Western Dubuque, IA to near Praririe du Chien, WI - Saturday, September 6, 2014:

As predicted for this morning, the day was bright and clear, but it was definitely chilly – in the mid 50’s!!  We also realized again that it is nice to live in southeast Iowa where it is warmer!! It was cool enough this morning for a fleece jacket and socks. 

Uniquely Shaped Barn

Iowa Countryside - Entering Fall



An Appropriately Named Road

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As we knew, the hills just kept coming at us!!  Every time you go down a hill, there is another “UP”!! You can be on a ridge for a while, but then you go down to the river bottom, and after you go down, up you go again!!  Cal climbed out of three river bottoms today, including the Mississippi.  Two climbs went on for a length of 2 miles. Cal takes these hills at a slower pace than a regular two wheeled bike, but he climbs everyone!  Today he was only able to ride 55 miles due to the hills. 



Pumpkin Patch ready to be picked

Beautiful Farm House



The topography remains the same with beautiful homestead along the road, on the distance hills and in the valleys.  I keep seeing Grant Wood’s Iowa everywhere.  Northeast Iowa has more dairy and beef herds than southeast Iowa.  Due to the dairy, the farmers raise lots of alfalfa hay.  There is nothing like the smell of newly mowed hay, plus the designs of the cut hay are interesting.   When you are going the pace that I am driving, you notice all of these things, plus the smells “of money”!   Some farmers mow all of the waterways and road ditches - keeping the weeds in check, but it also looks so much neater. 

In every little village/town in this part of northeast Iowa there is a Catholic church.  After taking several photos I began to realize that they look alike or at least very similar - must have used the same architect. I did not take the time to see if you could enter them - it would have been interesting if their interiors were different. You can see their lovely steeples miles away. 

Upon entering one town you see two steeples - one is now a gift shop as the two congregations combined, but for years there was an Irish Catholic congregation and a German Catholic congregation in this town.  

Iowa Calves in a Feedlot

Iowa Barn Quilt

Cattle being fed

Holy Cross Catholic Church

We arrived at the ferry landing a few minutes after the ferry left our side of the river, so we had to wait the full cycle until it returned.  There was only one other vehicles on the ferry with us, but on the other side numerous motorcycles were waiting to cross. 

Luxemburg, Iowa Catholic Church

Barge on the Mississippi River

Approaching Cassville, Wisconsin

Cassville Ferry Dock

We did not ride the whole way into Prairie Du Chien tonight, so tomorrow we will have to drive back to where were stopped this afternoon.

Freshly Mowed Hay showing the contour



The last hill of the day

For dinner tonight we ate at the Jones’ Supper Club.  It reminded us of the Iris Restaurant in Mt Pleasant.  The food was great.  The Prime Ribs were to die for!! They were 1 ½ inches thick! Unreal!!!  Cal & I split a steak dinner and there was enough food for another person!!