Our New Year Day Surprise.....

We were in the Guttenberg area of Iowa in Clayton County all New Years day. It is about two hours north east of Waterloo up along the Mississippi River on the Wisconsin Border. We were dropping off Caucus packets to Hillary supporters in the outlying areas. The AFSCME Hillary coordinator requested someone to do this task and our hands shot up. All the other AFSCME staff were relieved as they were not pleased by the prospect of driving 2 hours or more into the hinterlands of Iowa in 2 degree (-20 wind-chill) weather with blowing snow. However, we relished the opportunity to see this part of Iowa.

I was not prepared for the beauty of this region. We drove about 2 hours through typical flat Iowa farmland. Suddenly the topography changed dramatically as we hit the rim of the Mississippi River Valley. The Mississippi River twisted through an almost magical rural winter landscape. Guttenberg is a small Village nestled in a river bend deep in the valley along the river shoreline. It looked as if many of the Guttenberg village homes and buildings were built prior to the 1890's. To add to this dramatic picture there were over ten Bald Eagles swooping into the icy waters of the Mississippi fishing for their food. Mind you the temperature was -20 below zero wind-chill with blowing snow that at times was blinding. Barely a soul was out on the roads. Iowans in this rural, isolated, wooded valley greeted us warmly as I am sure they questioned our sanity. I was totally unprepared for the dramatic beauty of this landscape. I had to think that the community's along this section of the Mississippi have changed little since the giant waterwheel steamboats plied the river. I could almost hear the boat’s men yelling "on the mark twain" as those ancient giant's plied through the dangerous waters of the Mississippi river.

Wednesday we work with our assigned precinct captains in a final push to get AFSCME members to the caucuses. We start early and end late these days. Both Bill and I are exhausted as we near the caucus on Thursday. Your prayers and positive thoughts are appreciated.

Good day friends and God Bless,

- Robert

Articles of interest:

Clinton leads cheers in New Year's Day rallies - The Des Moines Register

NH Poll: Clinton and McCain Lead

New Poll: Still a Toss Up in Iowa

Iowa Democratic Party to post precinct-level results online

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