To the River's End: Chapter 9 Dubuque to Galena, Love of Libraries, Murphy defends himself, Glorious Galena

We spend a day resting and refitting. A visit to the laundromat where my fermenting laundry needs to be placed in the machine with a pair of tongs it's so ripe. Then to the East Dubuque Library across the river for most of the day. As a quasi homeless person, libraries become a wonderful place of refuge, akin to living rooms for the public. Some are really beautiful jewels particularly any of the turn of the century Carnegie Libraries fitted out with ornate architectural details and furnishings. Tonight's tenting spot proves to be pretty crummy. Finding spots in urbanized areas is difficult due to noise, streetlights and unwanted attention. It is still hot and muggy and I feel like a human Post-it note. I end up in a screened porchlike appendage of an abandoned ice area near the river. Poor Murphy has to sleep on concrete.

Crummy but dry place to spend the night

However, rain is forecast and it provides excellent protection when it arrives as a brief deluge early in the morning.

The next day we start what proves to be the last 400' ascent out of the river valley and into the countryside. After a heartbreaking climb we stop at the top of the hill to recover in the shade of a tree along the road. There is a farm close by where the farmer is calling back his yellow lab who keeps wandering our way and finally does so. While Murphy is greeting the lab another dog appears from behind the barn boring past the farmer and into Murphy like a torpedo in an unprovoked attack. Murphy gives as good as he gets and fights long enough for me to place a hearty kick into the brute's ribs. This gets his attention and he breaks off slinking back to his owner. I gave him a curt "Sorry about that". We do not part friends.

I have entered the state of Illinois with our destination of Galena. I am diverting off the MRT route about 15 miles to do so which soon has it's consequences of starting with a initial reasonably bike friendly road mutating into a horrible shoulderless high traffic death trap. I am forced to ditch the pavement and walk in the grass the last couple miles.

We finally get to stay at a bonafide campground called the "Palace" with showers, ice cream and even a swimming pool. It is heaven. The tenting area is vast and feels like a golf course but I am its only resident that night. Notable because usually tenters get whatever leftovers scraps of space are available.

A really nice tent site

Another rough day on the road.

I would highly recommend visiting Galena. It is like Red Wing, Minnesota but about 10 times better. The town sits on some dramatic topography and the 19th century buildings have somehow survived intact and are now restored. The main street runs parallel to the Galena river which curves lending a vaguely italian hill town feel to the main street which curves also, intersecting steep cross streets. Fine old brick facades, quirky shops, and one time home to Civil war general U.S.Grant. His house is given to him by the grateful citizens of Galena after the war where he lived for 3 years until he moved into the White House. It is open to tours.