V.V. hits State 48!

Guess where I am…Yes, I’m in Iowa! Vegan Victuals is now reporting in 48 states! So let’s get to my lunch.

I decided that Krunkwich Ramen House in Des Moines, Iowa had the best vegan options in the whole state. Krunkwich has a wonderfully appetizing selection of clearly identified vegan options, from Asian fusion-y ramen, bowl, rice, noodles and stir fries, to mac and cheese and flavor-packed sandwiches. It was hard to choose an option. The pressure of one meal moment in time! 

The counter gal steered me toward the starter special, the Heirloom Salad with tofu crumbles. An amazing choice. My tastebuds were doing cartwheels in excitement. Vibrant, flavorful, summer-y. Perfect. 

Then, the sandwich of equal quality. The Vegan “Burnt Ends” sandwich: Crispy seitan, smoked onions, the delicious housemade “BB-Jang” sauce, housemade spicy slaw with a couple of their house pickles on the side. It was messy and heavenly. Krunwich is totally real deal. I am so glad I chose them for my only meal in Iowa. 

Though there were several roadside attraction fails that ate up some of my time, I was most looking forward to visiting the memorial in the place where the music died. The fateful plane crash that took the lives of Buddy Holly, Richie Valens, and Big Bopper was in Clear Lake, Iowa. Today, you can access the crash site and pay your respects to the young musicians and pilot. Such a sad piece of rock ‘n roll history.

Situated at the end of a cleared path surrounded by cornfields, marked only by these glasses at its start, you understand how desolate the crash site was, and why it took a search party to locate the plane. The quiet and peaceful walk is somber and fitting. 

Butterflies and striking dragonflies danced around me as I walked the path… Flirting and perhaps fascinated, I was delighted that they were purposefully playing with me. A butterfly flew with me the entire path back to the entrance. (!!)

The actual site of the crash has this memorial. To the right was another memorial for the pilot of the plane.

Rancho Deluxe Z, the art project of Max Weaver, is a less somber roadside attraction in the area. You know I love this weird stuff!

After driving in Iowa all day, I enjoyed seeing these giant windmills in between all the GMO fields of corn. I was trying to capture how cool they looked, but it was difficult.

That’s all I got, Iowa. Here is my electronic Iowa postcard. The caption: Is that an ear of corn in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?