July 28 to Aug. 1: Illinois and Iowa

8/3/2009

http://www.farmcollector.com/aussie-trek-across-america/july-28-to-august-1.aspx

by Ron Bywaters

Days 32 to 36

Five days have flown by and members of the group are looking relaxed and ready to start the second half of the trek bright and early on Sunday morning, with our first destination being Waterloo, Ill., on Sunday and Clarion on Monday, Aug. 3.

During the intervening days, many interesting places have been visited:

• Hannibal, Mo., to ride the Mark Twain Riverboat.
• Galesburg, Ill., to have fun with some paramedics.
• Illinois City, Ill., to visit with the editor of Farm Collector, Leslie McManus.
• John Deere Pavilion in Moline, Ill.
• Blanding Landing on the Mississippi River, one of the many lochs on the river.
• Chestnut Mountain Resort, Galena, Ill., to admire the wonderful views of the river.
• “The House on the Rock,” Spring Green, Wis., a wonderful collection of novel and imaginative displays.
• Galena to investigate the wonderful little shops full of “tourist traps.”
• And last, but by no means least, the sights and sounds of Dubuque — the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium, the Food Fair and the Fenelon Place Elevator, the world’s steepest, shortest scenic railway.

Some discussion has taken place about the proposed route and suggestions for change have been made in an effort to maintain our critical time schedule. The new route will take us from Clarion, Iowa, across to Sioux Falls, then via Mount Rushmore down to Loveland, Colo. Unfortunately, our plan to travel across Kansas will not eventuate and we apologize to those who may have been awaiting our arrival.

See photos and read more on Ron’s website, TransworldTractorTreks.com.