Jul 21, 2010 1:12 PM EST

Three years ago, two tourists stole the left arm of the Lefty O'Doul mannequin at Lefty O'Doul's Restaurant and Tavern.

On Tuesday, the arm returned in its mysterious package with a return address of Des Moines, Iowa.

The letter was from "Lefty's Left Arm" and opened "Dear Bar Patrons of Lefty O'Doul's." It recalled the plane flight to Des Moines in an overhead bin and its "reservations about the weather."

The arm then listed some of its adventures, including participating in a 12,000-cyclist bike race across Iowa, sledding and touring the state Capitol. Somewhere along the line, it put on a yellow bracelet from Livestrong, cycling champion Lance Armstrong's cancer foundation.

The letter included a handwritten note: "We felt it was time for Lefty to return home. He will be missed but long remembered! Lefty's friends."

Via San Francisco Chronicle