The weekend.

What a glorious few days I have had. My appt. in Rochester could not have gone any better if I had orchestrated it myself. In fact, it played out pretty much the way I wrote in my last post. (Strangely enough!) I had the cat scan on Thursday to see how my 'insides' are looking and to quote my doctor, "It looks awesome! Perfect." Surgery is scheduled for September 9th. Finally, a real beginning to the end of this journey.

When we were done in Rochester, we set off on a mini bike trip to parts unknown! It was a great way to celebrate my little victory on Thursday. We had no agenda, really. From Rochester we went to LaCrosse, Lansing, Harpers Ferry, Prairie Du Chien where we stayed overnight. The next morning we left for Dubuque and hit a bunch of little towns along the way. Balltown most notable. There is a rather well known supper club/bar there that has been around for like 100 years. On Christmas Eve, this past winter, there was a fire and they lost most of the establishment. It is now rebuilt and quite lovely! They lost a good portion of their antique items. From what I understand from the worker there, they had quite a collection of old west items. Including things that belonged to Jesse James. A score of old guns too - although I am not a big gun fanatic.

We eventually crossed the river and began the journey back home. I have concluded that all a small (tiny) town really needs to sustain "town status" is a little bar on the corner that everyone seems to flock to. In every tiny town there were no businesses to speak of but you could count on seeing the neon beer sign in the window of at least one storefront! Name's like, "Frank's, Chippy's, The Old Tap, Freddie's Place and Lettie's Tap." They all sound strikingly friendly but we stopped by one of them for a soda and we may as well had monkeys hanging from us for the way these locals stared. Welcoming....eh, not so much!

I took a some pictures along the way- here are few neat ones and a couple rather mindless one's!

View from Mt. Hosemore look- out. The Mighty Miss.

This is my driver, again, at Mt. Hosemore. Can you tell how thrilled he is I made him sit there for 5 seconds. Oh well....What a view...!

Leaving Mt. Hosemore. Pretty.

Still leaving...Check out the goon in the rear view mirror.

Going over the bridge in Prairie.

Me outside the restaurant in Balltown (and our trusty steed).

It was a fabulous couple of days.

On another subject.....much to my delight I see there have been changes to the Redneck Crossing in my absence. Two old porcelain bath tubs now adorn the yard. A picture is now too much for me to resist.