We set out pretty early today. We reached Smithland about ten. While playing in the small log cabin historical marker we met Loyd. He offered us water and phoned around town. He got the big log cabin opened for us. The town history museum was a good sized log cabin, packed with the history of the town. Smithland turns out to be the oldest settlement in the area. Older even than Sioux City.

We had one of the best lunches I've ever had in Smithland. Fresh corn, real mashed potatoes, homemade applesauce, peach cobbler and gravy smothered roast beef. Washed down by good old coca cola. I complemented Neal, the restaurant owner and he said with a smile "Thanks, I guess you kind of learn how to cook after fourty years in the business". Neal gave us his son's address in Manning. It was a long way but if we could make it we'ld have another night inside.

The miles weren't helped by Iowa's highway department. All roads here have only crushed stone shoulders, starting immediatley at the yellow line. It makes even lightly travelled highways nervewracking. Cyclists are forced out into traffic. Today I could have agreed with one Iowan's statement, "You know what Iowa stands for right? I Oughta Went Around." The gentle hills of Iowa were unexpected but not a big deal.

We made it to the pretty town of Mansfield at dusk. We met Neal's son Wayne, waiting for us on the edge of town. Really nice people here. Wayned explained to us the fields of alternating tassled and non tassled corn. It's for cross pollination. We were in corn country now. Every field had little signs advertising the breed. Signs like "DeKalb has yield!".

We walked around this little german town in the evening and had iced cream. The cobblestone streets and refurbished downtown were very nice.