Happy Holidays!!!!

Happy Holidays from Houseboating Excusions in the Mississippi River Valley.

Click the link provided and see this wonderful Holidays Greeting Card!
http://www.jacquielawson.com/viewcard.asp?code=ER13610552

Splash Out Party 2011

Our 2011 houseboating year wasn't one of our best years with the beginning starting us out with a broken wheel bearing on our boat trailer which we worked around. The Mississippi River levels for most of the season were very high and prevented us from being able to visit some of our favorite cruise sites, many of them didn't even put their docks in this year. Even though our adventures were down just being here in the Upper Mississippi River Valley in the spring, summer, and fall is always enjoyable. There are many different houseboaters in the area and we are always meeting and making new friends.

To  end our houseboating season this year we had our own splash out party on our dock with some of our  houseboating friends. The finals months of October and early November gave us some beautiful weather that we were able to extend our season a little longer. Here are some photos of our party.

 

We are also surrounded by Green Bay Packer fans that are so dedicated to their team their houseboat is Green Bay Packer decorated.         

At the end of the season also comes with the fun chore of pumping out the septic tank one last time and a final cruise up and down the Mississippi River.

Mississippi River Transportation Role

Many of us look at the Mississippi River as a great source of recreation, we cruise the river in many different ways, some of us use houseboats, others ski-boats and canoes. But the Mississippi River plays a major role in the transportation of goods and services which helps many local economies. It is a gateway to and from world markets, the Mississippi River supplies the region with nearly 250,000 jobs and is one of the cheapest ways to ship goods. There are more than 11,000 miles of navigable water in the Mississippi River and the Upper Mississippi River Valley accounts for 1,300 miles of water. Port of La Crosse alone imports 1.2 tons in commodities valued at $154 million. That's 55 15-barge tows each carrying 22,500 tons. If you was to transport that by truck it would take 49,000 vehicles and span across 600 miles of road. That is a huge amount of goods moving up and down the river. Minnesota transports about 60 percent of its agriculture exports down the river. Port of Winona handles about 18 percent of that. Ports are always looking to increase the use of that navigational system and are always looking for more commodities that can be shipped. Using the Mississippi River as a way to transports goods is cost-effective and safer than other means of transportation. Transporting goods on the Mississippi River is approximately 63 percent cheaper than rail and 94 percent cheaper than truck. A barge can carry more, it's equal to 70 trucks and 16 rail cars, and fuel for a barge goes further too. Statistics show that for every death through water transportation, there are 155 deaths on the road and 22 on the railroad. Port of Winona is now expanding their commercial dock because demand to ship on the Mississippi River is hugely increasing, they plan to have it finished by the end of this year.
As we all enjoy our pleasure crafts on the Mississippi River, we should all take a moment and realize how important the river is, not only for pleasure but also for a productive economy. Let's all do our part to help maintain the integrity of the Mississippi River that we have all come to love.
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Banana Brew Butterflies

The Upper Mississippi River Valley has so many different beautiful things to admire, even some insects. When you are cruising the Mississippi River many times you want to take a break and stop at a sand bar, and while there you notice some beautiful butterflies flying around. We all have seen butterflies of different types but did you know that there is actually a way to lure these butterflies to your houseboat or even your home personal garden. Many houseboaters have plants on their boats and sometimes on the dock in their immediate area. Many of us enjoy everything Mother Nature provides for us and in this case it's butterfies.
We have learned that not only is there certain plants to have around to lure butterflies there is also a concoction called Banana Brew.  Here's how to make it:  Take 10 pounds of over-ripe bananas, 1 pound of dark brown sugar, and one bottle or can of dark beer. You can also use yeast.  Mix the ingredients with a blender and put into buckets or containers to ferment. Be sure to leave room for expansion of the concoction and vent your brew. You might even have butterfies show up while making the brew if done outdoors. You can use the brew right away or store it for later, just be sure to vent the brew. The brew can be poured or brushed onto logs at sandbars or bring a piece of driftwood to your houseboat and brush it on and they will come. This brew was invented by the National Butterfly Center which is located in Texas. The claim is you will see butterflies that you may have never seen before. Butterfly season is rapidly coming to an end here in the Upper Mississippi River Valley but we are giving it a try and will defintely try it next season and we will post our results. We provided a link to their web site for you to get more information on which plants will lure butterflies to your boat or home garden.
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9/11 Remembered

