9 Extremely Weird Things Only People From Iowa Do

When it comes to traditions, every state has its own unique way of doing things, and Iowa is no different. There are all sorts of things people from Iowa do that may make out-of-staters raise their eyebrows, but I'm proud of the things that make me an Iowan—even if they are a little "weird." Here are some funny things about Iowa people that folks from other places may not know about.

1. We eat ranch on literally EVERYTHING.

Ranch isn't only for salad, but it's for pizza, pasta, chicken, and pretty much everything else under the sun.

2. We buy sweet corn from strangers on the side of the road.

It's totally normal, trust us.

3. We have a hobo festival each year, and crown a hobo king and queen.

Every year in the town of Britt, there is a celebration known as Hobo Days, where a hobo king and queen are crowned.

4. We ride 400 miles across the state on our bikes with thousands of other people while partying intensely and staying with strangers for a week.

In other words: It's RAGBRAI. The (Des Moines) Register's Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa has been a summer tradition for more than half a century. It's now one of the nation's biggest bike tours.

5. We know just how much of an honor it is to be named the Pork Queen.

In any other state being called a pork queen might be an insult, but not in Iowa. It's a badge of honor here.

6. We go "swimming" in pools of corn.

Corn isn't just for eating, or making ethanol, or corn syrup, or toothpaste, or cereal—it can also be used for swimming. That's right—particularly in fall, during harvest festivals in the Hawkeye State, folks will dive into massive pools of corn and play for hours. What an amazing plant, right?!

7. We bang the top of the car and yell "padiddle" when we see a car with a headlight out.

We're not weird, it's a tradition—duh! Do I know where the tradition comes from or why we do it? Nope, not at all. It's just what we do.

8. We drink pop.

So don't give us that confused look and ask us if we mean soda.

9. We do the "farmer's wave."

No, we're not flipping you the bird, we're just sending you a friendly hello! It's actually one of the most wonderful things about living in Iowa.

Weird is definitely a relative term. Personally, I think that these are just a few of the things that make people from Iowa special, but hey, I’m an Iowan—and we are famously proud of our roots. What are some things we may have left off of our list? We'd love to hear about some of the quirky things you've noticed that only Iowans do. Please tell us about your favorites on our Nomination page.