Construction Underway on the New $88M Route 52, Sabula to Savanna Bridge
While still 6 miles away, Bicki called Lock 12 to see how it looked for us to get through. The lock master said the southbound towboat, David Fields, was going to arrive about the same time as Nellie. Since ties go to the commercial boats, we were looking at a two hour delay. With nothing to lose. We put the pedal to the metal, steered as straight as possible, and crossed our fingers. Via the AIS we could see David Fields' minute-by-minute progress. Nothing like a 6 mph race to get the competitive juices flowing. We arrived at Lock 12 to find the doors open and the green light on. David Fields was still a mile away. Bicki and I exchanged high fives.
Curse of the Arch-Top Window
Towns along the Mississippi are filled with big, square, brick buildings that were built between the mid 1800's and the early 1900's. Their aesthetically pleasing style has a gravitas which disguises the building's industrial purpose. Arch-top windows are a prominent characteristic of the style. When it comes time to replace rotting windows, building owners often economize. Sometimes, as in the picture above, smaller rectangular windows are used. Many times the window openings are simply bricked or boarded over. Either way, the resulting appearance is one of urban decay.
I'll Bet the Back of Plato's Chariot Looked A Lot Like This... My Favorite Nugget: When it comes to Thought, Some People Stop at Nothing
In the Distance
When even the picnic tables are Pontoon Boats You Know It's a Great Cruising Area
Sabula, Iowa to Dubuque, Iowa
Tonight we're in the Dubuque Municipal Marina, MM575. Before settling into the slip we took on 137 gallons of diesel at $2.50/gallon. They assured us it wasn't bio-diesel. If the fuel filters start to clog we'll know if was. There were lots of boats keeping us company on today's 45 mile trip. It's Labor Day weekend, and it shows. The total thus far is 3,965 miles. DBH