Ten years ago we all experienced a life changing event in the United States. Everyone asks the question, Where were you on that unforgetful day?. We were cruising the Mississippi River here in Port of La Crosse going past Riverside Park when we noticed a large group of people gathering. We discovered local firefighters, police officers, boy scouts, and their families and friends along with a full color guard had organized together to march through Riverside Park and into some of downtown La Crosse to honor those that perished in the 9/11 attacks, It was a great site to witness,as we didn't hear about any such gathering. Here are some photos from the event we took from our boat.
Houseboating Excursions thanks everyone for remembering that day and for all those that put their lives at risk to give us the life we want to have, our thoughts and prayers go out to everyone.
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Float Fishing, Alma WI

If you plan to visit the Upper Mississippi River Valley and would like to experience some good fishing in different areas,  getting on a Mississippi River Float is a great idea. One of the many floats is The Great Alma Fishing Float in Alma,WI. You don't need a boat to access these floats they provide transportation for you, in the Alma case you can board the shuttle near the Lock and Dam #4. The Alma Float is open daily from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. and there is a fee for fishing, $16 for adults, $7 for children 12 and younger and $5 for nonfishers. The Alma Float does serve breakfast and lunch. It also has portable restrooms and a fish cleaning room. The float is owned by two brothers and was built in 1948. Alma is one of our many cruise stops and as we pass by the float we notice it's always got lots of people catching lots of fish.  A little history on Alma is that it was named by riverboat pilots for a rock formation in the bluffs above town. It became an official village in 1868. It is built into the bluffs and along the Mississippi River and is several miles long but only two blocks wide. The village features museums, art galleries, gift shops and restaurants. Alma is also the birthplace and area Beth grew up in and many of her family's relatives still live there. I have heard many fishing stories from her father and grandfather, Beth included, about the many trips they took to the Alma Float, if the fish were not biting good, the food sure was.
Boat or no boat the Upper Mississippi River Valley has plenty to offer for everyone and for more information on the Great Alma Fishing Float visit their web site.
Continue to follow Houseboating Excursions in the Mississippi River Valley as we cruise to and explore more destinations and provide adventures, information and resources. Here is also a link through Amazon.com to buy a map of all the Hot fishing Spots in Pool 4.

Stale Beer Uses

Many of us have been in a situation where we are cleaning out our refrigerators or our coolers after a fun weekend and discover a can of beer that was forgotten. Beer drinkers know that the breweries now put a date on the bottom of a can of beer telling you how long the beer will stay fresh. There is always that one forgotten one that we find and it's way past it's freshness date. We don't like to waste a good beer so here are some alternatives you can use that beer for:
1. Trap slugs and snails; just place a dish of beer around your garden mainly in the evening and in the morning the slimy critters will have been drawn by the beer's aroma and will have drowned. The beer can be re-used until evaporated.
2. Trap fruit flies; just place a can of beer on the kitchen counter and cover the top with plastic wrap and leave a small opening for the flies to get in and the won't be able to get back out.
3. Distract bees and wasps from your outdoor activities; put some beer in cups around the outskirts of your picnic area and it will attract bees and wasps. It's not a long-term control tactic, it's more like keeping that unwanted guest at the farthest table.
4. Get rid of mice; a humane way of getting rid of mice is to place an inch or so of beer in a bucket and put a ramp to it so the mice can climb in and when they are inebriated you can remove them and place them someplace outside.
5. Cockroach trap; soak a piece of bread in beer and place it in a jar and put Vaseline around the lip of the jar and the roaches are attracted and can get in but not out.
6. Fertilize your gardens; beer has sugars which are loved by your vegetables and flowers, your indoor plants love it too in small amounts.
7. Get rid of brown spots in your lawn; the acids in the beer kill off fungi and pests and the fermented sugars feed the grass.
8. Spruce up wooden furniture; using a soft cloth rub the flat beer onto the furniture and it will help restore some of the polish and color.
9. Clean gold jewelry; just place your gold jewelry in a dish of beer and let it soak awhile and remove, rinse and dry with a soft cloth.
10. Polish brass pots; use a soft cloth and rub beer onto pot and let sit awhile then rinse and dry with another soft cloth, the acids in beer work great on most metals.
11. Loosen rusty bolts; pour the beer on the rust and it may dissolve enough of the rust allowing you to get them loose.
12. Insulation; for all us adventurous types you can use  full unopened cans of beer in construction walls because the beer absorbs the cold and won't freeze due to the alcohol content.
The next time you find that lost beer and hate to just dump it out remember these few tips and you will never have to waste a good beer again. That's called, "BEER ABUSE".  So  if you are the creative and adventurous type give it a try.
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Fountain City, WI Dock Installed

