, and “Meet Me at the Barn” t-shirt ordering.

See you real soon.
Your Friend,
Suzy Belle

The Adventures of Suzy Belle - Do you Remember the Day the Music Died?

The day was February 2, 1959. Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper, and Ritchie Valens performed at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa. After the concert they flew off in their private plane which crashed in a cornfield 5 miles north of Clear Lake. One of the convention walks on Monday, June 20, 2011, will start at the Surf Ballroom and Museum in Clear Lake. At the start point, you will have the opportunity to not only see all the rock and roll memorabilia and visit the gift shop, but also tour backstage of the Surf, if you like. Recently, Suzy Belle, that fun loving Iowa cow and mascot of the 2011 AVA convention, visited the Surf Ballroom and toured Clear Lake. She was checking out all the great things you can see and do when you attend the convention.

As you walk along North Shore Drive in Clear Lake there is usually a southerly breeze blowing across the lake to make it seem cooler than any other place in Iowa at the time. The brick walkway along the shore will pass The Lady of the Lake, a cruise boat, if you would like to take a ride around the lake. The walkway also passes the beach, if you want to soak up some sun or go for a swim. Walking down the main street, you will find restaurants and antique shops, if you decide to have lunch or go shopping. The checkpoint on the 10K route will be at the Fort Custer Maze. For an additional fee you may walk through the maze and put an extra kilometer in your distance book. Everyone will have the opportunity to stroll through the beautiful Central Gardens of North Iowa. It has places to sit, relax, and watch the other volkssporters pass by. When you finish back at the Surf Ballroom you will find more restaurants in the area. Also, maps will be available if you want to visit the actual crash site and memorial in a field north of Clear Lake. The 5K and 10K routes will be on city sidewalks of flat terrain. The route will be stroller friendly, but wheelchairs may find a few difficult curbs and a short distance of gravel at the entrance of Fort Custer.

You won’t want to miss a day in northern Iowa as part of your 2011 convention adventures as you “walk a-maize-ing Iowa.” A second walk will be held in Mason City, 10 miles from Clear Lake, at the same time that day. (Suzy Belle’s adventures in Mason City will appear in the next issue of TAW.) Additional pictures of Suzy Belle’s visit to Clear Lake and her past adventures are available on the 2011 AVA Convention link of the AVA website, www.ava.org. Also available on the website are a colorful convention brochure, links to information about all the walk locations, and “Meet Me at the Barn” t-shirt ordering.

See you real soon.
Your Friend,
Suzy Belle

The Adventures of Suzy Belle - Quad Cities Convention Walk

The last convention walk on Sunday, June 26 will be in the Quad Cities on the Mighty Mississippi. Suzy Belle, that fun-loving Iowa cow and mascot of the 2011 AVA Convention, has been walking for a week and decided to relax by the big lazy river and read about the Quad City area. The Quad Cities is located at the confluence of the Rock and Mississippi Rivers. You think of the Mississippi River running from the north to the south, but in the Quad Cities it runs from east to west. The Iowa cities of Davenport and Bettendorf are located due north of Rock Island and Moline in Illinois. Lock and Dam No. 15 between Rock Island and Davenport is the largest roller dam in the world. It has many unique features and has been listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

The walk start/finish will be at the Quad City Botanical Center in Rock Island, but much of the walk will be in Davenport. Since the Quad Cities is the largest metropolitan area on the Mississippi between Minneapolis, MN and St. Louis, MO, our 10K walk will not be quite long enough to take you into Bettendorf and Moline. Actually the area should be called the Quint Cities because there is a fifth city in the area, East Moline, but the name never caught on.

The walk route will take you across a small part of the 946 acre Arsenal Island which lies within the state of Illinois. The island was originally established as a government site in 1816 with the building of Fort Armstrong. It is now an active US Army facility and the largest government-owned weapons manufacturing arsenal in the United States. It is on the National Register of Historic Places and has a great US Army museum open to the public.

In Davenport you will walk across the Sky Bridge that provides a fantastic view of the Mississippi River. It is an enclosed pedestrian bridge 50 feet tall and 575 feet long connecting downtown Davenport to the trails along the river. Suzy Belle loved standing at the viewing windows waving to the people below.

