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Wednesday, 06/04/03; Viroqua, Wisconsin
Joann was apprehensive about continuing without fixing the alternator and the turn indicator. Now, you might think it weird that one should think a turn indicator a necessity in a 1931 auto. However, if one wants to compete for space on the city streets and the Interstates, one needs the proper tools, especially, in an ancient auto. Hardly anyone driving today recognizes a hand or arm signal (except for a single digit!). Even if they did, it is difficult to see an arm or hand sticking from the window (especially at night) and even harder to do, particularly when it is raining! So, Joann had a point. Keith decided to drive to Dubuque, Iowa where he would get a diagnostic run on the electrical system and purchase a new “blinker” unit. Then, while the gals did the weekly laundry, Keith and Dennis would install the blinker unit and do other car maintenance chores.
A light drizzle was falling as we departed Rockford, but, thankfully, it didn’t last long. The drive was quite pleasant and through the hilly country of northwestern Illinois. We were surprised at the presence of these hills; we had always thought that Illinois was flat! The area approaching Galena is quite rolling and has a few hills steep enough to make us drop out of overdrive and think about going into second gear. We drove past President Grant’s home in Galena, but didn’t take the time to stop, although that would have been nice.
We made it to Dubuque by about 1000, found a parts store where the diagnostic was performed. The report was, “No Problem!” We bought a blinker unit, but as it turned out, the wrong one. The parts man thought it was interchangeable, but it had the wrong polarity. It didn’t make much difference, as while the gals did the laundry, Keith pulled the directional signal system apart and checked it with a good blinker unit from Dennis’ car (and Dennis proved that Keith’s unit was OK by putting the unit in his car). This operation left the unit totally incapacitated and Keith was forced to do it the old fashioned way – arm and hand signals. This added to the chore of driving. Dubuque was a surprise in that it seemed to be on the rocks. Nothing new was visible along our route; it was dingy and the streets were worn and potholed. A lady at the Laundromat said there was little work there and the young people were all moving out when they could. It looked it. Too bad -- the town is nicely situated on the Missouri River and should be attractive to the traveling public. We suppose that many, like us, use it only as a place to interchange on the Interstates.
We continued our journey into Wisconsin. Again, we were surprised by the rolling hills. For some reason we all had visions of Wisconsin being flatter. It was certainly beautiful and green. Some of the barns had a very interesting design. Instead of the typical “hipped” roof, they had a high gracefully curved roof. They were somewhat strange to our eye, but quite attractive. We imagine that they were very labor intensive to construct.
Wisconsin barn.
We stopped in a small village and found a little café where we had a very nice meal. It was a change from our picnic fare, or the occasional fast food meal. Later we decided that we would not make our target destination, La Crosse, early enough, so we stopped to have a conference by the side of the road. While discussing our situation, a flatbed tow truck stopped behind us. He had seen us pass his shop and when he saw us stopped, he halted to look over our cars as he had just purchased a Model A. He directed us to a Super 8 motel in the town of Viroqua, where we are now residing for the night. Tomorrow, we are off for parts north of Minneapolis.
From the still puzzled Four
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