Cross Country Adventure 2022 (day 3)

 Rochester/Marion Campground, Rochester, MN

17 July 2022. 

Crossing the mighty Mississippi River at La Crosse, Wisconsin - Dresbach, Minnesota: 

 US Lock & Dam # 7

Marc-  Today we finished crossing Ohio, then Indiana, then Illinois, then Wisconsin and landed in Minnesota.  Most of the trip was like driving in New England with lots of farmland and a few cities.  We got through the outskirts of Chicago but were caught in some construction traffic (yes even on a Sunday).  Sue drove through the worst of the traffic part of the trip and shared some of the rural driving.

The most exciting part of this day was crossing the Mississippi River at Lock # 7.  It is difficult to see in the photo but there is a large tugboat and three barges waiting to pass through the lock.  Other points of interest were Elkhart, Indiana (where our camper was built as well as most other US made campers).  There was also an RV Museum, we saw that Haulmark trailers are built there, as well as pontoon boats.

Home of camper and other manufacturers.

Our rig is small compared to most in rest areas.

French influence.

Rocky outcroppings 

Welcome to Minnesota

We saw this screen most of the day today.

The corn here is very tall.

Corn field and grain silos

 

Cross Country Adventure 2022

15 July 2022

Vergennes, VT

Sue and I went rowing on Lake Champlain the night before our departure.  Looking for eagles by the NY Palisades at Split Rock Mountain.

Marc- We left our driveway at 08:16 and headed West (Our plan is to travel to the Olympic National Park, Washington) with Blue (our Chevy Silverado High Country) and our camper trailer.   Nice uneventful ride with sunny weather to Canandaigua campground near Rochester, NY.  We enjoyed seeing the Erie Canal and passing many trawlers heading West.  Our campground has nice trees and our site was on the shore of a pond.  Our friends Cathy and Paul Humphrey came by to take us to dinner at a nice Italian restaurant with live entertainment (a singer/musician who enjoyed singing Frank Sinatra tunes).

Canandaigua campground

16 July 2022

Toledo KOA, Ohio

Marc-  We had a good drive over to the Western edge of Ohio passing through a slice of Pennsylvania.  Lots of vineyards in Western NY and PA then cornfields in Ohio.  One mishap along the way in that a spring bar is missing from our weight distribution hitch.  We found a Camping World near here that unfortunately did not have the correct part. 

We are at the Western end of Lake Erie tonight about in the center of this map.

Cruise Week day 10

Steph took this moonlight photo of the Point Bay Marina Mooring field.  

 Point Bay Marina Moorings, Charlotte, VT

10 July 2022

Marc-  Today we finished off loading the boat and also putting on newly repaired sailcovers. 

In the evening we visited Button Bay State Park for some exercise.  During tis walk we met two female turtles attempting to lay eggs and a buck in the woods.   

Cruise Week day 9

Point Bay Marina Moorings, Charlotte, VT

Marc-  We awoke to beautiful weather at Willsboro , NY for our final day of this trip ( 70's, sunshine and a favorable wind of 10-15 knots from the Northwest.   Lucy III left her slip at 10:30 and motored out of the Bay.  We set all sails once in the main Lake and enjoyed a great sail all the way to PBM.  Lots of sailboats on the Lake this day.  

Once at Point Bay Marina dock, we refueled ($ 225.00 to fill both tanks ... ouch).  Sue and Stephanie quickly unloaded our gear and extra food items that we transferred to our camper for a cross-country road trip next week.  The boat did well on this trip with one exception: weed clogged air conditioning water intake led to a shutdown of the system.  I cleaned out the weeds but still have not reset the unit.  

Cruise week day 8

 Willsboro Marina, Willsboro, NY

Marc-  we enjoyed anther great breakfast at the Burton Island Cafe. Lucy III left the dock at 10:10 to make the 11:00 Grand Isle Drawbridge opening.  We ended up waiting since there were two sailboats coming East that had right of way.  no problems coming through the bridge.  The Gut was very calm as well as the Western Lake above Cumberland Head.  There was some wind for sailing after the ferries over to Valcour Island.  The winds were light and from the South from there to Willsboro.  Nice marina and a great end of cruise cook out and pirate party.  

Cruise Week day 6

Swimming with the fish

More fish

 6 July 2022

Burton Island State Park Dock, Burton Island VT

Marc-  Another beautiful day here in paradise. Partly cloudy and 78 degrees with a light NE wind. We enjoyed breakfast at the Island Store and then hiked around the Island. Steph rented a bike.  Lots of flowers in bloom here.  Time to relax and read.