Rappin on the River

Recently an up and coming Rap music duo was spotted cruising on the M/V Vagabond. Those of you who live in radio markets that support rap stations may be hearing from this new duo, "Rum B & G". (The B & G stands for Biscuits & Gravy).

Rum B & G warming up before a recent concert.

Already established as an entertainment favorite on the Upper Mississippi the group is taking the music industry by storm with hits such as; "Who put da mud in dem jugs?" and "Ain't dat fish yo sista?"

Don't be afraid to flip that dial off the country station and listen for these rising stars!

Rum B & G. Coming to an outhouse near you!

River Scenes #3

Red Wing sunset.

Checking the water temperature?

Boat last seen at Legacy Harbour in Florida. Now in Wabasha, Mn.

Exiting Lock #5 we must slide through the gap between barge & wall!

River Scenes #2

Dredge Goetz above Lansing, Ia.

Maiden Rock, Wisconsin side of Lake Pepin

Birds along the shore waiting to head south. "Who's got the map?"

Coming into Red Wing, Mn. from the south.

River Scenes

Swabbin the Decks

Cassville, WI. Ferry

Coming into McGregor, IA.

Beach below Lock 9

Days 7, 8, & 9

Friday 9/10/10     We woke this morning to the sounds of a large backhoe on a barge digging in the channel just outside of our sand pit. Nothing like the sound of a diesel engine to get you going!
Since the pit is only about a mile above Lock 5A a quick call lets you know the status of the lock. Our timing was good as they had just locked a 15 barge tow through and there was now no commercial traffic in the area. Off we go.
Captain Kim likes to fidget with the electronics on the boat, computers, and the new cell phone he picked up right before leaving on the trip. The result of all this fiddling is that sometimes he wanders outside the buoy line. Not to worry though. He recognized this problem early in his boating life and added the below pictured high tech device to the helm as a reminder.

M/V Vagabond direction reminder.
Our lockages have been pretty good so far, that is until we got to Lock 6 at Trempeleau, WI. A northbound double was just entering the lock which means a minimum one and a half hour wait. We headed outside the buoy line and dropped the anchor to wait. Trempeleau is a pretty little river town and is home to the Trempeleau Hotel which serves up good food and during the summer has music on the lawn in front of the hotel. In the past we have seen The Little River Band and Marcia Ball in concert on their lawn all while eating and drinking in a laid back setting.

Trempeleau, WI.
We finally locked thru and continued south towards LaCrosse. A quick lockage at Lock 7 and then the only hurdle on the trip in either direction. The LaCrosse RR bridge. Quimby's Guide says to call on vhf channel 13. We did, repeatedly. No answer. Ch 16, several times. No response. Frustrating! Some guy's sitting up there with nothing to do but read the paper and watch the river. You know he's just messing with you! Well we never did get a response so we lowered the vhf antenna and idled up to the bridge while I stood on the seat back and stuck my head up above the roof to gauge the clearance. All looked good so under we went with inches to spare. In all of our travels on Tourist the most trouble we've had has been with bridges responding to our calls. Not all, but enough to make you dread approaching the next one.
After idling through the no wake area of downtown LaCrosse we pulled into LaCrosse Municipal Harbor to replenish the ice and beer supply. Not a fancy marina, but Steve has always been friendly and accommodating anytime we've been there.
We continued south through Lock 8 and ended our day anchoring behind Gillette Island for the night. Once again while anchored we witnessed another raccoon swimming across the slough to the mainland. Since we've seen this twice now as well as a fox we've come to the conclusion that it's going to be an early winter. There is no other explanation. The animals are apparently closing down their summer residences on the islands and heading back home to the mainland to hunker down for the winter. Nothing else makes sense!

Gillette Island anchorage looking south through stained glass!

Saturday 9/11/10     The cooler temps have made for restful nights during this trip. A sweatshirt or light jacket has been the norm every morning while getting underway. Very pleasant. Saturday morning was no exception as we headed south. By the time we arrived at Lansing, Iowa to top off the fuel tanks and take on some fresh water the sun was popping out from behind the clouds and the locals were gearing up for the Iowa vs. Iowa State football game when we pulled into the marina. Fuel on. Water on. Mission complete we got out of Dodge and headed towards Lock 9, our only lockage of the day.

Looking back at Lansing, Iowa.

Below Lansing the river widens from shore to shore and the channel meanders from the Iowa side across to Wisconsin.

River below Lansing.