The Brady hill is the start of the Bix 7 road race that is held in late July in conjunction with the Bix Beiderbecke Memorial Jazz Festival. Leon Bismark “Bix” Beiderbecke, a native of Davenport, was an American jazz cornetist, pianist and composer. He taught himself to play cornet largely by ear. Jazz musicians from around the world gather in Davenport each year to perform and entertain the large crowds attending this three-day festival. A statue of Bix will be along the walk.

The most famous of the four colleges and universities in Davenport is the Palmer Chiropractic College. It was the first chiropractic school and the location of the first chiropractic adjustment in the world. A few of these adjustments may be exactly what we will all need after a convention week of 11 walks, 6 of the 17 workshops, 3 business meetings, 3 socials and lots of camaraderie.

This walk in the Quad Cities may help you finish off some of those special program books. In addition to the items mentioned above, it will provide stamps for: America’s Baseball Walks; Hooray for Hollywood; Carnegie Libraries; Firehouses; Historic Churches; Walking Americas Trails; and of course, the SNOB. To register for an exciting time to enjoy the Quad Cities and “Walk a-maize-ing Iowa,” enter your online registration at the 2011 AVA convention link at www.ava.org or send AVA headquarters the completed form found in the registration booklet.

See you real soon.
Your Friend,
Suzy Belle

The Adventures of Suzy Belle - Loess Hills Convention Walk

Most people think of Iowa as being flat and having little topographic variation. Suzy Belle, the fun loving Iowa cow and mascot of the 2011 convention, wants you to know that just isn’t true. A-maize-ing Iowa has some very unique hills, called the Loess Hills. They rise 200 feet above the flat plains forming a narrow band running north-south about 200 miles, 15 miles east of the Missouri River in western Iowa. Since Suzy Belle wants to share the most “A-Maize-ing Iowa” with you, the convention in 2011 will feature a walk in these hills Loess (pronounced “luss” rhymes with “bus”) is a German word meaning loose or crumbly. The layers of loess were deposited thousands of years ago by the glaciers moving through North America. During the Ice Age, the glaciers advanced grinding underlying rock into fine powder like sediment. This sediment deposited on the flood plains. As this dried, the winds picked up the silt and blew it eastward forming the hills. Loess deposits are common in the U.S and the source of much of our rich agricultural soil. However, Iowa’s Loess Hills are unusual because the layers of loess are extremely thick. The extreme thickness of the layers and the intricately carved terrain of the Loess Hills make them a rare geologic feature. Shaanxi, China is the only other location where loess layers are as deep and extensive.

Unlike in China, Iowa is trying to preserve the original characteristics of the terrain. Loess terrain is dynamic and rapidly evolves from erosion caused by wind, water, and human activity. The earliest written descriptions of the Loess Hills appear in the journals from the Lewis and Clark Expedition in 1804. Later immigrants who settled in and around the hills farmed the fertile soil and grazed cattle on the hillsides, often too steep to plant. Today the farmers practice terracing and contour farming in an effort to limit the erosion. A large portion of the Loess Hills is privately owned, but thousands of acres of public land exist in state and county parks, wildlife areas and preserves.

On Saturday, June 18, 2011 you will have an opportunity to hike the trails of the Loess Hills in A-Maize-ing Iowa. This is one of two convention walks offered that day. The other being the Council Bluffs/Omaha walk (featured in the last issue of TAW). Transportation will be provided to the start point from Council Bluffs. For more information about the convention and walks visit the 2011 Convention link on the AVA website, www.ava.org.

