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Great River Road

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Peggy L. View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Peggy L. Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Great River Road
    Posted: 13 Oct 2012 at 12:44pm

We just returned from a 34 day, 4700 mile trip. As usual, our autumn trips are the best. The weather is usually cooperative and the campgrounds are not generally crowded.

We had several goals for this trip. First order of business was to take the pod to Couch’s to have the lighting installed. I had made an appointment a couple of weeks before and they were all ready for us and did a fantastic job of the installation.

While we were waiting for the pod, we secured a campsite at Hueston Woods SP for the night and spent the morning hanging out there sans pod. When we brought the pod back to the site we were confused. It looked as if there was someone in our site, and darned if that someone wasn’t another pod. Well it turned out that it was in the site next to us. We enjoyed meeting Billooote, who used to post on this board years ago, and had a good time chatting with him. Others in the campground asked how many more pods we expected. We didn’t even expect each other.
 
Then we went to visit with our son and his family in Missouri and drop off some things that he has been storing in our attic for the past 20 years. We had a nice visit with them and then pushed west.
 

At about Salina, KS we started heading north via US-81 through Nebraska, South Dakota and North Dakota. From Fargo we went east to Itasca State Park and the headwaters of the Mississippi River. Then we headed east along the river as far as Grand Rapids staying at the Pokegama Dam COE Campground.

We were undecided about how to travel after that. Apparently the river is not very visible through the Twin Cities and we had no desire to drive through heavy traffic. One of our neighbors recommended Interstate State Park that straddles the St. Croix River and is located in both Wisconsin and Minnesota. It was fun being able to walk across the bridge into another state.

From there we picked up the Great River Road at the confluence of the St. Croix and Mississippi Rivers. What a beautiful road! All that was between us and the river was the railroad tracks. There were a lot of roomy pull offs overlooking the river. And we only drove 70-80 miles a day (or every other day) through this stretch, stopping at Corps of Engineers campgrounds all along the river. When we hit Muscatine, Iowa we realized that the road strayed from the river on both sides, blocked by industry in Illinois and farms in Iowa. It was about time to start heading east anyway. We stopped at the RPod factory along the way to have the microwave replaced. (I’ve detailed this experience in a separate post.)

The pods were out in force. In addition to Bill’s we saw pods: heading east on I-80; in Lake Itasca SP; northbound in I-35 in Minnesota; at West Branch SP in Ohio and Promised Land SP in Pennsylvania. The camp host at Thomson Causeway in Illinois told us that a pod had left just before we got there. The pods do leave an impression and people remember them.

We feel that the spoiler improved our gas mileage but I haven’t run the final figures yet. The biggest factor seems to be wind direction. Driving up US81 it was all flat. With a good tailwind we were getting 13.5 mpg. The next day the wind changed to a headwind and we dropped down to 10.5.

Our favorite campgrounds this trip were: Venango Park (COE) Kanopolis, KS; Lake Poinsett State Park, Arlington, SD; Pokegama Dam (COE), Grand Rapids, MN; and Shady Creek (COE), Muscatine, IA. At Shady Creek we backed right up to the river and got to watch barges and paddleboats passing by.

After two and a half years, we still love our pod. We’ve been back four days and would happily take off again tomorrow if we could.

Traveling with Herb and the Boon-doggie

2010 r-pod 171 pulled by '11 Silverado
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Ratdog Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 Oct 2012 at 12:55pm
Sounds like a fun trip.
 
Did you walk across the Mississippi River when you were in Itasca?
 
-- Steve

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Peggy L. View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Peggy L. Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 Oct 2012 at 1:25pm
I did but the fellow with me managed to forget his shoes and didn't want to risk those rocks in moccasins.
Traveling with Herb and the Boon-doggie

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote gnawbone Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Dec 2012 at 8:31pm
Hi Peggy, just read this and am wondering what lighting you had installed at Couch's.
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Peggy L. View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Peggy L. Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Dec 2012 at 10:09pm
The original pods were built without the correct lighting (identification light bar on top and front and rear lights on the fenders) and the pods were recalled to install this lighting. You can read more than you ever wanted to know about it under the warranty and recall section of this message board.
Traveling with Herb and the Boon-doggie

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote sammycamper Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Feb 2013 at 8:38am
I live in Minnesota about 40 miles from the Mississippi and The Great River Road. It has become an addictive favorite for me, whether by motorcycle or car. I grew up in New York State, just south of the Finger Lakes and wine country, and lived a couple years in southern California. Each one had great scenery and road trips to offer, but none better than The Great River Road. My favorite section is from around Hager City, WI down to the bridge below Fountain City, WI. I'm also fond of the area around McGregor, IA and Prairie Du Chein, WI.
 
I'm glad you had a chance to experience it, and I always like hearing from people who discovered this nearby treasure for the first time.
 
Sam
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote sammycamper Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Apr 2013 at 1:07pm

Peggy L, I just re-read your post and realized that I neglected to thank you for the helpful information about campsites and such, and for such a well written account of your trip.

 
We're still suffering from rain/snow in our forecast deep into next week. We had camping reservations for this weekend, but re-scheduled for mid-May. Our camper is still buried deep in a pole barn, surrounded by boats that would normally be in the water by now.
 
So, it helps to at least be able to read a reminder of the sort of experiences we can look forward to when Winter finally loosens its nasty grip.
 
Thank you.
 
Sam

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Peggy L. View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Peggy L. Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Apr 2013 at 5:46pm
Sam,
I'm glad you enjoyed it. We had such a good time that trip. We try not to not let winter stop us. You don't say where you're from but "pole barn" and a recent snow say Michigan to me.

We had our pod down to Florida for the month of January and made it back home just in time for a snowstorm that delivered over two feet and left us powerless for a few days. We are right now on the first night of a new adventure that will take us west and possibly south in search of warmer weather. Right now it's 40 degrees outside the pod but toasty inside.
Traveling with Herb and the Boon-doggie

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote DixiePod Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Apr 2013 at 2:15pm
Peggy,
You will have to make it down to Louisiana one day and see our part of the Great River Road!  History abounds and so much to see!
2010 R-Pod 172 "DixiePod"
Tow vehicle: 2001 Expedition (V-8 Triton)
Just podding along Looziana style!
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