Once again a good lockage at Lock 9 and a short 16 miles to Garnet Lake, our anchorage for our last night out. Garnet is a quiet little spot just off the channel below McGregor, IA. Usually a few other boats anchored and some fishermen during the day are all that you see here plus some spectacular scenery and a view of the channel.

Garnet Lake looking out at the channel.

Later in the day we were joined by friends Kurt & Tina of M/V Perseverance who ventured north from Dubuque. Always a great time when we get together. Kurt, who doesn't drink has become known as the "Great Enabler" among our friends. Kurt probably has the best stocked bar on any boat north of St. Louis and freely pours the firewater of your choosing! This weeks featured selection was Old Monk rum.
As always the food and drink were plentiful and the company superb as we slipped into the night.

Sunday 9/12/10     A leisurely morning was topped off by a great meal of biscuits & gravy on board Vagabond.

Breakfast club, male edition.

Breakfast club, female edition.

All too soon it was time to pull up the anchor and head home.

M/V Perseverance leaving Garnet Lake.

Travelling downstream we closed in on Lock 10 at Gutenberg, IA. Within a few miles the boat traffic picked up and we had to slow down and pick our way through the traffic. As we started passing a pontoon boat we thought we recognized a couple of the passengers. Turned out to be Dick & Sue Boggs who a few years back had a boat on H-dock at Mid-Town in East Dubuque. We exchanged pleasantries and a few barbs before continuing on.
No delay at Lock 10 but a few clouds were starting to form. The forecast said there could be a slight chance of rain later in the day. Guess we'll find out. 32 miles to our last lock at Dubuque. As we travelled south the clouds started to get darker to our west but we're still dry.

Rain on the radar.

Clearly we are now in race to get to the lock before the rain. A call on the VHF to find that we can enter when we get there makes getting fenders ready a last minute detail since the boat speed prohibits working on deck until we slow down. Rain gear on anticipating a downpour we slow down to enter Lock 11. A few sprinkles but it looks like we may miss the brunt of the rain. Into the lock, grab the lines, a crack of thunder and nothing. No wind. No rain. No need for rain gear. Down we go. Dry as a bone!
We exited the lock and entered Mid-Town a few miles later to find the docks soaked from the rain we missed. Turns out the storm passed south of our position in the lock with heavy rain and strong winds.
The skipper backed Vagabond into her slip and the deckhands secured the lines bringing an end to a delightful week long trip on the Upper Mississippi.
Our thanks to Kim & Lu for inviting us to join them and share in their vacation!

Days 5 & 6

Wednesday 9/8/10     With the winds having diminished we headed back towards Lake Pepin. What a difference a day makes. The usual fishermen were back at the entrance to the lake and the conditions were calm.

Lake Pepin looking north.

Our travel across the lake was uneventful except for picking up these hitchhikers.
It wasn't long before we were back on the river and coming into Red Wing, Mn.

Red Wing waterfront.
We pulled into Red Wing Marina (http://www.redwingmarina.com/) and were greeted and helped into our slip by Cindy. A colorful, friendly gal who happens to own the marina along with her husband. After settling in we inquired about the nearest liquor store. Cindy not only gave us directions, but also her car. Great service that enabled us to enjoy some of our acquisitions when we returned to the boat instead of taking a nap!
While the boys were at the liquor store the girls hoofed it the other direction to check out the shops downtown. Fortunately for us the damage to the wallet was light and they returned to Vagabond to scoop us up and head to the grocery store. Other than the jar of pickled herring that Kim & I were allowed to buy, our only contribution was in the role of mules to tote the supplies back to the boat!

The walk to downtown takes you past the restored old train depot.

Once we recuperated from our pack mule experience we decided to clean up and walk back downtown to Norton's Restaurant for dinner(http://www.thenortonsrestaurant.com/). Norton's has only been open about a year and is located right on the main drag in downtown Red Wing. A well stocked bar, great food, and great company make for a pleasant dining experience. We returned to the boat stuffed to the gills but happy!

The Vagabond boaters at Norton's.

Thursday 9/9/10     Because of our delay in getting to Red Wing regrettably we were only able to spend one night before turning the bow south. Our first stop today would be for fuel at Hansen's Harbor (http://www.hansensharbor.com/) located a few miles above Lake City, Mn. Hansen's is a typical river marina with a laid back attitude, friendly staff, the fuel is 10 cents per gallon cheaper than the other spots we passed coming up, and they have one of the best stocked ship's stores between Red Wing and Green Turtle Bay on the Cumberland.

