This is a wrap-up of my time at Blackhawk and a note to myself for future consideration.
I've been to Blackhawk about a handful of times now. After each time, I like it better and better. For amenities, there are flush toilets, free, clean showers with good water pressure, and a dump station. Each campsite has a picnic table and fire ring. Many of the campsites, including the one I stayed in, have a water view. With the senior discount, campsites with electricity are $13/night.
Despite the fact that water is everywhere, the mosquitoes aren't bad except at dusk. Even then, the blood suckers aren't any worse than they are at home. Firewood is available in large bundles at the rv park up the road at a reasonable price but it was junk and burned poorly. Note: don't buy it again. You would think I would have learned by now.
There are many roads, paths, and trails for Callie walks. Leashes are required, and campers are generally respectful of the rules. There are no grocery stores nearby, but there are a few bars with food in Desoto and Ferryville. City services are about 30 minutes away in either Prairie Du Chien or La Crosse. There's a Cabella's (camping supply store) in PDC.
TV and radio stations come in clearly from La Crosse. Sunsets and sunrises are both amazing. Often, fog covers the water in the morning but burns off quickly. There are a ton of tent sites available for boondocking, but the difference in price and privacy isn't worth it in my estimation. These sites are also on the lowest ground, which is usually water-covered in the spring.
During the weekend, there was a large group of African-American dads and sons camping in the group area.
I thought this was one of the coolest things ever. Diversity is an uncommon thing in Wisconsin's camping world. And it was clear that many of the dads didn't have much camping experience but were out there for the bonding with their sons and "little brothers." Of course, it stormed hard Thursday and Friday night, so many of the campers and their belongings got totally soaked. From all appearances, they still had a blast.
Yesterday, I drove through the rain along Hwy 35 (the Great River Road) and then on a lot of county highways and tertiary roads along the river in Illinois. Whoever said that Illinois was flat hasn't driven along the Mississippi River.
It rained last night, and it's raining again today. A good day for reading newspapers and books. The rest of the week looks sunny and dry. Julia will be joining me in a few days.
Yesterday was hot and humid. The air was still--the calm before the storm approaching. I went out to a nearby bar in the mid-afternoon to beat the crowd with a traditional Wisconsin fish fry, along with a PBR. Total cost: $12.
I don't watch much tv in the Scamp. It's nice to have once in awhile. Last night, as I watched the Packers first exhibition game, there were frequent weather alerts. A tornado in southeastern Minnesota, along with tennis ball sized hail, lightning, etc. Thankfully, very little of the storm hit here thirty minutes south of La Crosse. After dark, the wind, lightning and black clouds moved across quickly. No harm, no foul.
This morning, there was a heavy fog, which gave way to clear skies and calm weather.
We have one more day here at Blackhawk COE and then will follow the river south.
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| Geese in early morning mist |
The river is very low, compared to times we’ve camped here in the past.
Julia took advantage of winds blowing upstream and spent some time in her inflatable kayak. She had to get out (and get wet) to get past the sandbars.
Callie is a fan of the river. I keep her leashed to avoid “exploring the other side” issues.
We ended the day at the Mississippi Brewing Company. The server started off with, “Don’t ask me about the beer because I don’t know anything about beer.”
Not a problem, I thought, ordering a milk stout from a Davenport brewery. Mississippi Brewing does not brew beer—just selling beers made elsewhere. My milk stout turned out to be a coffee-infused beer that barely had enough body to taste like a porter—nothing like a milk stout. I was tempted to pour it down the drain of the very cool keg fountain above. Of course, being frugal, I choked it down. Blech!
Next up. Heading north!
The sunrises are worth getting up for at Shady Creek.
Wildcat State Park is less than two miles from Shady Creek COE, and we always make sure to hike the trails here. When we arrived at about 9 a.m., there was a small wedding taking place. We backtracked to a different trail so we would not intrude.
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| Grist Mill |
Well, I didn't exactly win the Madtown Pickleball Open. We won some games but we also lost enough to get eliminated before advancing very far. My foot has been bothering me, so that gives me a good excuse to take a break from pickleball and get hitched up.
Last week, we drove to Shady Creek COE, one of our favorite Mississippi River campgrounds and just north of Muscatine, Iowa.
