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Thoughts on My First Trip to Iowa (Orange City)

Sorry OP, you weren’t actually in Iowa. That is basically far eastern Nebraska.

Most of Iowa is a Midwest state. The counties on the border of Nebraska and South Dakota belong to the Great Plains and aren’t really as culturally aligned with Des Moines/CR/Waterloo/Iowa City/Quad Cities and the rest of the state.

Come visit the real Iowa sometime!
 
It was VERY short (24 hours in IA and overnight in Omaha) due to work schedule and ridiculous air fare if extending a day.

1. Flew in/out of Omaha. Didn't really look at the map beforehand and was surprised how quickly we were in IA after leaving the airport.
2. There is a whole lot of rural between Omaha and Orange City, which is also rural. Even driving through Sioux City I kept wondering where the city was. Don't get me wrong, as a visitor from a congested/chaotic city, rural isn't a bad thing in small doses.
3. Trains here are VERY long. Not sure how OP moms can take it in this part of the country.
4. Stopped for gas station Burger King lunch in Sioux City and it smelled like cattle. Orange City also smelled like cattle, near the Hampton Inn anyway. Trad, the Hampton Inn folks say hello. Does the entire state smell like cattle?
5. What is the crop that is between 1-2 feet tall, very leafy and seemed to be turning yellow? Also, lots of brown corn, did it get the dead?
6. Orange City was interesting. Cute little town that tries to be Dutch. Definitely very christian but its not like it jumps out at you or anything. Lots of restaurants for a town it's size. We ate at the Hatchery (good) for breakfast, Szechuan Inn (very good) Chinese for lunch and Nederlander's Grill (meh, ribs were very dry) for dinner.
7. Drove around town with the Mustang GT convertible top down. First time ever in a convertible for the mother-in-law. We didn't reserve a convertible but the 3 choices we had were (Mustang GT Conv, Dodge Charge or Dodge Challenger). The mustang actually had some power. Not sure Orange City has ever seen a convertible.
8. Because we had to out of curiosity, we fired up the Grindr app and yes, there are gays in OC... Young and old... albeit very closeted. There also seemed to be a handful or so of older lesbian women walking around. They had the haircuts anyway.
9. It was windy as hell in OC and when we stopped in Sioux City. 91 first day, 67 the second.
10. Nothing too exciting on the ride back other than being 1 car away from getting a speeding ticket. Car in front of us got pulled over. I figured they'd go for our convertible. Hinton must be a speed trap.
11. Stayed overnight in Omaha for our flight the next day. The Magnolia Hotel on edge of Old Market area. Newly renovated corner room was large and very nice.
12. At ate Cascio's which was exactly what we wanted. Very good steak and shrimp fettuccine. Old Fashions were good as well. Didn't do anything exciting that night other than get ripped at the Hilton Hotel bar. Got engaged in conversation with the promotor for Post Malone who was playing there the next night. We almost extended one night to take advantage of the free tickets offered but it was too much of a hassle and it wasn't worth an extra $1,200 to see Post... Yes, poors, I know. I'll try to post some pics.
13. Which one of you drives the yellow VW bug?

P.S. I think the pictures are too big, will have to come back to those
P.S.S. I didn't eat at Pizza Ranch or Casey's. PR is based in OC apparently.
Hopefully you took the scenic route and drove through Oyens, (population 130), stopped and banged my sister. I hear she is good.
 
8800-FCF7-E1-A8-4508-9-BF1-795227464864.jpg

That is most definitely Hinton. One of those silos blew up several years ago and Burt my little brother’s friend up pretty good. He recovered though.
 
If you drove from Omaha to Orange City you didn't go through Sioux City. You skirted the south and east sides.
Yep. Probably Sac City? Not much of a “city” fits the description.
How does an Iowa town get called, "Orange City"?

I'm pretty sure no one ever grew any oranges there.
As mentioned, Dutch Orange. My mom grew up Midwest Dutch Reformed and her church had connections that led to Northwestern College there for school. Most Conservative town in Iowa.
you visited the shitty part of the state
This.
 
