Color the Wind Kite Festival

It was great weather as far as that goes. Nice sunlight for photos. Lots of kids and dogs enjoying the day. The really fun years are when the temperature is about -5 degrees, heavy overcast and about a 30 mph wind, you feel like you’re at the North Pole. So many people were there it was about impossible to get a cup of hot chocolate. My favorite restaurant the Backyard Deli was closed down. I don’t know what happened there. I’d first discovered it back in 2008 when I was up there for a film festival. As with so many small restaurants, they’d rather close then sell. I don’t get it.

Speaking of which, we’d have people tell us flat out they really didn’t want the Film Festival in Clear Lake, and I wouldn’t be too surprised if that is a  lot of the reason it moved down US Hwy 218 to Mason City. A number of people up there haven’t come to grips with the fact they’re a tourist town. The only “restaurant” on main street was ‘closed till March‘, seems odd you’d close the busiest Saturday of the winter. There were 2 bars that served food and a coffee shop that served bagels and scones. We ate in the car from the grocery store. The pizza shop maintained its 5 pm opening rather than take advantage of a great lunch crowd. “Iowa nice” doesn’t exactly apply to Clear Lake.

all photos DME