See you real soon.
Your Friend,
Suzy Belle

The Adventures of Suzy Belle - Living History Farm Convention Walk

To walk a-maize-ing Iowa at the 2011 AVA convention, a look at our agricultural heritage is a must. Eighty six percent of the land in Iowa is used for agriculture. Suzy Belle, that fun-loving Iowa cow and mascot of the 2011 convention, is really excited about having everyone spend June 21, 2011 with her at Living History Farms in Urbandale, IA, a suburb of Des Moines. Living History Farms is an outdoor museum that reviews 300 years of farming in Iowa. It consists of three working farms and an 1875 town. You can learn how Native Americans grew corn in Iowa at the 1700 Farm and how early farmers opened the prairie with oxen at the 1850 Farm. On the 1900 Farm you will find out how horse-powered machines revolutionized agriculture. In the 1875 Town of Walnut Hill there are 14 shops and businesses including a general store, blacksmith shop, and two Victorian homes, including the Flynn Home, which is in the National Register of Historic Places. Through the town at the end of the boardwalk is the Church of the Land built on the site that Pope John Paul II said mass to 340,000 people on October 4, 1979. A celebration symbol of the cross surrounded by fields and furrowed soil was created for his visit and depicted on a huge quilt as the backdrop for the altar that day. Today that symbol can be seen in the stained glass window in the church and will be on the patch award you receive for this event.

The walk will consist of two 5K loops, both starting at the Visitor Center of Living History Farms. One loop will be through the farm museum and the other is across the street into the city of Clive on sidewalks and greenbelt trails. Everyone is encouraged to walk the loop through the farms first, then the Clive loop, and return to enjoy the rest of the day at the Farms. Admission fee to the Farms will be part of the walk registration. There is a very narrow tunnel under I-35/I-80 that everyone must walk through to and from the 3 working farms. When the Farms open to the public at 9 a.m. a tractor/trailer shuttle service is provided to transport people to each of the Farms for touring. It is important for as many walkers as possible be back through the tunnel before the tractors start running. When you return by shuttle after the walk, Living History Farms staff, in period attire, will be available to show and tell you what everyday life in rural Iowa was like in the past.

Suzy Belle will be waiting for you to visit her at home on the farms, that is Living History Farms, on June 21, 2011. She wants everyone to know what makes Iowa so a-maize-ing. Also, check out her previous adventures and pictures on the 2011 convention link at www.ava.org. The website has links to all convention walk locations and you may purchase “Meet Me at the Barn” t-shirts and buttons there as well.

See you real soon.
Your Friend,
Suzy Belle

The Adventures of Suzy Belle - Council Bluffs/Omaha, First 2011 Convention Walk

Recently, Suzy Belle, that fun-loving Iowa cow, journeyed about 130 miles west of Des Moines along Interstate 80 to visit Council Bluffs and Omaha, the location for the first walk of the 2011 convention. She saw many interesting and exciting sights on and off the trail in these two cities. Starting in Council Bluffs, the trail goes over the Missouri River on the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge. This is the longest pedestrian bridge to link two states. (See picture of Suzy Belle below the bridge.) The Cable Stay Bridge is 3000 ft. long including the landings; the winding walkway is 15 ft. wide, and stands 60 ft above the river. It is especially spectacular to see at night with the lights that outline the deck, cables and pylons.

Miller’s Landing along the riverfront trail is home to Louis & Clark interpretive exhibits. The Old Market area in downtown Omaha consists of unique shops, boutiques, pubs and 30 different restaurants. Nebraska’s Wilderness and Pioneer Courage Park is a fantastic display of bronze sculptures. It begins with a wagon train heading west, causing a herd of bison to stampede. The bison flush out a flock of Canada geese that take flight. More than 100 individual bronze pieces cover more than six city blocks. Pictures of Suzy Belle visiting her oxen and bison cousins in this sculpture garden are available on the 2011 convention website accessible at www.ava.org.

There are many other interesting places to visit in the Council Bluffs and Omaha area too. The Union Pacific Railroad Museum, the historic General Dodge House, and the Squirrel Cage Jail are great sites in Council Bluffs. Omaha is the birthplace of Gerald R. Ford. A memorial to the 38th President consists of a kiosk modeled after the original house turret containing birth site information and presidential mementos. Also, the site has a colonnade and Rose Garden modeled after those at the White House. In Omaha the Henry Doorly Zoo and Boys Town are must see places. The zoo is home to the world’s largest indoor rain forest, world’s largest indoor desert, and world’s largest nocturnal exhibit. Boys Town is a National Historic Landmark; visitors get a firsthand look at the world-famous village established by Father Flanagan.

These places and more will be along the trail or in the area when you start your journey to meet Suzy Belle at the 16th Biennial AVA Convention in Des Moines, June 18-26, 2011. Check out the convention website at www.ava.org for additional information and Suzy Belle stories.

