Freeze Day 2: The journey really gets underway
Published 11:00 am Thursday, July 27, 2023
The freight train in Guttenberg. David Freeze photo
An 1837 house in McGregor, Iowa. David Freeze photo
Main Street shut down in historic McGregor. David Freeze photo
Jon Stravers gave Freeze great pointers for the day. David Freeze photo
The Mississippi River at Marquette, Iowa. David Freeze photo
Fish for sale in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin. David Freeze photo
Out Freeze’s window at Water’s Edge Motel in Stoddard, Wisconsin. David Freeze photo
Editor’s note: David Freeze is cycling along the Mississippi River. This is part two of his adventure, riding from Dubuque, Iowa, back to the source in Minnesota. Contact him at david.freeze@ctc.net.
My journey is really underway now. I left the very nice Guttenberg Motel in a drizzling rain this morning, got a close up look at a freight train and eventually got my first heavy duty thunderstorm with lightning. Two major gut-busting hills got my attention before I got to Marquette/McGregor, two towns almost joined together on the Mississippi. McGregor is super historic, with a ferry service across the Mississippi starting there in 1837. The town is full of old buildings from late 1800s, with some dating to the middle of that century. I found Main Street blocked with sewer work going on, with concrete pipes being put under the street.
I didn’t know how to proceed and asked resident Jon Stravers, a bird researcher and conservation expert, for help. I certainly asked the right person, because he told me how to get out of town, and then to cross the bridge into Wisconsin for better riding. Jon said, “You won’t have to ride these endless big hills and you can see the river just about the whole way today. Stay on this side and you won’t see the river much and the hills will keep coming.”
I did just exactly what he said. The hills were much smaller and I did see the water most of the afternoon. In Wisconsin, I passed through a good-sized town at Prairie du Chien, then much smaller towns of Ferryville, De Soto, then stopped for the night in my favorite of the day, Stoddard, Wisconsin, where I am spending the night looking out my window at the Mighty Mississippi.
I have a small three-room apartment with a bedroom with two beds, a sitting room with kitchen and a futon, and a wonderful bathroom. I am on a small boat dock. All for a very reasonable price at the Water’s Edge Motel. Seventy-three miles today was enough, on a warm day with a headwind and plenty of hills.
After a hard day, I am working on eating two bags of food and drinks and am set up for tomorrow too. All this great food came from Kwik Trip, including Nature’s Touch, U-Pick ‘em Strawberry. Thank you Y Service Club! A lot of these small towns get their food from the mega-convenience stores, with everything including produce. I got my bananas for 49 cents a pound.
I will head north again tomorrow and I am hoping Jon will email me back with his suggestion about which side of the river to use. Both sides have roads labeled the Great River Road and I was fortunate enough to find someone who knew the difference.
Dick and Jane Richards are back as sponsors again, as is Luis Villareal and Gear for Races of Raleigh, the supplier of all our race T-shirts. Thanks to them both!
I will be back tomorrow for another adventure, probably some heat but plenty of fun. Hope you will join me here. Please feel free to send anything you know about the area and feel free to ask any questions. See you tomorrow!
