Tuesday, September 9, 2014 - Marshland, to Hager City, WI

Overnight we had rain, but by morning only cloudy skies remained.  Since we stayed in Trempealeau overnight, this morning we needed to drive back to the end of the bike trail where Cal had stopped riding last night. Cal actually rode about 10 miles this morning before we stopped in Fountain City for breakfast. Due to the cloudy conditions and the storm that passed through last night, the temperatures have fallen.  We are not ready for this!!   

Marsh along the edge of The Mississippi River

The Mighty Mississippi River



The Church in Fountain City

A small Barge on the Mississippi River

Today we went through several towns with nice gift shops.  I spent time in Alma & Stockholm. In Alma we also saw a barge going through Lock & Dam #4.   Later we had ice cream in Pepin, WI the birthplace of Laura Ingalls Wilder (of Little House on the Prairie fame).  Pepin has a very nice museum relating to Laura and the time in which she lived.  I did not drive 7 miles into the country where a replica cabin is located on the land previously owned by Laura’s family (her birthplace). 

Lock and Dam in Alma, Wisconsin

A barge going through the Dam

The Train coming by the Dam

A memorial in Alma, Wisconsin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There continue to be pull-out areas for Mississippi River viewing and historical markers.  Many locations along the Mississippi and other waterways flowing into the Mississippi have French and Indian history, as these were the interstate highways of the day!

The topography is again hilly for Cal but he reached his destination of Hager City, WI.  There is a bridge crossing the Mississippi River from Hager City to Red Wing, MN.  On the Minnesota side of the River, Hwy 61 is a major highway. You have to plan where to cross the Mississippi as there are not bridges at every town.  From Red Wing, MN we drove south approximately 100 miles (1 ½ hours) to return to La Crosse, WI -Crossing the Mississippi again!  We will be in La Crosse until Friday morning for a Rotary event.  I took a photo from our hotel lobby of the Mississippi River Bridge at La Crosse.