See you real soon.
Your Friend,
Suzy Belle

The Adventures of Suzy Belle - Ames Convention Walk

Volkssporters, you are in for a real treat when you go to the start point at Reiman Gardens in Ames on Thursday June 23, 2011 at the 17th biennial AVA Convention. Reiman Gardens are the largest public gardens in Iowa and now contains the largest concrete gnome in the world. Suzy Belle, that fun loving Iowa cow and mascot of the convention, loved the gardens, but felt particularly comfortable walking around the Iowa State University campus. She considered going back to college to take some classes in veterinary medicine or maybe this would be a good place to learn computer science. The first electronic digital computer was developed on the ISU campus. When we started planning this event, the walk route was going to include a visit to the computer display, but since then it has been removed to eventually be on permanent display at the Smithsonian.

Iowa State University was the nation’s first designated land-grant University and the campus has many interesting attractions. You will walk by Catt Hall named for Carrie Chapman Catt, ISU’s first woman graduate in 1880 and women’s rights advocate. Entering Parks Library you will see Grand Wood’s largest murals. By Carver Hall is a small statue of George Washington Carver, the first African-American to enroll at ISU and known for his research into crop alternatives to cotton such as peanuts and sweet potatoes. Passing Jack Trice stadium, you will see the statue of Jack Trice, the first African-American athlete at ISU that died due to injuries suffered during his first college football game on October 6, 1923. The Campanile is the most recognizable building on the campus. It is a free-standing bell tower holding 50 bells. A resident carillonneur plays the bells on a daily bases when classes are in session.

Also, Ames was a popular stopping spot while driving along the original Lincoln Highway; you will pass by one of the original concrete markers along your route. Main Street, Ames is still a vital business area with shops and restaurants. This easy walk has something for everyone. In addition to the sidewalks of campus and downtown Ames, a portion of the walk is along a recreational trail through a wooded area. Suzy Belle spotted a deer along the trail when she was walking.

This walk will provide stamps for several special program books including the SNOB (Special National Officer Book) program. Note: all the convention walks will have the stamps available of at least 2 or 3 National Officers, so have your SNOB book handy. You should be able to almost fill your book at this convention if you do all the events. If you don’t have your SNOB book yet, you have plenty of time to pick one up from your regional director or AVA head quarters and we’ll have them for sale at the convention.

Ames is only 35 miles north of Des Moines on I-35 giving you plenty of time to get back to the convention workshops and meetings. Keep checking the convention website on www. ava.org for all of Suzy Belle’s previous adventures and other information about the convention, walk sites and convention merchandise available for sale.

See you real soon.
Your Friend,
Suzy Belle

The Adventures of Suzy Belle - Cedar Rapids Convention Walk

Cedar Rapids, the City of Five Seasons, is the site for the Saturday, June 25, 2011, AVA convention walk. When Suzy Belle, that fun-loving Iowa cow and mascot of the 2011 AVA Convention, took a walking tour of Cedar Rapids (CR), she couldn’t believe what an eclectic city it is. Immediately, she knew she would like the place, because the aroma made her hungry. You see CR is one of the largest cities in the world for corn processing. One of the large companies is Quaker Oats; Suzy Belle likes corn and oats!

First, you may ask what this five season thing is. The “City of Five Seasons” is a nickname for CR. The fifth season is a time to enjoy the other four. The symbol of the five seasons is the Tree of Five Seasons sculpture in downtown along the river bank. This tree will be depicted on the patch award for this event. During the Iowa flood of 2008, the Cedar River placed an estimated 1300 city blocks on both banks of the river under water. Nearly 4000 homes were evacuated, 300 of which are being destroyed. Unique to CR (and Paris, France) the government buildings are on an island. During the flood, this island was completely submerged causing millions of dollars worth of damage. They are still recovering from this devastating flood. The walk route will take you through some of these areas.

