2023 Mississippi River Rendezvous September 22-24

[Rockhead]

We’re thinking of coming to this rally. Is it booked up and exactly were is it being held. Saw post above that it has moved

[Steven M]

Originally Posted by Rockhead

We’re thinking of coming to this rally. Is it booked up and exactly were is it being held. Saw post above that it has moved

Recreation.gov look for Thomson causeway, if you find a site for the dates of the rally take it. Most sites are within walking distance of the main group and the low number sites area short drive. There is parking available around the loop. Hopefully we will see you there.



FWIW there are usually cancellations nearer to the rally if nothing is available.

[HABBERDABBER]

5 or so years ago it was moved to a drier location due to Fall flooding.

Thomson, Illinois and the campground are in the Northwest of the state, across the river from Clinton, Iowa.

Go to the very 1st post in this thread, announcing dates and details.

[Iowa Dave]

We were at Scott County park in September of 2016. Otherwise we’ve been at Thompson except the year when we were at Fisherman’s Corner upriver from East Moline Illinois

Though there are many counties named Carroll County in the USA including where Thomson Illinois is located, there’s only one Dolly Parton.

Can’t guarantee apples this year as pollination is just upon us but the dog parade is definitely on.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yxg3COJcElM

Iowa Dave

[Chasing Trials]

Originally Posted by splitting_lanes

I found the flood warning on line for Illinois/Iowa - the river is ar 21.7 feet as of a few hours ago and is going to peak tonight at 22.3 feet. Flood stage is 16 feet. Correction: peak tomorrow night

I don’t have a visual on if the camp sites we stayed in last year are under water. The site I was in couldn’t have been more than 5 feet elevation above the River. I recall the bathrooms were a little bit elevated out there, I’m sure to avoid waste from the contaminating the River when it floods.

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.9922...g%2F11sssqjjhr

Yes, this year is a bad flooding year. Just called my Brother in Prairie. His boat is in Harpers Ferry, IA. Hasn't been able to get there for days(has a tiny cabin in/on the "Island's there), roads closed on both sides of The River. Freight Train accident on Wis. side at Ferryville. Lansing IA, bridge closed, etc. I asked about the dead trees from the all year flooding. Said, they are still holding, old maple root systems.

[Iowa Dave]

I’m in Lansing today for a visitation and a look around.
Iowa Dave.

[HABBERDABBER]

Ya might as well go the extra mile, or 10 and resupply at the New Albin, Iowa, City Meat Market. Yumm.

[Iowa Dave]

Originally Posted by HABBERDABBER

Ya might as well go the extra mile, or 10 and resupply at the New Albin, Iowa, City Meat Market. Yumm.

Didn’t make the loop up to New Albin. I have friends there though and in fact at Lansing my good friend D.D.Weymiller has his tow and heavy equipment as he’s been a contractor on the river for the 59 years I’ve known him. The one pic is across the road from his tow with the power plant in the background. Right across the road from the flooded baseball diamond. Don had the contract to push the coal barges into the power plant for many years.

We were in Lansing for a funeral of a friend and family relative. Then down to Yellow River SF. The road between Marquette and McGregor was closed so did not go up and and around to Pikes Peak. The railroad tracks were about a foot above the water and though Elephants in general usually have an affinity for water, the pink elephant at Marquette was sandbagged to keep his toes dry.

Blue bells are blooming, Trout we’re feeding in Little Paint, Dairy Queen in Manchester had a 4 course gourmet meal for $7. It was a good day for everyone but Sam Hill.
Iowa Dave

[splitting_lanes]

Originally Posted by Chasing Trials

Yes, this year is a bad flooding year. Just called my Brother in Prairie. His boat is in Harpers Ferry, IA. Hasn't been able to get there for days(has a tiny cabin in/on the "Island's there), roads closed on both sides of The River. Freight Train accident on Wis. side at Ferryville. Lansing IA, bridge closed, etc. I asked about the dead trees from the all year flooding. Said, they are still holding, old maple root systems.

