When we got up last Saturday morning, I asked Karen if she would like to do something special on this lovely, bright and sunny day. She thought a drive to see the fall colors would be just the ticket. I don’t like to drive aimlessly, so I suggested we drive to Galena, Illinois, have lunch, and look at the shops when we got there. Since we have to drive through some of the nicest parts of Iowa for autumn folliage, this worked out well.
We drove up US Highway 151 to Dubuque. For years this was a windy, narrow highway with curbs, but it is 4-lane divided the whole way now. Now and then you can still see the old road running along parallel where the new road deviates from the previous course. In Dubuque we crossed the Mississippi on the old bridge which we haven’t done for many, many years. Our current route to Sue’s (Karen’s sister) takes us over the new bridge. Once across the river, it’s just a short hop to Galena.
Galena was Ulysses S. Grant’s home town, but nowadays the town has lots and lots of shops servicing the tourist trade. Usually when this happens you get all too many water parks, fast food restaurants and chintzy souvenir shops, but Galena has somehow escaped that. Most of the shops are fairly high quality. The reason I suggest going there was they have a number of art galleries and I hoped to see some sculpture. There wasn’t much, but one shop had a couple of small bronzes. The first was a chickadee or something that was nice but unremarkable. The other was about the size of a grapefruit and was a nesting pelikan. It was beautifully done but a little out of my price range.
We wanted to go to a couple of particular shops which turned out to be of no particular interest but did see these interesting buildings off the beaten track where we parked the car.
Driving back down town we hit the main conglomeration of shops and had lunch at a nice little restaurant. Our “Wait Person” was named Andy and he was loud and had the irritating habit of squatting down next to the table like so many restaurants require their employees to do. I guess they figure that people should have eye contact on an even level and not have to look up at the waiter. Or maybe it’s to appear more friendly or something. I don’t really want to be pals with the serving staff so I find the approach intrusive. From time to time Andy would stop round and do his squat/check back. I cringed a little every time I saw him coming but he would have something interesting to say when he talked to us and by the time we left I decided he was a thoroughly nice guy.
All this shopping resulted in a lot of walking around and while I tried to have a seat when I could, I can only do so much of it before my poor old arthritic knees start to buckle. We headed back to the car and had just as nice a ride home even if the sun was in our eyes a little.
Hey! How come I got cropped out of the pic heading this entry??? I hate those servers who kneel, too. Mostly cuz I’d have to grab the table to haul myself back upright! Jealous!
Did Karen remember when we were kids and used to drive to Galena for a picnic because that is where Mom and Dad got married. We loved to see the Courthouse and Dad would tell us the Clerk’s name was Minnie D. Fitch. When we were really younger they showed us the cabins where they spent their honeymoon. It was a series of small one-room buildings that formed a motel. Mom and Dad stayed in the cabin called Lightning! Thanks for conjuring up that happy memory.
Whenever we went to visit my Aunt Gert in Mt Prospect IL, we would travel up 151 through Galena (stopping there for lunch). My Pop had a preference for the two-lane roads, even after the Interstates started showing up. I agree with Sue…nice memories.
Just stumbled on this website and was reading the comments. The comment from “Sue” caught my eye. My grandmother was Minnie D. Fitch and was the Country Clerk in Galena. No one in Galena seems to remember much about her now so I’m glad Sue’s Dad did!