Every year between Flag Day and the Fourth of July, CR celebrates its patriotism with a Freedom Festival. Everyone that preregisters for this walk will receive a Freedom Festival Button. This button will give you free or discounted access to all the Freedom Festival events, city buses and museums. The museums are numerous; African American Museum of Iowa, Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, Brucemore Mansion, and National Czech & Slovak Museum. You may see the largest collection of works by Grant Woods in the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art or the beautiful formal gardens of Brucemore. Also, the walk route takes you through the Czech Village; Suzy Belle loved the pastries and ice cream in Sykora’s bakery. At the check point and end of the 5K walk, you will have the opportunity to have your photo taken with the American Gothic couple, like Suzy Belle.

The start point for the walk will be at Veteran Memorial Stadium, the home of the minor-league baseball team, the Cedar Rapids Kernels. The Kernels are a Class-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels. The ballpark is located in a sports complex that includes the city football stadium where CR native, NFL quarterback & Dancing with the Stars dancer, Kurt Warner, played high school football. A street close to the stadium has been named in his honor. With so many things to see on this walk, participants will be shuttled back to the stadium from the high school.

As with all the convention walks at least 2 or 3 national officers will have their special stamp available to fill a line in your SNOB (Special National Officer Book). Purchase your SNOB book from your regional director, AVA head quarters or at the convention. Check the convention website on www. ava.org for all of Suzy Belle’s previous adventures and other convention information including: walk sites, hotel registration, and merchandise available for sale.

See you real soon.
Your Friend,
Suzy Belle

The Adventures of Suzy Belle - Suzy Belle Visits Texas and the 2009 Convention

Howdy Volkssporters,

This is Suzy Belle again, your fun loving Iowa cow. I had a great time in Texas! My black and white cowhide was pretty warm out on the trail, so I did all the preconvention walks, convention walks and post convention walks as my alter ego, Susan. I did, however, make an appearance at the startpoints where I saw some of my old friends from the last convention and met many new ones. I traveled from walk to walk in the Hawkeye Stages coach with my friends from the Greater Des Moines Volkssport Association.

At the Wildcat Glades Conservation & Audubon Center in Joplin I found a new visor with a dogwood blossom on it. It looks so good on me! That was an enjoyable walk and I saw the biggest water fall in Missouri. In Wichita on Sunday I was so excited to see a town for cows and the Cowtown Museum. On Monday, I did a fabulous walk in Sulphur, OK though the Chickasaw National Recreation Area. The shady trails were along the Travertine Creek. There were wonderful looking water holes for cooling off, but some of them were a little smelly.

On Tuesday I learned a lot about the history of Fort Worth. Do you know that they once let cows walk down the main street? The walks in Dallas were really fun; I walked Uptown, Downtown and all around White Rock Lake. I was sure happy to see the shade along the trail. I even got to ride the train; that is a slick way to travel! Here I am with some of my new Texas friends.

I felt a little like roast beef on the walk in Bossier City/Shreveport, but I got to walk on Elvis Presley Blvd. I should have had on my blue suede hoofs. My last walk was in Hope, AR, best known for its watermelon and Bill Clinton. I’m an official friend of Bill now and I’ve got pictures to prove it.

I guess it is true when they say that “the heat ain’t fit for man nor beast.” I am glad to be back in Des Moines in my air conditioned barn. If you want to see more pictures of me in Texas click on the 2011 convention link on the AVA website. In future TAW issues, I will be writing about my travels around Iowa.

See you real soon.
Your Friend,
Suzy Belle

The Adventures of Suzy Belle - Suzy Belle Prepares for Texas

Howdy Volkssporters,

This is Suzy Belle, your fun Iowa cow. I’ve got my boots, my hat, my Texas map and my bag all packed. I’m ready to board the bus and head to Dallas for the 16^th biennial AVA convention. I had such a very good time with all those happy California Cows; I can’t wait to meet some of those Texas longhorns. Since Texas is the “Friendship State”, they’ve just got to be a lot of fun!

I’m looking forward to meeting all you cowpokes and cowpoke-ettes down there in Texas. I’ve been working on my Texas talk. How’s this: “Howdy, partner! How y’all doing?” I’m bringing some of my Midwest friends with me too. We want y’all to meet us, so stop by the 2011 Iowa Convention booth in the convention hall. We’ll have games and prizes!! Think 3-piece Chicken Dinners, only better! Oh, and some really cute t-shirts that just might have me on them. Come see us and have some fun.

See you real soon.
Your Friend,
Suzy Belle