First, Happy Birthday to my brother Bill!
We are now parked in Clarksville, TN for just tonight. We had an easy day's drive today with a nice break in the action in Paducah, Kentucky to visit our friends Lou and Nancy Wade who live part-time there and part-time in Crystal River, Florida. Tomorrow we head further south to Adairsville, Georgia for two nights. We have an approximate 235 mile day, which just brings us closer to home! We are ready to get there but will continue to enjoy this last week on the road.
In the meantime, I am updating this blog with photos .from our adventure in Davenport, Iowa. We took a drive on the Iowa Great River Road Tour that we detoured into Illinois for a few miles. It was a lovely drive with perfect weather! Unfortunately, Tug Fest was just getting started on both sides of the Mississippi River. This is the only tug-of-war across the mighty Mississippi River where a 2400 foot, 680 pound rope stretches between LeClair, IA and Port Byron, IL. Eleven teams from each side are formed and the side with the most winning teams takes the Alabaster Eagle trophy for that year. We had no idea this was scheduled or we would have made plans to stay. The festivities, however, prevented us from visiting the Buffalo Bill Cody Museum, which was blocked by tents and carnival rides! Perhaps another time!
But, we did get to visit Antique Archeology, which is the store where the "American Pickers" sell and show-off their pickings around the country and at times around the world! American Pickers is a show on the History Channel that we watch. It was really cool to see a lot of the things they have found on their show! The hosts, Mike and Frank, were just getting back from Sturgis and were not at the store but were in the area but we didn't see them. Again, perhaps next time!
AUGUST 12, 2015
DECORAH, IA TO DAVENPORT, IA
Acres and acres of farm land with crops! Amazing!
Iowa small town mural. I so enjoy the art work put in to making these murals all across this great country of ours.
Garnaville, IA, population 745 in 2010!
A very nice small town café!
Our delicious breakfast that we enjoyed the next day as well!
St. Boniface Catholic Church
Lovely, just lovely; across from St. Boniface
64 East - We opted for the country road versus the interstate!
AUGUST 13, 2015
ANTIQUE ARCHEOLOGY
"AMERICAN PICKERS"
LECLAIR, IOWA
A "Nash" that is parked outside the Antique Archeology store in LeClair, IA.
Host Mike Wolfe calls this Von Dutch XAVW motorcycle one of his "holy grails"!
This motorcycle was dug up in England on one of their shows. This is the one item I wanted to see in person and am very grateful it is in the IA store and not their TN store!
These guys find more strange stuff and this is just one of the many they have found.
BUFFALO BILL CODY HOMESTEAD
PRINCETON, IOWA
The boyhood home of Buffalo Bill Cody. The 1847 farmhouse was built by Isaac Cody, Buffalo Bill's father. It is constructed of native limestone and contains walnut floors and trim. The Homestead has been restored and furnished with items typical of the mid-19th century.
Walnut wooded stairs.
A very old Bible with almost dust-like paper!
DAN NAGLE WALNUT GROVE PIONEER VILLAGE
LONG GROVE, IOWA
Along the Buffalo Bill Scenic Byways, is the Dan Nagle Walnut Grove Pioneer Village requiring just a donation of $2.00 each. There are 19 open-air museum buildings and on our visit an actual blacksmith demonstration (below). It was a really cool museum and well worth the $4.00 total!
St. Ann's Church, dubbed the Crowning Jewel of the Village; construction from 1853 to 1870.
Stained glass within St. Ann's Church.
Beautiful!
The Tobin House, circa 1837
A very old highchair!
Dental office equipment
This blacksmith teaches at a local college. It was refreshing to learn that there are folks who want to be blacksmiths. We watched his demonstration for quite a while. We now know why wrought iron costs so much! It is very tedious work hammering the hot metal, forming it, and then brushing it!
The finished product the blacksmith made - beautiful!
We were looking for a post office so we could buy one stamp and mail our postcards. We were surprised to learn the post office closes here at noon M-F and 10:00 a.m. on Saturday! Perhaps the population of 291 is the reason why!
DUTCH WINDMILL AND RIVER ROAD
FULTON, ILLINOIS TO DAVENPORT, IOWA
De Immigrant, Authentic Dutch Windmill, built in the Netherlands specifically for Fulton. It is a working windmill producing wheat flour, corn meal, and flaxseed.
On our way home, I looked up at the sky and saw this! I looked again and it wasn't my imagination.
AUGUST 15, 2015
DAVENPORT, IOWA TO EFFINGHAM, ILLINOIS
We could not stop at the Welcome Center, as our length with our tow is more than 40 feet!
We were legal the next rest area. This sign is posted there. I hope the truckers pay attention to this. Some of these trucks sway all over the road. Today (Aug. 16) we saw an 18-wheeler hauling cars and it was all over the highway!
South - we are going home!
AUGUST 14, 2015
DAVENPORT, IOWA TO EFFINGHAM, ILLINOIS
Camp Lakewood Campground, Effingham, Illinois - our view from our front window.
Cross at Crossroads, I-57 and I-70
We didn't do much exploring in Effingham. We did learn the world's largest cross was here so we did unhook the Jeep and found it! This cross is 198 feet tall and 113' wide consisting of 180 tons of steel anchored in "untold fathoms of cement". "It can withstand winds by the evilest of forces to 145 mph."
AUGUST 16, 2015
EFFINGHAM, ILLINOIS
TO CLARKSVILLE, TENNESSEE
Nancy and Lou Wade - friends since before we had children!
From a distance, it looked like an Airstream towing a truck, no big deal, then we got closer! The camper and the truck were actually being towed via a transport company from Washington State!
Jeep Wannabe - Mercedes style!
We are only here one night but stayed at the Clarksville RV Park three years ago.
Until next blog ...
Thanks for sharing your pictures!! Enjoying your blog.
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