Skip to main content

400 Miles For Rhubarb Jam





In what is a surprisingly sparse post photographically, Tim, Diane and I took a nice long ride up North last week.  I didn't take notes, and apparently precious few pics, so I'll try to remember as best I can.  Long?  How long?  Over 400 miles.  If you include my trip to BFE, then approximately 445 miles.  

Our destination was Guttenberg, Iowa, northwest of Dubuque.  Our quest was an overlook there, but not for the scenic aspects - there are vendors there selling rhubarb jam.  We're serious about our rhubarb addiction here.  

Our first stop after a somewhat confusing (it doesn't take much to baffle me) trip through Colona, we ended up in Port Byron and a brief visit with bro and sis-in-law at their place.  Then, after a little hydration at Riley's Roadhouse in Cordova, we headed up to Palisades to view the overlook there.   








Palisades is a bit of a local treasure.  Never miss an opportunity to swing into state parks - they might really be worthwhile. Sometimes, like Delabar, they turn into something less than thrilling, but often they are quite nice.  




While gassing up somewhere I couldn't help not noticing this beauty pulling out.  I'm not a big muscle car guy but that GTO is a real beauty.  If he needs garage space, I can help him out.

After getting lost twice in Dubuque (that just adds spice to any trip) where the most interesting site were nipple rings (huh?),  we escaped that congestion and headed northwest to Guttenberg.

Along the way we stopped at this place to take in the view. 




This whole area up here is popular with bikers and why not?  Great roads, scenic vistas at every turn, and biker-friendly businesses.    



We finally made the overlook outside of Guttenberg and there they were, the Holy Grail of Vendors.  I purchased a couple jars of rhubarb jam, and Tim bought some honey.  

After this we stopped at the Roadhouse for brunch/lunch/supper and then off to race the sun home.  We don't ride in the rain or dark so we took Route 61 back down to the Quad-Cities like three bats out of Hell.  Well, that's not really true.  I speed every chance I get but Tim and Diane stay at the speed limit.  

We made it fine back to our peel-off at Viola, and the trip and quest was over.  My ass was doing a durvish trying to allay the pain-numb, but I had my rhubarb and a great day of riding to show for it.  
I should end this post now, but I must confess:  I boxed up my prize jars of rhubarb in a care package for Norah.  One jar for Kenzie and her family,and the other for our Columbian neighbors at Bedlam.  

My ass will heal, my memories are intact and I'm enjoying Northlandia.  Let's ride again soon, guys.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Flashback Friday

Class, Or Lack Thereof The Dwight Vice gravestone in Oquawka, Illinois. I bring this old chestnut out every so often just to remind me that class is classless.  Dwight Vice was killed in his home near Oquawka in 2001.  It was one of those things that can generate crime:  two guys thought Dwight had a lot of money stashed at home because of his pot-selling sideline to supplement his fishing job.   Not really one of those big drug deals gone-bad things.  Marijuana was, according to the trial, about the only stuff Dwight sold.   But these two guys barge into the house and killed Dwight and attempted to kill his 11 year old kid, Darryl, before they took off with what money they could find.   His son, now 23, was stabbed in the back and left for dead.  He survived and is wheelchair bound and has undergone several surgeries to repair his wounds.  He will be paralyzed for life.   None of this is pleasant.  Reading the facts of the murder and attempted murder are most unpleasant
Post a Comment
Read more

Summer Swim

It's Monday and the start of another work week.  Except for me.  I have the week off because the parents of my daycare charges are taking the week off, too. This is one of those wordless posts I love on Mondays so I can put my laziness in full view of loyal readers.  These pics need no words.  Why muddy the waters?   They were taken at the pool at Sinkhole Estates aka Death Valley.  The nice thing about this pool is it is heated in winter.  If one must find positives in one's situation, I suppose that is one.  But, please, no more.   
Post a Comment
Read more

Florida Air Museum - Part 3

Welcome back to a pretty neat tour of the Florida Air Museum in Lakeland Florida.  There's a lot to see and a couple of the old Geezer Gold Wing guys are already sitting down instead of walking around looking at the exhibits. That's John who is wore out and making a call to his wife.  In all honesty, John was pretty well bushed before the ride.  He told me his daughter's family was down from one of the Carolina's with the grand kids and he must have played with them too much.   He's about to take off on his own and head for home, but he's going to miss a couple of neat things out on Hangar A.   But, before we walk over there, we have lots yet to see here.  If you saw The Aviator with Leonardo DiCaprio playing Howard Hughes, you'll remember that he went up in a plane during the filming of one of his movies to prove a point about flying.  He crashed trying to execute a roll and this is a picture of the plane he crashed.  Note the propeller
1 comment
Read more