That looks like an interesting spot on the River. I’d never seen the places where the locks are, and that’s just below a lock and the river is wide and covered with islands. When I retire and have more time to explore, the Mississippi River is high on the list.

[Chasing Trials]

Originally Posted by splitting_lanes

That looks like an interesting spot on the River. I’d never seen the places where the locks are, and that’s just below a lock and the river is wide and covered with islands. When I retire and have more time to explore, the Mississippi River is high on the list.

Yes, it was farmland before the locks were putting in. My Great Grandfather, farmed, Fish farmed, raised mink, & built a cabin on 4' telephone poles, on the highest ground. Even with that, the 65 flood came up about 3' inside. It was there & used for Generations for 140 yrs, until lightening burnt it to the ground about 5 yrs ago. Just after they put a demand Hot water heater, shower & a toilet in!!!! See water tower) As kids it was only an outhouse with bats!!!

[Iowa Dave]

Originally Posted by splitting_lanes

That looks like an interesting spot on the River. I’d never seen the places where the locks are, and that’s just below a lock and the river is wide and covered with islands. When I retire and have more time to explore, the Mississippi River is high on the list.

Here’s a link to a great opportunity that is not all that expensive that will let folks further appreciate the ecology of the river. Add visits to the Driftless centers in Lansing and Marquette and a visit to Yellow River state forest where you can camp, photograph, trout fish and see Cerulean warblers, Scarlet Tanagers, in the Oak woods and Red Shouldered hawks soaring over Iowa’s only fire tower, and you will have approached the complete recreation experience about as close as you can get. In my not so humble opinion.
Throw in the Meteor shower at the beginning of August or hunting for and finding a nice bread sack full of morel mushrooms in mid May on a cool dewy morning among the May apples and Jack in the Pulpits and you’re there.

https://www.google.com/search?q=exo+...ile-gws-wiz-hp
Iowa Dave

[Chasing Trials]

Driftless centers in Lansing. My brother & I stopped in there after visiting my cousin in Lansing. Some of my Father side of the Family is listed there in the Fishing history area. My Father did a talk/display in his shell club in Sanibel Island, about the button trade there. Mean to see if they want some of it. There is a short but Steep drive or hike up to the top of bluff Mt Hosmer Park, over looking Lansing & The River, behind my cousin's house. I'll add, stop in to buy REAL catfish(not farm raised) at Mohn fish Market. On the Great River Road between Lansing & Harpers.

[splitting_lanes]

Originally Posted by Iowa Dave

Here’s a link to a great opportunity that is not all that expensive that will let folks further appreciate the ecology of the river. Add visits to the Driftless centers in Lansing and Marquette and a visit to Yellow River state forest where you can camp, photograph, trout fish and see Cerulean warblers, Scarlet Tanagers, in the Oak woods and Red Shouldered hawks soaring over Iowa’s only fire tower, and you will have approached the complete recreation experience about as close as you can get. In my not so humble opinion.
Throw in the Meteor shower at the beginning of August or hunting for and finding a nice bread sack full of morel mushrooms in mid May on a cool dewy morning among the May apples and Jack in the Pulpits and you’re there.

https://www.google.com/search?q=exo+...ile-gws-wiz-hp
Iowa Dave

Thanks for the info on the eco tour boat rides. One of these days I’ll do a ride on a paddle wheel River boat. Eating while on board is even better!

Originally Posted by Chasing Trials

Yes, it was farmland before the locks were putting in. My Great Grandfather, farmed, Fish farmed, raised mink, & built a cabin on 4' telephone poles, on the highest ground. Even with that, the 65 flood came up about 3' inside. It was there & used for Generations for 140 yrs, until lightening burnt it to the ground about 5 yrs ago. Just after they put a demand Hot water heater, shower & a toilet in!!!! See water tower) As kids it was only an outhouse with bats!!!

