Earlier on this blog we wrote about our trip to Memphis and John’s memorable performance as the Honorary Duckmaster at the Peabody Hotel in Memphis during the hotel’s famous Duck March. Well, we now have exclusive video of the event, posted here for the first time. Enjoy the world premiere of this fowl-length feature:

Wednesday afternoon, storms hit hard in Franklin County. Here’s a recap and some photos of the main event from our own Chris Latham.

We spent a good part of the afternoon in the basement as funnel clouds and strong winds passed over the seed plant. Several fields have downed corn, but the seed plant fared well considering the winds.

One main tree came down in the front lawn and quite a few branches from other trees. An auger was flipped over and the door on the South Warehouse blew in. The top of one of the bins along the west side of the property was ripped open.

Don and Marilyn Latham reported the most damage at their property. Two bins were completely destroyed and the barn also showed quite a bit of damage. The power was off for around an hour, but this wasn’t close to the damage faced in neighboring Hampton, Iowa and Coulter, Iowa where the funnel cloud actually touched down.

Here is a photo of the bins at Don and Marilyn Latham’s farm.

As the email accompanying this video said, “A good rhythm section is hard to find.” This appears to be a Hungarian video, according the the YouTube file information. Old tractors still have a place in this world. The band isn’t bad, either.

Shannon Latham: Official Biker Chick

Sunday (Epilogue)

After completing this course, I’m an absolute safety nut and will have that attitude at all times when riding a cycle. With that in mind, I want to offer a few learnings about protective gear.

Protective gear helps a rider stay comfortable, improves visibility if it’s brightly colored and reflective and protects against the elements in all kinds of conditions.  Every rider and passenger should wear:

• Sturdy, over-the-ankle footwear with nonslip soles
• Long pants
• Good jacket
• Full-fingered gloves
• A helmet manufactured to meet Department of Transportation (DOT) standards with proper eye protection; helmets with full-face protection do the best job of sealing out wind, dust and bugs.

Protective gear should fit comfortably without binding.  A jacket with a zippered front will be more wind resistant than a jacket with buttons or snaps.  A flap of material over the zipper of a jacket gives additional protection against the wind along with protecting your motorcycle’s paint from scratches.  Jackets with snug cuffs and waist are recommended to keep wind from blowing in.  Caution:  a large, loose,  jacket can flap when riding and may irritate skin or be a distraction.

In cold-weather riding, protective gear protects riders against hypothermia.  Hypothermia, a condition of subnormal body temperature, can cause loss of concentration, slowed reactions and loss of smooth, precise muscle movement.  As an example, on a chilly day (50 degrees Fahrenheit) a motorcyclist riding at a speed of 30 mph experiences a chilling effect equivalent to 42 degrees.
In hot-weather riding, protective gear protects riders against heat exhaustion.  Heat exhaustion, characterized by dizziness and headache, can hamper clear thinking and concentration.  Dressing for hot-weather riding requires protective gear that breathes, and riders should drink plenty of water.
Source:  Motorcycle Safety Foundation

Now, bring on the Freedom of Independence Ride!

Sunday (The Final Test)

This morning I arrived 30 minutes earlier at the “driving range” (folks like my husband would be picking up their golf clubs).  I wanted a little extra practice on the Figure 8 because, quite honestly, that move was not my strong suit.  In fact, I just plain stunk at it!  I was afraid to turn my head as far as was needed, and I was afraid to make the turn without putting down my foot.

Wouldn’t you know I could execute a Figure 8 when no one was watching me!  When I was practicing on my own, I could make the turns without putting  a foot down.  I tried to convince myself that I could do it just as well when our driving test was under way, and I almost had myself talked into it when my name was called to be the first driver on the test.  It really unnerved me to think that 11 other students and three instructors were watching my every move.

Concern must have shown on my face as plainly as the beacon from a lighthouse on a dark night because one of the instructors signaled me over before I executed the drill.  “You can mess up the Figure 8 and still pass the driving test,” he said.

I’m sure he thought he was offering words of encouragement and, thus, reducing my stress.  He was right!  I came to cherish those words as I felt my foot touch the ground in the middle of the first turn.  I was so disgusted with myself because I CAN execute that turn flawlessly; I just couldn’t do it when it mattered most.  Yes, I had stage fright in a big way.

Thankfully, I passed the rest of the driving test with flying colors.  I was among the top of the class for stopping quickly, but that won’t surprise anyone who has ridden in a car with me!  The written test was our last criterion in order earn our certificate of completion.  I don’t mean to brag, but I really am proud of this fact: I didn’t miss a single answer on the written test.  It helped that practice exams were found in the back of our handbook, as well as online at www.msf-usa.org.

The Rider Education Course, developed by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) and offered through North Iowa Area Community College and most community colleges across the state, was a great experience!  I really encourage anyone who’s interested in obtaining a motorcycle license to first take this course.

Next time: the “official” picture of me on my ride.

Saturday

The desire to experience a big taste of freedom and a small dose of rebellion made me eager to get out of the classroom and onto a Kawasaki Eliminator, which was provided as part of our course fee. It’s a good thing that I’m not superstitious or else the model name would have really freaked me out. Instead, I said a quick prayer for wisdom and safety. Then I gripped the right brake and hopped into the saddle.

“Power walking” took on new meaning that morning as the instructors had us get acquainted with our bikes and learn to balance by straddling our bikes and literally pushing them from one side of the range to the other. It was a great way to work out one’s thighs. Yes, I used muscles that I didn’t even know I had! To top it off, there were gale-force winds that day so we had to push even harder.

I was especially glad to have a full-face helmet keeping the wind out of my ears, plus the head covering helped me stay warmer all over. (It was 38 degree Fahrenheit at 8 a.m. that morning.) I was dressed in layers including a long-sleeve thermal shirt, a fleece and my ski jacket. If only I would have thought to put on long johns to keep my legs warm! Leather gloves helped protect my hands from the chill and protected my skin in the one instance that I forgot to leave both feet on the ground. Leather boots protected my ankles and gave me traction while straddling my bike and later peddling my feet as I gained balance.

While we began by taking “baby steps,” it wasn’t long before we started our engines and learned to put up our feet.

That’s become a favorite metaphor, used by Dan Frieberg and his team of precision ag experts at Premier Crop Systems, to explain to growers that you’ll need to provide more plant food if you’re going to increase plant populations.

Matching plant food, including variable rate populations will be a foundation for future agronomic decision-making. Frieberg says this summer marks the beginning of planning for 2010 variable rate planting recommendations. Management zones will be created, and variable rate nutrient recommendations will be generated to match each zone. Variable rates will be adjusted during the winter to match the specific hybrids selected for each field. Integration is key to creating the yield and economic synergy that each farmer desires. For more information see www.premiercrop.com.