The Great River Road - Minnesota and Wisconsin

August 14, 2012

Hit the road again.  Our next adventure is down the Great River Road.  We started in  Hastings, Minnesota and first went to see Vermillion Falls and the old mill and then walked down a trail to see the really old ruins of the first mill built in the early 1800s.

Then went to Freedom Park where Jack started talking to a man who now lives in Bloomington but grew up in Winona and loves the Mississippi River so gets down here when he can.  He told us there was a barge coming around the bend in the river and sure enough within a few minutes it showed up heading for Lock and Dam # 2 in Hastings.  

There are 26 locks between St Paul and St Louis with a 457 foot elevation difference between St Louis and St Paul.  We saw Lock # 1 on our last trip here and Jodi saw it this time when walking with Debbie.  We were so lucky to be here when the barge came as we were then able to drive over to the second lock and watch the whole process of the tugboat pushing the 9 barges into the locks, them tying up the attached barges and then the tug detaches itself, backs up and then they close the gate and the locks fill up a little higher than the next level so when they open up the upper gates that the barges float out and then they can repeat the process with the tug.  It was very cool and we took lots of pictures. 

We also saw the new span of the new bridge which they are building on land and they will float down the river and somehow lift into position to replace the old bridge.

Headed over the bridge. to Prescott Wisconsin where we got Wisconsin 35 south along the river.  We drove through many little towns (14 of the 34 in Wisconsin) and ended for the evening at Trembeleau at Perrot State Park.

  It feels good to be back outside.  Stopped at the Nelson Creamery on our way down and bought cheese, cheese curds, flat bread crackers and salami.    Took a walk on the Great River Trail through the woods and farmland.  The nights are getting darker sooner now but tonight we are tired so no matter.