Headed back to north Iowa this morning. Yes, I did stop in another Casey’s General Store to see if I could run into a few camo-wearing fools. No, I did not run into a single one.
I came to Arnolds Park on Lake Okoboji for one reason, and one reason only. The Legend, which has been in operation since 1927. The trek from Des Moines was 4 hours due north, directly through what I call the intestinal tract of Iowa. It was durrrrrrty. Kidding, I just really wanted to use the words “intestinal tract” on this site because that’s how I roll.
It was a beautifully clear day at Arnolds Park today. 70F/21C and sunny, with a light lake breeze.
I made my way around the park, snapping photos and taking my sweet time. Arnolds Park is free to get into as it’s really small. But if you want to go on rides you gotta pay. You can buy a ride on The Legend for $7 (7 tickets) or get an all day pass for $30. Since I’m not 8 and wouldn’t be playing in the moon walk I opted to buy 7 tickets.
The following photo from the top of the first hill almost looks fake, doesn’t it?
As with many of the wooden coasters I’ve been going on lately, this bad boy gets air! It may be small, but it packs a powerful punch. Like one of those little toy dogs that think they’re Rottweilers.
The “Big” Hill
The ride was short, but lots of fun. I almost lost my sunglasses (it’s wood, it’s bumpy) and I’m glad I put my phone/camera away before the first hill or I’m sure I would’ve dropped it.
I think a major shift is happening. I’m really beginning to enjoy and appreciate these wooden coasters. They may be rough on the spine, but they’re beautifully made and generally a good time.
I took an exorbitant number of photos today and you can check them out here.
And with that I left for Sioux Falls, SD, 100 miles west of Arnolds Park, making 300 driven today. Tomorrow I drive 700 miles to Billings, MT. Monday I drive 500 miles. Tuesday I finally get to go on more coasters!
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I continue to be inspired by you and your project. You are a role model for conceiving a project that you WANTED to do (I read how this is something you thought about doing years ago) and now you are DOING IT! It is so easy for us human beings TO WANT to do something. That is as easy as “having an idea”. But TO DO anything requires EFFORT. I don’t even know you, but I’m proud of you for doing this. It may seem like a “frivolous” project to many people in our culture, but it is a metaphor for ACHIEVING anything a person really WANTS TO DO!
Thanks for your inspiration again! Hope to meet you and say thank you in person when you’re in So Cal!
Wow, thank you Tom. That’s very kind of you.
You’re definitely spot on. This is about more than just going on roller coasters and I hope people see that. At the core it’s about going after dreams no matter how seemingly silly or wacky. There are no rules in life. You really can do anything you want.
It would be awesome to meet up in So Cal, just give me a shout! (586) 265-4212