VIDEO: Riders detour to the Field of Dreams
- 31 July, 2010
- Michael Morain
Thousands of riders took a short detour near Dyersville to visit the Field of Dreams, the family farm and baseball diamond made famous in the 1989 movie. The ride’s last visit to the famous site was three years ago, when Dyersville hosted riders overnight.
Much of the talk at the site Saturday morning centered on the fact that the couple who own the property, Don and Becky Lansing, have put it up for sale for a reported cost of $5.4 million. Both Lansings handed out free bottles of water near the souvenir stand and chatted with visitors about their decision to sell the place after 21 years.
“We’re tired,” Becky Lansing said, explaining that it takes a lot of work to keep the place in shape for the thousands of baseball pilgrims who visit each year.
Besides, the Lansings are planning a pilgrimage of their own.
“We’ve always wanted to go to Italy,” Becky Lansing said.
On a side note, 16-year RAGBRAI veteran Bill Pennington of Andover, Mass., loved the movie so much when it came out, he built a baseball diamond in his own back yard and planted Iowa corn near the pine trees that framed the outfield. His daughter Melissa was young then and often worried her dad would disappear into the corn just like the players did in the movie.
So Pennington enlisted Becky Lansing in a little prank. At his request, she called his daughter, now 18, and left a voice message, introducing herself as the owner of the Field of Dreams and explaining that Pennington was lost in the corn.
“I’m very concerned because he hasn’t come back out,” Lansing deadpanned.
Here’s a look at the site and a few words from Lansing:
— Michael Morain
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It is a fun spot. Spent a lot of time there with the Ghost Players.