TWBR TOUR BLOG: Day 9 - Kayaking

On Sunday, Day 9, we left New Ulm for a kayak ride on the Blue Earth River. This river starts in Iowa and actually flows north. The trees lining the river were very green and there were a few Class I rapids. We were so lucky to see 2 adult bald eagles flying overhead near their nest, and also saw a juvenile bald eagle as we finished our kayak trip. We were also very fortunate in that the rain didn’t start until after we were out of the water! Then we traveled to Le Mars, IA, home of Haley Berner’s grandparents and assorted relatives, including a new cousin who Haley had not met. Le Mars is the Ice Cream Capital of the World and we had an ice cream snack and most of us had an additional late snack of ice cream with our host families. This is the concert where David Haun arrived. Dave was a ringer in the late 1960’s with Terry. Dave shows up each year on his motorcycle at a WBR concert. He lives in Austin, TX, so this was a big motorcycle ride (900 miles!). Once a Wesley Bell Ringer, always a Wesley Bell Ringer.

Sunday night we played in the United Methodist Church of Le Mars. The stained glass in the sanctuary was absolutely breathtaking and the Ringers looked and sounded great. It is so rewarding for the Ringers and the adults on tour to see so many different parts of the United States, and to witness audiences so attuned to both the music and the emotions of the teens as they express the music.

Thoughts from the ringers…

In my years as a bell ringer, I have made some of my greatest friendships, toured around the United States, and had some of the most rewarding experiences of my life. The bell choir is unique in the sense that the dedication and love towards the group as a whole directly reflects what you take from it; it’s like contributing to a cycle that provides endless rewards. It’s hard to explain exactly what each ringer takes from their experiences in the choir, but I know for a fact that they’re worth it; otherwise they wouldn’t come back each year. Even the quietest among us tend to find a way to express themselves. The bell choir functions as a family; we cry with each other, laugh together, we play music together. Once one becomes a Wesley Bell Ringer, they will always be a Wesley Bell Ringer. We will always hold a little thing we like to call “bell pride” deep down in our hearts, and we will forever express it to the world. I love the Wesley Bell Ringers and I am so thankful to have been a part of such an amazing organization.

- Jeff Wood

I thought last night’s concert went great! We played in La Mars, Iowa which is the ice cream capital of the world. So before the concert we all went out to the Blue Bunny ice cream place and got yummy ice cream! Larni and I stayed together in a host home last night, in a house built in 1918, it was beautiful! When we got to the house we watched Sherlock Holmes 2 in their theatre! I’m really enjoying this tour, just like all the others I’ve been on and I’m really excited for the hotel night tonight and Mt. Rushmore! See everyone in about a week!

- Catherine Knapp

Yesterday we went kayaking on a river in Minnesota. It was tons of fun! To me it was the best thing we have done so far. Most of us were in single kayaks, some were in double kayaks, and others were in canoes. We stopped at a place called devil’s gulch. It was super pretty and covered in moss. The next place we stopped had a waterfall. I stood under the waterfall and got all wet. We kayaked for like nine miles. We saw like three bald eagles. I had to pee so bad I went pee in the river. It was so much fun!

- Alicia Simons