On April 10, we will head to Dubuque, Iowa, and the John Deere plant for an extended tour. We will be leaving at 8 a.m.

Trams will take us on an hour and a half plant tour, experiencing the process from the beginning of construction to when the tractors roll off the line.

Not only will this appeal to the men of our community, but also the ladies. 

A note from the company reminds us that open-toe shoes or heels (sandals) are not allowed on the ride. 

We will also visit their museum, which contains the history of John Deere.

This trip includes stops for lunch along the way. Our return time will be by 6 p.m.

On May 10, we will take another trip to Iowa, taking us back in time to Pella. This European-style village comes alive with tulips as Pella becomes the Netherlands for local residents and visitors alike. There will be people dressed in Dutch attire, food and more. At 2:30 p.m., the street washers come to scrub the streets for the royalty for the beginning of the parade.

We have reserved seating for our group, plus a step-on guide for a city tour of this beautiful city, which is also known for so much more. We are departing at 6:30 a.m. and return time will be approximately 8 p.m.

On June 12, we will be visiting the Austrian Lady, Inge Schmenke, at Villa Comengena, located near Shellsburg, Iowa. We depart at 8 a.m. and return time will be about 6 p.m.

We’ve recently added the annual Cranberry Fest in Warrens, Wisconsin, by request.

This weekend is like no other, with guided tours during the cranberry harvest and one of the largest craft fairs, flee markets and farmers markets.

This town of 200 swells to thousands during this time. The Amish are also there with several fresh items.

All of this includes a huge parade on that Sunday. This is a fun day for the entire family.

Looking ahead

• June 26: Country music at the Ives Auditorium in Bloomington, MInnesota. This includes southern-style buffet lunch.
• July 10-19: “Best of Scandinavia” including Sweden, Norway, and Denmark. A few seats remain.
• July 31: “Mamma Mia”  at the Chanhassen Dinner Theatre. Seats are selling quickly.

This will take our schedule to August. More travel is planned.

These serve as reminders as our travel time begins to get busy. We have waiting lists on many trips with others looking to join us. Early payment is encouraged.

A note for our Hawaii group who returned to Austin with suntans and stories of beautiful weather, who missed probably our largest snow storm.  That’s what travel is all about. Come join us. We are open to the public.