DJ Stamp was our August speaker. In 2011, he sent his daughter to college in north Texas and bought a motor home.
Since then he has travelled to Iowa for some great museums and festivals. He showed us slides of several places
on the Lincoln Highway. Another improved trail you might have heard about is the Jefferson Highway which also
goes through Des Moines. (From here, you can get on it in Denton, TX.)
The Old Threshers Reunion in Mt Pleasant, Iowa lasts for 5 days, and it's a hoot. They have a trolley school,
a steam school, and 60 to 70 steam engines. There are many trains, cars, trucks, hit-and-miss engines, and lots
of old time music. There are 1500 camping spots near an old village where you can see what life was like in the
19th century. If you don't go to reunion which is August 30- September 3rd, there's an Old Threshers Heritage
Museum and a Theatre Museum of Repertoire American (in case your companion needs a break).
DJ then goes to the Des Moines Concours d 'Elegance show which is September 8-9 this year. He showed pictures
of many beautiful cars that you might recognize and many that you wouldn't, like a 1933 Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 Gran
Sport. Some of the cars have won at Pebble Beach. There are lots of surprises, but DJ liked the Roamer car with
dual windshields. Yes, they do have some Model As.
When he has time, DJ will also stop at the Iowa 80 Trucking Museum in Walcott, Iowa. DJ had some wonderful
pictures to show us. The knobby wheeled truck was most interesting. Some of the exhibits rotate, so it never
loses its interest. Next door is the Iowa 80 truck stop, the largest in the world. It has 8 restaurants, a
dentist, and much more for the long haul driver. On your way from Des Moines, you could also stop at the Antique
Car Museum in Coralville.
Of course you should plan ahead and head east to Chicago to start your Route 66 treasure hunt.
DJ left us all with a brochure of the Concours show: A Celebration of the Art & Design of the Automobile.
John Anderson sure does have some interesting programs.