Today’s post is 1500 words, 60 photos, a 7 minute read. Enjoy!

Hi everyone,

Welcome back to Traveling with Tom. This week I’ll continue my photographic exploration of the Driftless in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Iowa. If you missed Part 1 in this series, click here. These two posts document the annual reunion of a group of photographers that met nearly 10 years ago at a workshop at the Madeline Island School of the Arts.

The Driftless

As I mentioned last week, the Driftless Area was never glaciated during the last Ice Age. This created a rugged terrain with high bluffs and narrow river valleys. In addition to the land, the Mississippi River flows through the Driftless providing a home to countless species of animals and a water highway to transport goods as well as a prime source of recreation. This is where we will start this week’s exploration.

The Mississippi

It was zero-dark-thirty when the alarm sounded to roust me from bed for an early morning photo shoot. We were bound for Lansing, Iowa, a Mississippi River town about 45 minutes south of LaCrosse where our group was lodged. It was a chilly, pitch dark morning, no moon to guide the way. When we pulled into the parking lot of S&S Houseboat Rentals, Blake, the business owner and licensed river pilot, had a pontoon ready to take us out on the River for a morning photo shoot. As he headed north into the morning breeze, we zipped up our jackets, pulled our caps over our ears, and fumbled with our cameras through bulky gloves.

Blake told us he had come back to Lansing after spending several years in Atlanta. He wanted to raise his family in a small community far from the traffic and crime of the big city. He bought the seasonal business seven years prior and seems to have done well. He said that business was good until the water levels reached high levels for about six weeks in June and July when no navigation was permitted. Blake was fun to be around and tried his best to maneuver the vessel into position for good photographs.

A couple of the photographers in our group enjoy taking photos of birds. Here’s a photo of them with their cameras ready to capture some shots.

Although I’m not much of a bird photographer, I did give it a try with the longest lens I had in my kit. The longest was in my truck parked at the landing. A missed opportunity for sure.

We saw a lot of pelicans, Canada geese, egrets, and eagles as Blake steered the pontoon through the backwaters of the Mississippi. I lost count of how many eagles we saw that morning but it was a lot.

When the sun started to shed light on the landscape, I pointed my camera in all directions to capture the scenes. Here are a few of my photos taken as the sun rose.

Sometimes, the interesting photos were those of the reflections in the water or the wave action generated by the pontoon.

Towards the end of our time on the water, Blake stopped at a houseboat he had moored along the river. He rents out time on the houseboat without the renters having to pilot the boat on the river. He cranked up the generator and made us a pot of coffee that went well with the remaining Kwik Trip donuts he had on the pontoon. It was a refreshing stop and a chance to warm up after a chilly morning on the River. Blake took a photo of the group from the top of the houseboat.

And here’s me in a total fail at a selfie!

After spending nearly four hours on the River, we headed into Lansing for an early lunch and more hot drinks to warm up.

Mount Hosmer

In the city of Lansing is Mount Hosmer, a city park that provides a panoramic view of the Mississippi. We made the twisting drive up to the summit 450 feet above the River.

While we were at the park, I met this fellow. Unfortunately, I misplaced my notes and don’t recall his name. If I remember his story correctly, he told me he walks up Mount Hosmer every day although as he ages the walk gets slower. He is a 20-year Air Force veteran and was at one time stationed at Minot AFB near where I grew up. He said his wife was from the area and had a large extended family around Lansing. What a joy to meet a jolly, friendly man by chance.

Driftless Area Education and Visitors Center

South of Lansing on a bend in the River is the Driftless Area Education and Visitors Center. This three-story center is operated by Allamakee County for the purpose of promoting environmental education programs for youth, adults, and conversation groups. There were exhibits on the formation of the Driftless and several displays of animals that live and thrive in the Driftless. The view of the River from the top floor balcony was excellent. Here are a few photos.

As we headed back to LaCrosse on the Iowa/Minnesota side of the River, we stopped a few places where there were overlooks and large gatherings of birds. It was a fun day of photography.

Around LaCrosse

The next morning after a leisurely breakfast at the hotel, three of us met up with Jerry, a member of the LaCrosse Area Camera Club who would be our guide for the day. I’ve gotten to know Jerry over the years, he’s known as Mr. Wizard for his interesting ways of using photography to record science experiments. It was nice to see him again.

Since the morning was a bit foggy, we headed to an area along the Mississippi to shoot the fog rising off the water.

The next stop on our tour was Grandad Bluff Park that overlooks the city of LaCrosse and the Mississippi River. This view rises nearly 600 feet above the surrounding area and provides a panoramic view of the valley below. Some say it’s the best view in the whole State of Wisconsin. It’s pretty nice but not sure I’d go that far. I was to Grandad Bluff many years ago, it’s changed a lot with many improvements to the path to the overlook, restrooms, and signage. Many tour buses make the climb to discharge their passengers for a look/see at the view. On this day the fog was still hanging over the city.

Next up was a walk at Myrick Park and the Myrick Marsh. This is LaCrosse’s oldest park, the flat walking trails take visitors along the Marsh where there were gaggles of Canada geese, ducks, egrets, and other birds of interest. It was a nice peaceful walk after we passed through a gauntlet of middle-schoolers on a science field trip. They were loud but having fun. Maybe learning something too.

We were soon back in the car headed for Goose Island Park and Campground. This huge park a few miles south of LaCrosse on the Mississippi River offers opportunities for wildlife viewing, fishing, boating, camping, and other outdoor recreation pursuits. We met up with the two photographers that were with another guide from the camera club. We made several stops in the park to shoot photos. Here are a few that I took.

Jerry guided us back into town where we had a nice lunch at the Hungry Peddler located in a building dating from 1911. A nice place, a great waitress, and excellent food. Afterwards, we stopped for an ice cream to top off lunch. We said thanks and good-bye to Jerry. He was a great guide to all things LaCrosse.

Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe

About 15 minutes south of LaCrosse is the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe. The Shrine was built in the early 2000s on 100 acres donated to the Diocese of LaCrosse. There is a visitor center with a gift shop, a votive candle chapel, a memorial to the unborn, and a Shrine Church. My goal was not religious but to photograph the grounds and buildings. Here’s what I came away with.

I stopped at the gift shop just before leaving. I noticed this display and wondered what made it Catholic?

The next morning after breakfast, I bid farewell to my photography friends. It was another fun reunion, I’m looking forward to the 10th anniversary reunion. On the way out of town, I couldn’t resist stopping at world’s largest six-pack for my final photo. These 54 foot high storage tanks were built across the street from the G. Heileman Brewing Company in 1969 then painted with the brewery’s flagship brand, Old Style. Later the brewery was sold and the tanks covered with white paint. However, due to popular demand, the brewery began making Old Style again and the six-pack repainted. Thank goodness, this six-pack has served as symbol of LaCrosse for over 50 years.

That does it for this week. Next week, I begin a long series of posts on our recent trip to Mexico.

Until then, happy travels!

Tom

PS: Click here for a link to the post about my book “Farm Boy.” Contact me if you are interested in purchasing a copy. Thanks to all have plunked down your hard earned dollars and read the book. TM