On the road by 8:00 a.m. this morning.
Stopped by to visit Lincoln's Tomb.
Mary and four of their children are interred with him.
Started out on SR125W. Stopped in Ashland for a great breakfast. Very small town but I'd recommend The Crockpot Cafe for breakfast to anyone. Had farm-fresh eggs, biscuit w/gravy, fresh bacon, fried potatoes, toast and coffee. It was so big it required two plates for delivery. I didn't clean both. (There were a couple of potato pieces left.)
Continued west on SR125 to Virginia (Illinois), taking SR78N there. This nice little road winds through forested lanes to Bath, Il, a town surveyed by A.Lincoln in 1843. I continued on to Havana (Il), taking SR97N there to I-74 just outside Galesburg, Il. (Interestingly, after leaving Havana, Il I went through Cuba, Il about 20 miles up the road.)
I took I-74 to just outside Rock Island, IL, ("the Rock Island line is a mighty good line, the Rock Island line is the road to ride") looping around Davenport (IA) on I-80, taking US67N at Le Claire, IA and staying on it to Clinton, IA. Took US30E over the Mississippi River at Clinton joining to SR84N to Galena.
I was pleasantly surprised at quantity and size of the hills in this area.
These views are about two miles south of Galena.
Galena, of course, was the town U.S. Grant was living in when the Civil War broke out. He'd been there about a year working in his father's leather business.
Grant's Home in Galena
Of course, a tour bus pulled in just before I got there and everyone lined up outside to to in.
Grant's view looking across a small valley to the town of Galena.
While I visisted and took pictures at Grant's house, Betsy-the-Kaw stood guard in the parking lot below.
Left Galena still on SR84/20N, taking SR20N when the two routes split just outside of town.
Took SR20N to East Dubuque, Il, taking US61N there to La Crosse.
My plan was to stay in La Crosse for tonight but there were no rooms available in town. They are celebrating Octoberfest and, unlike last night in Springfield, I didn't get lucky and get a room in spite of all the festivities.
One of the clerks at one hotel told me she thought I could get a room in Winona, MN about 30 miles from La Crosse. So, off I went on I-90W crossing, yet again, the Mississippi and then taking US61N immediately to Winona. Problem? Yep. It's getting dark-thirty and running along the Mississippi the wind is gusting to about 35 mph and it's getting colder than a mother-in-law's kiss. But I persevered and made it to Winona. (I was really looking forward to a stay in a town named after one of the Judds.)
My luck wasn't holding out though. Evidently it was Parent's night at the local college and every hotel room in Winona was booked.
So, now it's full dark and I don't have a room. Tried to get something to eat in Winona, but every restaurant in town was SRO, so I gassed up and headed out on SR43 joining to I-90 again about six miles out of Winona. There was nothing anywhere until I pulled into Rochester, MN about 8:15 p.m. ready to admit myself to the Mayo Clinic if I didn't find a hotel room soon. Fortunately, I did. God only knows what a night's stay at the Mayo hotel costs.
Tomorrow: North to see where the James and Younger boys got their heads handed to them in Northfield, MN.
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