Exploring Des Moines - Day One - Aug 2021

I really enjoyed Des Moines, IA. There are some good disc golf courses in the area, excellent food and some fun places to walk around.

Des Mones, IA

It was my first full day in Des Moines. After working the morning at my AirBnB, I headed up to Smokey D’s BBQ for lunch. This place was recommended to my by our Des Moines MaidPro owner. Unfortunately, he was not in town while I was there.

Smokey D’s boasts being the winner of over 90 State BBQ championships and over 1000 local, regional, and national awards. I ordered my lunch to go and ate it back at my Des Moines home so I could get more work done. The MaidPro owner had specifically recommended the mac and cheese which I did include in my order and he was right. It’s hard to go wrong with mac and cheese, but this was outstanding. Along with the Texas toast that was included and the burnt ends I ordered, it was an excellent lunch. My AirBnB host said she was jealous and I believe ended up going there for dinner.

Smokey D’s BBQ

At the end of my work day, I headed out to play Ewing Park Disc Golf course located in the southern area of Des Moines. It was in the mid 90’s with full humidity, but I had to play the course. It was a very pretty course that played around a lilac arboretum. Too bad they weren’t in bloom. I enjoyed the course which had some nice challenges around trees but also some big open shots. I guess most people were staying in and out of the heat. There was no one else there. It was so quiet and peaceful

One of the tee pads

You can see the basket

between the trees at the

bottom of the hill

And I played well!

After the round I decided to head into Des Moines to see the capitol building and explore that area.

Shattering Silence Monument

Des Moines in the background of the Shattering Silence Monument

“The sculpture is adjacent to the building that houses the Iowa Supreme Court and at the top of the hill overlooking the Des Moines skyline. It is in commemoration of the 170th anniversary of the landmark 1839 Iowa Territorial Supreme Court ruling that prohibited slave Ralph Montgomery from being extradited back to Missouri after he failed to raise the $550 he promised to pay to buy his freedom. The Iowa Art Council’s newsletter describes the art as a commemoration of “those moments when Iowa has been at the forefront of breaking the silence of inequality and commemorates those Iowans who refused to stand by silently when they saw injustice.” – Greater Des Moines Public Art Foundation

I finished my day eating dinner at Jethro’s BBQ. This place was recommended to me by the bar tender at the Meskwaki Casino. I had stayed at the casino the final night before getting to Des Moines and we had a nice conversation. She enjoyed hearing about my trip and had a few places she thought I should visit while here. She said the wings at Jethro’s were her favorite. I sat outside, drank a local beer, watched football and ate the wings. It was another successful recommendation and a great day in Des Moines.

Exploring Des Moines – Day One – Aug 2021

Exploring Des Moines – Day One – Aug 2021

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