Destination Driftless: The Great River Road to Dubuque

We set off for Dubuque along the Great River Road, a historic byway of the Mississippi River. Rather than building a new road, the existing network of rural roads and then-fledgling highways that crisscrossed the river, became the Great River Road back in 1938. Nearly 3,000 miles long, the Great River Road runs through 10 states along the Mississippi River (http://www.experiencemississippiriver.com/great-river-road.cfm). We watched eagles flying, tundra swans swimming, and made our way through 15 different river towns on our way to Dubuque. Our first stop was Potosi Brewery in Potosi, Wisconsin. Founded in 1852 and recently refurbished into an excellent brewpub restaurant, this place had personality. Apparently, the brothers that founded this company had a traveling bar that would pull up to county fairs and give away beer! Oh, and that beer was good.

And as we were finishing lunch, in walked our neighbor. This place is popular.

We continued on our quest for the Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium.

There are six aquariums and a 3-D theater with a great river documentary. Unfortunately, the alligator was sleeping when we were there.

These images are kind of disturbing. Probably should have used a little flash, the animals wouldn't look quite so scary. I had no idea beavers were this big.

Mike communes with his hero.

Indeed.

The rest of our trip involved gluttony. Also walking, I felt like I walked my feet off.

Remember when we would complain about Christmas cheer starting right after Thanksgiving? It isn't just retail starting right after Halloween anymore. I do love the lights though.

Chilly. Time to stop somewhere for a drink.

This place was original. Crazy art on the walls, good music, cozy, like a grad. school hangout.

And then we were off to Crust, advertised as an italian kitchen + bar. This was a casual low to medium priced dinner place (also lunch), mostly pizza, good atmosphere, not particularly crowded. They overcooked my pizza but made up for it with large mounds of spinach on each slice. I'd go back.

We woke up with the morning sun and grabbed coffees at Jitterz. Mmmm...warmed up a chilly walk through the early morning streets of Dubuque.

We had a perfectly old-school breakfast at this townie breakfast joint. We stood out. The people eating here likely eat here every day or every weekend and order the same thing every time. Your basic bacon, eggs and toast, local people living their lives, city photographs on the walls, basic and efficient service. And this is what I'd say about Dubuque. They are old-school, not trying too hard, nothing fancy, some nice restaurants and boutiques mixed in with old buildings and a city that doesn't look like it's changed too much over time.

Elevator to the bluffs. This is the Fenlon Place Elevator, operating for over 100 years and rebuilt several times due to fires and mishaps. I'm glad I didn't know about this history before climbing aboard.