Day 4 - Prairie du Chien (WI) to La Crosse to Winona, to Wabasha (Mn) to Mankato

We left headed up the Mississippi.  Between Wisconsin and Iowa or Minnesota, it appears to be about twice the size of the James below Hopewell.  Roads and rails run along both sides of the river. The river typically runs between bluffs and there are many islands.  The scenes below are from overlook above the island city of Winona WI.

There are numerous overlook parks. We we are picnicking at one on the way to La Crosse.

We visited the National Eagle center in Wabasha.  Allegedly there would be as many as a hundred eagles in the vicinity at times in the winter.  We saw rescued eagles and native American exhibits here.

Beth's Postscript

The Mississippi River was beautiful and majestic.  I noticed that most of the boats we saw on the river were pontoon boats.  I wonder why that is the prefered boat type?  We drove on the east side from Prairie du Chien to La Crosse, WI.  In La Crosse, there is a lovely riverfront park where a wedding was taking place.  The bridesmaids and groomsmen were wearing some very bright colors.  We enjoyed the several scenic overlooks we came to along our way up the river.  From La Crosse, we drove over  the river to Minnesota.  I guess we were then officially in the "West".
Yes, that is a real eagle with his real talons, and real sharp beak near my body!  He has the perfect "piercing" look:  his eyes seem to say "Stand back, sucker-- I'm dangerous."
After we left the river area, it was back to the cornfields and farms for about 75 miles.  I was glad to get to Mankato, MN, and the bed waiting there.