Vagabond at Hansen's.
Full of fuel. Full of water. And empty of ...well you know, other stuff, we continued south on Lake Pepin. Next stop Pepin, WI. to have lunch at the Harbor View Cafe (http://www.harborviewpepin.com/). Once within a couple miles of Pepin a call is made on the VHF to Dan's Pepin Marina requesting dockage. Being one of the more professionally run marinas on the upper river they respond with a few questions about size of boat and duration of stay then proceed to tell you what side to have your fenders and lines on for docking and what side of their transient dock to pull in to. Upon entering the breakwater they are on the dock to grab your lines and tie them, then coil the excess line on the dock. Impressive!

Dan's Pepin Marina.
Just a short walk across the train tracks is the Harbor View Cafe. A small storefront restaurant that once inside resembles a cross between a bar and a library. The menu is written on a chalk board behind the bar and the food is excellent! The clientele ranges from the Birkenstock to the wing tip crowd and everyone in between. One other note of interest.....bring cash! Harbor View doesn't accept credit cards.

Inside Harbor View Cafe.

After a delicious lunch we got back on board Vagabond and with the help of Dan's staff, untied the lines and continued down the lake and back into the river. Two locks later we pulled into a sand pit just above Winona, Mn. and called it a day.

Days 3 & 4

Day Three   Monday 9/6/10     Dawn broke with a beautiful sunrise over the hung over partiers. Nothing better than a bright sun in your eyes while nursing a hang over! After coffee and with the girls still in bed we pulled in the anchors and headed upstream. Our trip went into pause mode upon exiting the pit while we waited for a southbound tow to pass.

M/V Dell Butcher
Travelling at trawler speed we motored past LaCrosse, Wi., home to a fine Oktoberfest celebration that goes on for a week! Shortly after LaCrosse we approached Lock #7. A quick call on the VHF and the gates were opening. It is from this point north that the river just gets more and more awe inspiring. Tall rocky bluffs. A meandering channel. Wildlife of all forms. So many eagles that you lose count. We even had to alter course today for a fox that was swimming across the river. Another first for all of us! It's this area that I think of when I hear the "Loopers" complain about the Mississippi. They just haven't witnessed the best part of the river!

Upper Mississippi River
We made it through four locks today with minimal waiting time and ended our day with rain threatening at another sand pit below Alma, Wi. Again being the deck hand I was dispatched over the side to set the anchors.

Deckhand at work.
Ever wonder how some of us pass the time while travelling? Here are the Vagabond cuties doing their thing while travelling upriver.

Vagabond Cuties.

M/V Vagabond

Day Four   Tuesday 9/7/10     Following a good nights sleep we awoke to the sound of the wind howling through the trees surrounding the pit. A quick listen to NOAA revealed a forecast of winds from the west at 20 to 30 mph with gusts as high as 45mph and a chance of rain. Uffda! We're headed to Red Wing which means crossing Lake Pepin, a stretch of open water some 20 miles long which is notorious for being rough when the wind kicks up.
We pulled up anchors (read me, deckhand Rick) and headed to Lock #4. Good luck. A southbound tow had just left and the chamber was open and waiting for us. As we rose in the chamber the full force of the wind could be felt as it pushed Vagabond into the lock wall. We exited the lock to a river that was still calm in spite of the wind. We knew that wouldn't last. As we travelled past Wabasha, Mn. we discussed ending the day at Parkside Marina but being the curious individuals that we are we decided to poke our nose into Lake Pepin. We travelled out into the lake about two miles with the waves on our bow growing as we went deeper into the lake. When they consistently were in the 3 to 4 foot range we decided that comfort was more important than destination and turned around and headed back to Wabasha.
After wrestling the boat into the pump-out dock and then into a slip we headed to town. A short walk from the marina. It's been a couple of years since Pam & I were last in Wabasha and what we found was sad. Many store fronts vacant and those that were still occupied were closed on Monday & Tuesday. The biggest shock however was that the Anderson House was closed and for sale. A once popular old hotel and restaurant now vacant. One bright spot in downtown Wabasha is the opening a few years ago of a museum dedicated to eagles located right on the waterfront.

Eagle Museum

Our trek downtown ended at Slippery's Bar & Grill for cocktails and dinner. You might remember Slippery's from the Grumpy Old Men movies starring Jack Lemon & Walter Matthau.

Slippery's from the river.

A few other scenes around Wabasha.

                                                                      Tourists

                                                                  Pumpkin Heads

                                                   "Kim, I want one like this for the house!"

                                        Yours truly displaying my new Slippery's bottle condom.

