On our way to Virginia

This is a mixture of the states we drove through getting to Virginia. From some nice straight, flat roads to squiggly hilly ones. 

From North Dakota, to Minnesota and family time, 

(You can click on the pictures to enlarge them)

on to Iowa (which the welcome to Iowa sign didn't turn out as it was dark outside). 

Next is Missouri

and then Illinois

and in to Indiana.

After that came Kentucky

 

and West Virginia, where we were just going to take the toll road and be done with it; but we took a wrong turn, took a different road and went on the squiggly roads again. 

and finally, Virginia

where we're spending time with family again.

For more pictures, please click here

Amana Colonies, Amana, Iowa

The Amana Colonies are off of Highway 80 in eastern Iowa. Per their web page, there are six villages that were started in 1865 and another one added in 1861. In the seven villages, residents received a home, medical care, meals, all household necessities, and schooling for their children. Property and resources were shared. Men and women were assigned jobs by their village council of brethren. No one received a wage. By 1932, the communal way of life was seen as a barrier to achieving individual goals, so rather than leave or watch their children leave, they changed. They established the Amana Society, Inc. a profit-sharing corporation to manage the farmland, the mills and the larger enterprises. Private enterprise was encouraged. The Amana Church was maintained. For more history, click here, History of Amana.

You can click on any of the pictures to enlarge them in a new window.


There are restaurants, breweries, wineries, stores, museums, galleries, and a theater. There are walking and biking trails and a golf course. For lodging, there are bed and breakfasts, motels and campgrounds.