Most people have never heard of Galva, but that doesn’t come as a shock. A tiny town in northwest Illinois, it’s not home to much, with a population of about 2,500, but one person that came from there and made it known is Tyler Piester. While even Piester admitted that not much happens or comes out of Galva, one thing he is proud of and wants everyone to be able to experience is the elegance of the lawns.
Getting into it at a very young age, Piester found himself mowing not just his own lawn, but the lawns of other neighbors and friends around the area after they saw how well he was doing. He partly credits this work to his famous breakfast of Special K with strawberries mixed with Cheerios, which he says are good for his heart. That along with a bit of powdered sugar was all he needed to make his name in lawn care. The other part of the credit he gives to John Deere, the only mowing company ever worth using according to Tyler.
He fought through any challenge that was thrown at him while he did his work. From mowing in cold temperatures to putting on a suit of armor to protect himself from anything that tries to stop him, Tyler made sure that, once he started a job, he finished it.
After all this work, Piester found himself at the helm of the biggest job he could ask for; mowing the grass at the Galva Park. He got constant compliments for his work and wished that more people had the chance to see it and experience it. And you can. While there is not much there, Galva is not only home to some of the most amazing lawns in the entirety of northwest Illinois, but they are proud of some of the monuments and events in the town, like their fiberglass viking and the Backroad Music Festival.
Another beauty of Galva is the weather. Thanks to the cold of Illinois and global warming, Galva during the winter time is cold but without snow, something Piester is not exactly a fan of as someone who loves the snow but hates the cold. There used to be snow, but as the years have gone by, it has dwindled down to a point where all there is now is cold, which a lot of people like!
And you can’t forget the animals in Galva, especially the birds. One bird in particular that seems to be abundant in Galva is the barn swallow. While they can sometimes be terrifying, with them traveling in large flocks and hovering over people, like they did to Tyler, the bird by itself is beautiful, with a bright blue and yellow color. Along with the birds, you can walk around and find some friendly squirrels, including some with dark fur, and rabbits.
While there are other places you can go, like Colorado or the Maldives, Galva provides sights and fun for the whole family. With a lovely Super 8 hotel sat down the road from the Casey’s, Galva is a thrilling destination for everyone.