Did they ever rebuild anything there? Shame that it burned down after surviving the floods.

[Iowa Dave]

Two additional stops in the area that area of note to those with an interest in Native American history and culture are the Fish Farm Mounds site and Effigy mounds. Nice hiking, lots of Neotropical warblers in the spring and early summer, Free, and not really crowded.
Don’t forget the attractions to the west a few miles including the Bily brothers clock museum, the locker plant at Provitin, Iowa and the tractor museum at Froelich. It helps if you speak Czech up there.

Anecdote Alert:
My older daughter went to school with the opera singer Janera Kellerman. She can outsing the aforementioned Cerulean Warblers and returned to the area a while back. Janera sang some music written by Antonin Dvorak who also wrote The New World Symphony while he stayed with the Bohemian Bily brothers of Clock building fame near Spillville.

You can fish Bohemian Creek near there for trout but the local boys usually fish it pretty hard. Lots of white suckers though.

https://www.bigrivermagazine.com/br....m%20Mounds.pdf

https://www.google.com/search?q=effi...ile-gws-wiz-hp

https://www.google.com/search?q=bily...ile-gws-wiz-hp

Iowa Dave

[Escape_19]

Originally Posted by HABBERDABBER

Ya might as well go the extra mile, or 10 and resupply at the New Albin, Iowa, City Meat Market. Yumm.

We live about straight across the river from New Albin.

City Meat Market is a great meat market , my wife ays she wishes they could make calonge that smells like that..

[Chasing Trials]

[QUOTE=Did they ever rebuild anything there? Shame that it burned down after surviving the floods.[/QUOTE]


My Brother "quietly" built a small cabin(the major 2/3s owner now), I think about 8' x10' or 12', as the power generation building (Model T engines!), was OK. There is no grandkids to come behind any owner, so why? Plus the Government/ building code type stuff, (septic, water, etc.) would Never let what was grandfathered in. There were like 8 cabins around when I was a kid. Down to one other. Sad, that you can still see the Cabin & boat ramp on Google Maps Satellite. Top of Taylor Lakes.

[Iowa Dave]

Originally Posted by Escape_19

We live about straight across the river from New Albin.

City Meat Market is a great meat market , my wife ays she wishes they could make calonge that smells like that..

Tell her to rub a little Jaternice under each arm while you go get a Louisville Slugger to beat back would be Czech suitors.
Iowa Dave

[Sailor now Trailer]

Hello fellow Escapee's,
We recently purchased a 2016, 21C and we are signed up for the rendezvous in September. Questions for those who have attended in past years: do the water spigot(s) have threaded fittings so one can connect their hose to fill the water tank? Are there multiple places to get water?
Thanks, and we'll see everyone in September.
Tom McMaster
Rose Hansmeyer

[Iowa Dave]

Yes on threads and yes on multiple hookup locations.. If by chance you need to dump your tanks you can do that as you enter the park on the access road from Thompson. Once at
the campground there are a number of Iowa Pattern Frost proof hydrants. They are not specific to any one site and are community watering access hydrants.with standard hose bib threads.
In addition if you find you need water during your stay you can find me at a site in the mid forties and I will loan you a five gallon water jug to top your tank off.
If you fill your grey tank while you’re there, you can decant five or so gallons into a bucket with a lid and take it to the shower house location at rhe entry to the Rendezvous loop where there’s an easy to use dump facility ( not accessible for dumping from the trailer but handy from a bucket) or auxiliary rolling tank if you have one of those. I use a bucket with a lid or a good cat litter bucket with a metal handle.
Looking forward to meeting you both .
If you are bringing a dog, don’t forget his or her optional costume for the dog parade on Saturday morning.
I just mentioned the parade to our dog Jake and as you can see he got very excited.
Iowa Dave

[fudge_brownie]

Based on my limited experience with potable water, I am quite good with flood water, it is best to fill at the dump station or at home. The hose runs can be quite lengthy though some spigots are near the roadway.