O-OH, Say Can You See.........

We didn't have time to carve our names in the tree

Wednesday was a pretty spectacular day.  We saw 10 bald eagles in the wild!  They were beautiful as they flew in the air, sat in the trees and walked on the sand.  I've never seen them in the wild, and it was quite a treat!

Another interesting thing we did in Prairie du Chen was take a paddleboat ride on the Mississippi River.  As we made our way upriver we were following a towboat pushing some barges upriver.  As we got closer to a railway trestle we saw the trestle turn sideways so that the barge could go thru.  We were told that the distance between the trestles was 135 feet and the barge was 120 feet wide.  To see the towboat push the barge thru that small space was spectacular, especially considering the fact it was being done from the rear of the barge.

We learned a few things about barges and towboats.

We were also told that a towboat has the capability of pushing 15 barges at one time.  If all 15 barges are loaded to capacity, that equals to 900 semi-truck fulls!!!!  Wow!

After leaving Prairie du Chen we headed towards Red Wing, MN.  We followed the river almost the whole way.  It was so pretty, so lazy looking, that it was hard to imagine it boiling with ice and flooding waters in the spring.  We passed thru some very old but very pretty small towns.  Most of the town signs would list < 1500 populations and one even listed 176 residents.

My sister Martha and her husband, Dave, are birding enthusiasts.  We are being introduced to many birds and nature things that most people don't get to experience on vacations.  It has been much fun and we are learning alot.  For instance, we stopped at a nature place yesterday way way out in the boonies.  Some wildlife preserve.  We get out there and it was spectacular.  There was even a high-powered scope set up for birders to observe wildlife.  Very trustworthy, these nature folks.  We had a driving tour and saw birds and woodpeckers.  Even saw a deer cross the road.  Quite fun!

Grey feathered woodpecker!   Are you impressed?