The new sign is a gift from Julia’s brother Scott.
We didn’t have any big plans. I spent some time reading. Callie kept an eye on things.
We made it to our favorite happy hour at Muscatine's Contrary Brewing, where Monday beers are $4.
Julia had a hazy IPA. I had a half pour of imperial stout, which I savored for just as long as Julia's larger beer. I'm not a huge imperial fan, but this was probably the best that I've ever had.
We made it back in plenty of time to enjoy an evening camped next the the big river.
We’ve been spending a few days on the banks of the Mississippi—about an hour north of LaCrosse, Wisconsin.
Most of the time, I think of rivers as a single water pathway, but the Mississippi River doesn’t limit itself in that way. Much of the wild country is in the algae-covered back channels and bays—much too shallow for the grain barges and yachts that move through the system of locks. Julia is exploring in her inflatable kayak, while Callie and I stick to firmer ground.
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| View through the trees behind the Scamp |
It’s all good, except for the mosquitoes and no-see-ums.
From October 2021
During our week at Blackhawk COE, we drove across the river to see whether things looked any different on the Iowa side. Perhaps it's psychological, but we've always had more fun on the Iowa side than the Wisconsin or Illinois side. The Iowa towns are well-kept, prices are lower, and people seem friendlier. Wikipedia
On the other side of the river from our campground via Hwy 82 is the town of Lansing, Iowa.
Up a steep road (for Iowa) is Mount Hosmer Park. It has a nice trail system overlooking the river and was a great place to take Callie for a hike. Alltrails shows only about a mile, but we found other connecting trails and lookouts.
Later we walked around town.
We found a place called Safehouse that had good pizza and craft beer.
From October 2021
In mid-October, Julia and I hitched up the Scamp and drove to Blackhawk COE campground near DeSoto, Wi. I've been there a few times before--usually on my way to somewhere else. This time, it was our destination, along with the river towns and trails in the area on both sides of the Mississippi River.
This is an area of the country that Julia and I love to visit. Julia says that the Mississippi River speaks to her.
Callie says she doesn't care--as long as it involves lots of hiking.
One of our first hikes was new to both of us: Rush Creek State Natural Area. The trails winds to the top of grassy bluffs with amazing views of the river valley below.
Afterwards, we took another hike on the Great River trail between Onalaska and Marshland, WI. We then treated ourselves to a couple of beverages at Skeleton Brewing.
The La Crosse area has several brewpubs in the area. This one was not our favorite, but Skeleton had a nice uncrowded outdoor space. It felt good to sit outside on a nice October day.
Just about every place has its pros and cons. Staying at the Thomson Causeway campground on opening day means that the weather can be unpredictable.
It also means that not all of the kinks have been worked out yet. How many COE employees does it take to replace a hot water heater? I'm not sure because there still wasn't any hot water in the shower after three days. I know there were at least two hot water heaters unloaded from pickup trucks and what seemed like half a dozen employees working on the problem. When I left after four days, there was still a sign up indicating no hot water yet. The dumpsters weren't there when I arrived, but they did arrive later in my stay.
But I wasn't camping here for the campground services. The draw here is the Mississippi River and its backwaters, where wildlife is abundant.
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| nesting |
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| hunting |
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| avoiding Callie |
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| pelicans on a Sunday stroll |
Sometimes the federal government gets it right.
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| Made it safely across |
I have camped in Little Rock and Raleigh. So it may be a stretch to describe my campsite in Clinton, Iowa as urban camping. Clinton is a small city of 25,000. But until recently, it boasted a minor league baseball team.
Due to Major League Baseball’s minor league contraction in 2020, Clinton now has a more modest claim to a collegiate summer team. Why have I posted a photo of their stadium? Because my campsite backs up to their downtown property.
I will say that Riverview Park is the gem of Clinton, a city which seems to be really struggling. The park included a riverboat theater, pickle ball courts, a swimming pool, and a great walking/biking path.
These are some of the nicest courts that I’ve ever seen. Eight beautiful courts, and no one played during during a weekend. Too cold or windy, I guess.
Callie and I walked about eight miles up and down this path each day of our stay. Watching the barges work is always a good time.
We spent today climbing the East and West Bluff at Devil’s Lake State Park. Merrimac Free Ferry East Bluff
