Chilcoot Pass Reunion

After one more Winona look at the Mississipi we left for the shortest drive on the trip so far and for the opportunity to meet with a friend the Apiarist had made while travelling in Alaska and the Yukon in 1980. It's been an interesting journey since then but this blog is about a journey through Canada and the USA this year!




While it wasn't going to be a long journey in distance the Educator and the Apiarist have a history of making short trip trips into oddysees so we headed off down Highway 61. This day would see us cross the Mississippi numerous times, travel through 3 states, get lost, eat great smoked carp and pickled catfish, get caught up in roadworks and get to enjoy a late dinner at the River Pilot in Le Claire, Iowa. 

So into Wisconsin and into beautiful dairy country. Just a pity the Swank/ Jelinek diet won't allow dairy.......

Ever since we crossed into the USA we've been amazed by how clean and tidy the roadsides are. This cleanliness seems to come about because of families, service groups and businesses who sponsor and carry out the tidying. Very nice!!!!

 


We stopped and bought smoked carp and pickled catfish from E & P Fisheries in New Albin Iowa when we saw an advertising sign on the roadside and ate an interesting and tasty lunch at a park by the river and the railway.

I was hoping for both a train and a riverboat to come by but maybe that was just a dream...

As we were somewhat time constrained we pushed on and were doing quite well until we were held up by some roadworks. Mmmmmm what to do? We should have bought that cell (mobile) phone earlier....We did have an interesting talk with the "stop and go girl" who owns a pet skunk????

But we did make it to Le Claire (almost) on time and we had a great meal the Faithful Pilot with Galen and Frances. And Bruce and Galen had an enjoyable time of reminiscing about a wonderful walk many years ago.....