On The River

We're on a boat! Imagine that. As previously stated we've been invited to accompany our friends Kim & Lu on their excursion up the mighty Mississippi. The adventure started Saturday afternoon around 3pm when we cast off the lines. Lock 11 was a non event with a quick passage and an introduction into being a deck hand for me. (I'd rather be captain!) With nightfall closing in we pulled into a favorite anchorage just off Jack Oak Slough below Cassville, Wisconsin. For dinner we had sub sandwiches while travelling. That meant that all we could do once we were settled for the evening was drink! To the astonishment of all "2 drink" Lu killed off the first bottle! It wasn't long before the pillow met the head, but not before we witnessed a first for all of us. A raccoon swimming across the slough. Cool stuff!
   

Jack Oak anchorage.
Day 2    Sunday 9/5/10     The plan was to get an early start to our travels today since it is a Holiday and all the special occasion boaters will be out for one last hurrah. Our plan worked although the holiday boaters eventually found us. (Why do the guys with the go fast boats always play the stereo so loud while you're in a lock? Could it be to make up for some physical deficiency?) We made three locks today, topped off the fuel tanks in Lansing, Ia., and ended the day in a sand pit near Brownsville, Mn. Always interesting, these pits because they attract the rental boater crowd. We weren't disappointed. The music was horrible and went into the wee hours. For that you would expect to be flashed or something to ease the pain on our eardrums! Not this crowd.

Brownsville pit.

Gettin Ready

No we're not heading back to the boat yet. Still hot & humid in Florida. In fact it has been that way everyday down there since we left Tourist at River Forest Yachting Center. 89 to 95 with an afternoon T-Storm. Glad the ole girl is tucked inside a nice dry building. Can't wait to get back!
Meanwhile on the northern front Pam & I are getting ready to spend a week on the Upper Mississippi as guests onboard Vagabond. A 44 Sea Ray owned by our friends Kim & Lu. We have no specific destination in mind other than we're heading north. However, some talk has centered around the Harborview Cafe in Pepin, Wisconsin as well as possible shopping in Red Wing, Mn. Who knows how far we'll get? It's a boat trip and all the schedules are written in pencil with a big eraser close at hand.
In preparing for our adventure I thought I would surprise Pam with some new swim suits, so online I went. Found the site I wanted. Perused the collection and placed an order for three new suits. Expecting a confirmation e-mail I guarded the computer making sure that if Pam wanted to get online I was there to fire it up. Well a day went past with no e-mail so naturally I figured I messed something up while ordering and went back into the site and ordered three more suits. Wouldn't you know it. A few days later six new swimsuits showed up at our door! Pam was surprised. I was surprised. And the merchant was happy! Only one duplicate though considering I couldn't remember what I ordered the first time when placing the second order. Sorry Donnie. No thongs!
Watching TV the other night our concentration was interrupted when Pamic felt like she was being watched. A quick look around revealed the voyeur peeking in our sliding door.

 

Not to worry. All parties remain unharmed!
In my last post I mentioned that Pam had a birthday. What I didn't mention was that her sister Barb had hers four days later. To celebrate we decided to meet at our house for cocktails and then go out for dinner. The wine flowed freely, the food was great, and plenty of stories about growing up. A fun time for all.

Pam & Barb
At some point the conversation turned to biking and I mentioned that Pam & I have been trying to ride our bikes 3 to 4 times a week. Thinking that this is getting me in shape I assumed I was ready for more of a challenge and agreed to meet my brother-in-law Bill at his home for a ride in the country. (Notice Pam's not along) We took off from his house which is about a mile outside the city limits of Galena and headed for town. On the first slight grade my thighs were burning and I'm thinking about where I put my cell phone in case I have to call for a ride. Being the ex jock that I am I sucked it up and continued peddling. Up & down hills and into town. The ride through town from this direction was easy. My legs relaxed and my lungs stopped burning as we rode past my parents house and headed downhill for 7/10ths of a mile. A left turn at the bottom of the hill and to the country we went. Up, down, up, down we went all while I'm watching Bill peddle away from me. At one point he turned around and rode back down the hill to check on me. Somewhat humiliating I must say! We made it to our predetermined turn around point and other than feeling like I was going to puke I felt ok.
The ride back was a little easier until we hit the bottom of that 7/10ths of a mile hill. Back in the day I used to run up this hill as part of my jogging route. What happened to that guy? I made it up without getting off and walking and from there on the ride was good. 12.6 miles total of undulating northwest Illinois terrain. Not very far for the real riders but at least a start for me. Anyway. I'm a boater!