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If you're ever back in the state, check out Des Moines, Iowa City, and the Quad Cities. If you're looking for the more scenic river bluffs part of the state, head northeast through Guttenberg and McGregor. Just east of the river but nearby are some other cool places to check out like Prairie du Chien, Galena, and Mississippi Palasades State Park.
 
T


Typical “business school” graduate...well versed in some shit that means nothing...but no balance to life. Business affects a few of us....liberal arts and history have shaped each and every one of us.
Actually business impacts you far more than any of that other stuff. Both are good to know.
 
It was VERY short (24 hours in IA and overnight in Omaha) due to work schedule and ridiculous air fare if extending a day.

1. Flew in/out of Omaha. Didn't really look at the map beforehand and was surprised how quickly we were in IA after leaving the airport.
2. There is a whole lot of rural between Omaha and Orange City, which is also rural. Even driving through Sioux City I kept wondering where the city was. Don't get me wrong, as a visitor from a congested/chaotic city, rural isn't a bad thing in small doses.
3. Trains here are VERY long. Not sure how OP moms can take it in this part of the country.
4. Stopped for gas station Burger King lunch in Sioux City and it smelled like cattle. Orange City also smelled like cattle, near the Hampton Inn anyway. Trad, the Hampton Inn folks say hello. Does the entire state smell like cattle?
5. What is the crop that is between 1-2 feet tall, very leafy and seemed to be turning yellow? Also, lots of brown corn, did it get the dead?
6. Orange City was interesting. Cute little town that tries to be Dutch. Definitely very christian but its not like it jumps out at you or anything. Lots of restaurants for a town it's size. We ate at the Hatchery (good) for breakfast, Szechuan Inn (very good) Chinese for lunch and Nederlander's Grill (meh, ribs were very dry) for dinner.
7. Drove around town with the Mustang GT convertible top down. First time ever in a convertible for the mother-in-law. We didn't reserve a convertible but the 3 choices we had were (Mustang GT Conv, Dodge Charge or Dodge Challenger). The mustang actually had some power. Not sure Orange City has ever seen a convertible.
8. Because we had to out of curiosity, we fired up the Grindr app and yes, there are gays in OC... Young and old... albeit very closeted. There also seemed to be a handful or so of older lesbian women walking around. They had the haircuts anyway.
9. It was windy as hell in OC and when we stopped in Sioux City. 91 first day, 67 the second.
10. Nothing too exciting on the ride back other than being 1 car away from getting a speeding ticket. Car in front of us got pulled over. I figured they'd go for our convertible. Hinton must be a speed trap.
11. Stayed overnight in Omaha for our flight the next day. The Magnolia Hotel on edge of Old Market area. Newly renovated corner room was large and very nice.
12. At ate Cascio's which was exactly what we wanted. Very good steak and shrimp fettuccine. Old Fashions were good as well. Didn't do anything exciting that night other than get ripped at the Hilton Hotel bar. Got engaged in conversation with the promotor for Post Malone who was playing there the next night. We almost extended one night to take advantage of the free tickets offered but it was too much of a hassle and it wasn't worth an extra $1,200 to see Post... Yes, poors, I know. I'll try to post some pics.
13. Which one of you drives the yellow VW bug?

P.S. I think the pictures are too big, will have to come back to those
P.S.S. I didn't eat at Pizza Ranch or Casey's. PR is based in OC apparently.
Grew up just south of Orange City.

Yes it smells like cattle. Yes Hinton is a speed trap. Most of the people in OC are at least a little gay. They've probably seen a convertable, but they turn their eyes away immediately
 
Sorry OP, you weren’t actually in Iowa. That is basically far eastern Nebraska.

Most of Iowa is a Midwest state. The counties on the border of Nebraska and South Dakota belong to the Great Plains and aren’t really as culturally aligned with Des Moines/CR/Waterloo/Iowa City/Quad Cities and the rest of the state.

Come visit the real Iowa sometime!

I grew up in the sewer. This is exactly right. But growing up on the border in the 90s is where my lifelong hate of Nebraska came from. I hated them way before the rest of you.

I'm glad I live in DSM now.
 
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