Just like the movie, “Nebraska,” the road to Lincoln, in this case I-80 in western Iowa, cut through rolling cattle country, terraced crop land, and fast-fading towns. I was on my way to Lincoln, Buddy by my side, to deliver three sculptures I had sold way back at the Old Threshers Reunion on Labor Day weekend.
My old but steady truck creaked and groaned under the weight of the rusty iron, trying to keep up with interstate traffic. Semi drivers pulled up beside me and tooted their air horns upon inspection of the truck’s contents: rusty farm-junk sculptures made into sea monsters, totem poles, and Picasso-like creatures. Was I Jed Clampett on my way to “Californy,” a carney driver going home for the winter, or an old farmer headed to the scrap yard?
A billboard proudly proclaimed, “Walnut, Iowa, 18 Antique Stores!” My truck took the exit ramp all by itself. After lunch at an “Aunt Bee Cafe,” a Buddy break, and some antiquing, the truck contained more junk for truckers to inspect. Ha!
The landscape in Western Iowa is surreal: windswept prairie dotted with hundreds of gleaming white wind turbines, gigantic blades slowly churning out megawatts, like a scene from Star Wars.
Then I saw it. Topping a hill near mile-marker 80 between Adair and Casey, there is an interstate rest area. What do they have for a rest-stop sculpture? Yes! The blade from a wind turbine mounted vertically, standing tall and proud, a symbol of wind energy, the land providing, and man’s ingenuity. Behind the sculpture, on the horizon you can see all these wind turbines pumping away. Talk about local art! Whoever thought this one up should get a hardy clap on the back, an award. Buddy agreed and christened the base of the sculpture. I’ve always thought Iowa has some of the best interstate rest areas in the country, with great art. They’re like tourist attractions unto themselves. But this rest stop, with a wind-turbine-blade sculpture, takes first prize, in my estimation.
A quick Google search (isn’t the internet amazing!), tells me that the turbine blade was donated by Siemens Energy in Ft. Madison, and that Iowa produces 20 percent of its electricity from wind—number one in the nation, and number two in the world. The blade is 148 feet tall (15 stories), weighs 23,098 pounds, and was erected in 2012. The turbine blade as a sculpture was the brainchild of David Dahlquist, of RDG Planning and Designs in Des Moines. I’m so proud of my state. Western Iowa isn’t near as humdrum as it used to be with all these wind turbines pumping away.
Continuing on, I tuned in the Iowa-Minnesota football game. Oops. Adios Floyd-of-Rosedale. Later in the afternoon, it was Iowa State-Kansas. Oops again. At least, the Nebraska Cornhuskers had a bye week, so it would be safe to drive in Lincoln.
I delivered my sculptures, drawing a small crowd of Lincolnites. One old retired Nebraska farmer wearing bib overalls, just shook his head and proclaimed, "That's junk! I've thrown away better stuff'n at." He got punched in the belly by his wife, "It's all in the eyes of the beholder, Hank." She looked at me, and pointed at the sea monster. "How much you asking for that? You deliver?"
I headed home. Mission accomplished. Fiddling with the radio, I picked up the tail end of the UNI-North Dakota State game. It was NDS that whipped Iowa State in Ames earlier in the season. UNI handily put them down to end NDS's 33-game winning streak, the longest in FCS history. UNI had also beaten and undefeated team, Illinois State, the week before.
I pulled in my driveway, Buddy's nose glued to the crack in the window, smelling home, and just sat for a minute. Ain't Iowa grand.
Call or text Curt Swarm in Mt. Pleasant at 319-217-0526.