Monday, August 21

Since we weren't leaving until 8:45 I had plenty of time this morning to get ready, especially since our clocks are still on eastern time and we're in the central time zone so we didn't need to be ready to go until 9:30 on our clock. No worries! I noticed Terry and Vicki were both outside early, but didn't think it odd. About 9:00 Vicki texted Ray "are you sleeping?"  He then opens the window and tells her to give him a few minutes to finish his breakfast dishes. Terry didn't say a word and Vicki just looks at Ray in disbelief then looks at Terry...WHAAT!?. Ray thought she couldn't believe he was doing dishes...but really it was "What is happening? You are late why are you doing dishes?" I get in the truck and Vicki is telling me about Ray's reply to her and what she was thinking...then I realize...it was all my fault, my calculation of the time was incorrect.  Terry told us 8:45 knowing Ray had not changed the clocks, because he never does. He actually meant for us to leave at 7:45, now we are LATE! I felt so bad, I apologized, but no amount of sorry would get us to the tour on time. Terry jetted out of the campground and somehow managed to get us to the tour right on time. Our Hero!

The John Deere Tractor Cab Assembly Operations tour was very interesting. First, we had to leave cell phones at the front desk since absolutely no pictures could be taken inside. Only  'Gold Key' guests could take pictures. GK guests are new owners who visit the factory at the time their new tractor is built and escort it through the process. Our guide told the story of  the day a GK guest took a flash photo of the tractor in the paint booth,  the flash was detected and the sprinkler system reacted as though a fire had sparked. That tractor had all the paint washed off. Funny now, but not so funny at the time. Everyone there was very friendly. We rode through the factory on a tram and the guide narrated what was happening at the different stations.

The paint process was incredible, especially the robots. The quality assurance and attention to detail was visible at every station. I was amazed at how clean the entire building was.

  A slogan that was repeated many times and posted on the walls is "I will never put my name on a product that doesn't have in it the best that is in me." John Deere, Founder. That saying was evident throughout the factory and with every person.

We met a friend of Vicki and Terry's  for lunch. She took us to a popular restaurant in Waterloo and as we arrived at Newton's we recognized where we were and realized it was the same place we dined last year on the Between Harvests Adventure. It was fun going back again.

There was a quick stop at Hansen's Dairy Farm, for some butter, cheese, ice cream and to pet the kangaroo.

There was one more stop at the site where the FIELD OF DREAMS was filmed. We walked about and got a few photos then were on our way.  It was a good day, even after the late start.