August 31st thru September 3rd

We left Aqualand about 11:00 am and after driving down the Door Peninsula we basically drove toward the southwest corner of Wisconsin where Dubuque, Iowa is located.  On the drive almost all of our views and vistas were of farms and their silos.  Rolling hills after rolling hills.  It was a beautiful day so enjoyed the ride.  Dubuque is across the Mississippi River from both Wisconsin and Illinois.  From Dubuque you can cross one bridge over the Mississippi River and arrive into Wisconsin and a couple 100 yards downstream you can cross another bridge over the Mississippi River and arrive in Illinois.

We camped at Miller Riverview Campground on the Mississippi River just upstream from the bridge to Wisconsin.  When we arrived at the campground we knew that it was going to rain sometime that night.  So immediately we pitched our tent.  The dirt/grass areas behind the big rock gravel strip where cars, vans or RVs are to park were a little wet.  So we put down two heavy duty canvas tarps on the big rock gravel and pitched our tent on that for safety.

We then left for 7 Hills Brewery to celebrate my 66^th birthday.  As we were walking into the brewery it began to drizzle.  We had a good time at 7 Hills.  We sat at the bar and had a couple of their beers, which were nice, and had a surprisingly good veggie burger.  I even got a free beer because it was my birthday.  On our way back to the campground it was lightly raining.  We parked the van on the front of the big rock gravel got into the tent and listened to the rain bounce off our tent.  About an hour later the thunderstorms hit and boy did they hit.  It was the heaviest rain yet on this trip and the lightning and thunder equaled what we had experienced at Aqualand, lightning about every second for quite a while.  Never the less we fell asleep.  You know food and beer.

When we woke up and gingerly got out of the tent we found our campsite had turned into a little peninsula with only the big rock gravel area the only part not underwater.  The restroom was about 200 yards from our campsite.  When I left the tent to use the restroom, it was lightly raining when I returned it was raining cats, dogs, carp and catfish.  I was soaked.   We decided to jump in the van and drive to the showers.  After my shower it was raining cats, dogs, carp, catfish and alligators.  I got soaked again.

Soon after that we left to visit Diane’s cousin Michael Kates, his wife Robin and their son Jack.  We haven’t seen them in about 7 or 8 years.  When we arrived Michael was in the midst of cooking a wonderful brunch for us.  Robin is a Lutheran Pastor and she was gone for most of the day when we had arrived.

We visited with Michael and Jack for a few hours catching up on everything.  In the early afternoon the rain stopped and Michael suggested we visit the Mississippi River Museum they had in Dubuque.  The museum was fun and informing.  They also had an aquarium with fish and mammals that were found in the Mississippi River.  Those freshwater river fish/mammals were a weird looking bunch.  They beat the fish/mammals found in the Pacific Ocean along the west coast in ugliness hands down.

Robin got home around 4:30-5:00 and we decided to go to their favorite Thai restaurant.  Food was very good, family and conversation even better.

Ho-hum another thunderstorm overnight.  I think it was the 7^th or 8^th straight day that we have been in some kind of rain.

Sunday the Kates took us to Galena, Illinois.  Galena is about a 20 minute drive from Dubuque across the Mississippi River and was home to U.S. Grant prior to his presidency.  Galena has also preserved the 19^th century buildings in its downtown area.  Basically this is a very popular and fun tourist attraction.

Before we did the main street and all its shops, restaurants and taverns we walked by the well preserved Grant house, the old high school, that is also well preserved but it is now a condominium complex and an early 19^th century graveyard.  In the neighborhood up the hill from the Galena River and the main part of town we were amazed at the 19^th century houses that were still in great shape and occupied.

The Kates suggested Dirty Gurts for lunch for its great burgers and the make a delicious bloody mary. It was just after lunch time and we had to wait about 20 minutes for a table but well worth it.  The veggie patty was good and the condiments were perfect.  Their homemade fires and the bloody mary were also very good.

On the way back to the car, which was about 4 blocks up the hill it started raining, then began to pour.  About half way up the hill Michael let all of us stand under a tree while he went and got the car and picked us up.  A good guy that Michael.

We spent the rest of the afternoon and early evening visiting with the Kates at their house.  We got to hear Jack play his clarinet and bass, and watched a video of him singing – he is a very talented musician.  That night at our campsite guess what, it rained most of the night.  If nothing else on this trip we have learned that REI makes a good tent as we have been dry for all the rain we have been through.

On Monday morning there was supposed to be a Labor Day parade in downtown Dubuque and Jack and his high school marching band were scheduled to march in the parade.  We were looking forward to this annual event.   It was raining when we woke up and pretty soon Michael texted us that the parade had been cancelled.  Bummer!

It was a little too early to stop by the Kates’ so Diane and I decided to get a hot breakfast.  We checked Google and settled on Dottie’s downtown.  Dottie’s was crowded but we found two seats at the counter.  The coffee was good.  The food was good.  Our server was good.  We had a good time at this old fashioned café.

Michael took us on a drive to Eagle Point where there was an overlook of the Mississippi River and lock and dam #11.  We were probably about 500 feet above the river and could see the whole valley.  Very beautiful.  We also drove out to Balltown.  Balltown is a very tiny town in Dubuque County.  The drive out to Balltown was fantastic greenery everywhere, rolling hills, lots of corn, soybeans, and beautiful farm houses and at times you could see the Mississippi River.

The movie Field of Dreams, you know “If you build it they will come,” was filmed in Iowa but not in Balltown.  The Field of Dreams baseball diamond is in Dyersville, not too far from Balltown, and is still there and is a popular tourist attraction.

We went to dinner with Michael, Robin and Jack were busy, at a nice Mexican Restaurant.  We had a great time even though the tv news channel was reporting on a tornado watch a few miles southwest of Dubuque and the storm was moving in our direction.  We said our goodbyes and promised not stay in touch and visit sooner than the 8 years that passed since our last visit.

Diane and I went back to our campsite keeping an eye on the weather apps that we have.  The storm actually went south of Dubuque so there were no tornado warnings.  Dubuque like other cities in the Midwest has a tornado warning siren that fortunately never went off while we were there.

Even though it rained about 7 inches over the Labor Day weekend.  We had a great time and we would like to return to Dubuque in the future.