Saturday, August 10, 2013, Dubuque, IA

Since Gerri planned to get up at six, I set an alarm for six.  I didn't know it but she set one for 6:15.  I couldn't go back to sleep, so I got up at 6:30 and made coffee.  Gerri left for the Farmer’s Market at about 6:45.  I raised the front blind and saw clear skies with the sun already over the trees in Wisconsin.  I had my coffee, e-mail and Facebookery.   

I went outside  checked the oil and air levels of all the tires.  Even though I have an air pressure monitoring system I like to do in manually every week or so, it is interesting how much the pressure can start varying.  The entire outside of the coach needs cleaning, but that will wait until we leave this park there is too much dust left over from the flooding.  I forgot to write about that.  When we were in Redding, CA I called here in late July on a Saturday and got a recording dated July 2 saying the park wasn't open yet because of flooding.  I called back on Monday and got a wrong number.  I tried again and was connected properly.  When I checked in yesterday the camp host told me they hadn’t opened until July 26^th and then had telephone problems.  At this point the Mississippi would have to rise only about four feet to flood most of the park.

Gerri's Cornucopia 

Gerri brought home some corn, tomatoes and a melon from the Farmer's market.

Later in the morning we went and picked Margie up and went to a local attraction called Eagle View Park.  The park is on a bluff over looking the Mississippi River a dam and a set of locks.  The only eagle we saw was one at the entrance to the park.

The eagle at Eagle View Park

Barges at Lock number 11

When we got to the part of the park overlooking the locks we watched a tug boat and thirteen barges work it's way through the locks going down river.  

Margie and I at Eagle View Park

After visiting the park we dropped Margie off at her apartment and returned to the RV Park.

Later in the afternoon we saw the tug and barges we had watched going through the looks come by the RV park and under the bridge to the south.

Gerri, me, Margie and Sue at Catfish Charlies

At about 3:30 we picked up Margie and Sue and went for dinner at Catfish Charlies.  While we eating there must have been a wedding party of about a hundred getting on a large boat moored below the restaurant  After everyone was on board the boat went out onto the river.  Anther excellent meal and good company.  After eating we took Sue to the RV Park and Gerri gave her a tour of the motorhome before returning her and Margie to their apartment building.

Ctfish Charlies