It's been a long summer with high water this year preventing a lot of small communities from being able to put in their docks for boat commuters. This has had a huge impact on their local businesses because they rely on all us boaters to stop and shop. We just learned that Fountain City,WI has just put in their dock that is located right in the center of town. The season here in the Upper Mississippi River Valley is starting to wind down with the start of schools coming but there is still a lot of great weather to be enjoyed in September and early October. Fountain City is one of our favorite cruise stops so we encourage all boaters to take advantage of this opportunity and stop by, it's an easy walk to town to enjoy restaurants like the Wingdam Saloon and Grill and the Golden Frog Restaurant. According to the news report Fountain City officials are looking into putting in a piling system which would make installing a dock easier no matter what the Mississippi River levels reach up to. They plan to seek a grant to help pay for it but the officials realize it is something that has to be done to help keep the local businesses going because they rely heavily on our boating adventures.
There is still time to take that boating adventure and head to Fountain City,WI, check out the links to the restaurants to get an idea of what they are all about.
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Trip to Old Man River

After we discovered that cruising north up the Mississippi River wasn't a good idea we decided to cruise south to one of our favorite cruise stops and went to McGregor IA, and stopped at the Old Man River Restaraunt and Brewery. They are famous for their micro brews and we needed to fill our growlers. The food is great and well worth the trip.  We had our gowlers filled with our favorites, Dunkel and Weizen, and this time we were able to sample the Helles brand which is a light wheat beer, it was very good. We ordered a growler of Helles also and we discovered the brewery had changed it's logo. It is now known as BackPocket Brewery instead of the original name Einfach.

Einfach Beer was originally created by Old Man River and titled APPRECIATE SIMPLICITY. The story they had printed on their growlers told about the Brewery stived to provide Iowa with a simple, yet incedibly enjoyable world-class beer. They focus on German  lagers, they brew a beer you would need to fly to Munich to equal. Einfach was brewed locally on the Iowa shore of the Mississippi River so you are ensured the freshest German beer possible.

We discovered that Old Man River had to change it's brand name from it's famous Einfach Bier to Backpocket Bier because of some copyright issues from someone else already using that brand name. The best and most important part of it all is that their beer is still very high quality and great tasting.

The story behind Backpocket Bier goes; The truth is, you can tell a lot about a man by what he keeps in his back pocket; a useful pocketknife, a lucky coin, a worn out photo from an old love that has never died. Whatever it is, even if it wound up there by accident, there's a story behind it. A story that probably won't come out until you're in the right place, talking to the right people, with the right beer in hand. German-inspired and hand-crafted right here in Iowa, there's a Backpocket Beer perfect for every person, every occasion and most importantly, every story.
The next time you are cruising on the Mississippi River be sure to stop at McGregor,IA and visit the Old Man River Restaraunt and Brewery, you won't be disappointed.

High Water Blues

Here in the Upper Mississippi River Valley we are experiencing some unusual high water levels. Normally this time of the year the water in our area is around the 5ft. level and this year it is in the 9.5ft. range making our travel plans this year difficult. The sandbars to hang out on are very few and are now more like sand cliffs. We took a short cruise in our ski boat to pre-scout some areas out and were disappointed with the results we found, as we went north to Trempealeau we were pleased to see our favorite hangout, Hungry Point, still had their docks in and were open for business. As we went further north to Winona we noticed the city's docks were out of the water and the first tier of their levy was under water making it too risky to park and venture to town, we cruised to Fountain City,WI and were disappointed there also to see that the Wngdam Bar and Saloon didn't have their dock in either. The high water creates a very strong current and strong undertow making it difficult to keep docks anchored in place. However, we did get to enjoy a great sandwich and sweet potatoe fries at Hungry Point, also access to Sunset Bay Marina is open if you want to go to town and visit the historic Trempealeau Hotel. If you visit Port of La Crosse all the marinas are open for business and if you come during the week stop at Pettibone Boat Club, on Tuesdays they feature live music with outdoor seating. Caution: this week of July 18 - 22 the weather here is horrible the temperatures are in the mid to upper 90s and extremely humid with heat indicies as high as 115 degrees, IT'S HOT. Thanks for air conditioning, we sit inside the houseboat and watch movies and enjoy some adult beverages and the fishing pole sits outside in view by the door as we try to catch some catfish, they are fun to catch.
We plan to take on the heat and head south to see what it's like down that way we will let you know.

Delay, Delay, Delay

It is a rough spring here at Houseboating Excursions in the Mississippi River Valley, we are experiencing the wettest spring on record and it has caused river levels to be extremely high and for a long period of time. As of today the Mississippi River levels have dropped here at Port of La Crosse to a level that everyone can start to launch their boats and the marinas are starting to fill up. BUT,  we got hit with more bad luck, our trailer that our houseboat sits on for its winter nap broke a wheel bearing on a steer tire and that has added another DELAY to our launching and the start of a summer filled with adventures. We are scrambling to get it fixed and working with the Harbormaster to come up with alternative solutions to get our houseboat in the water.  In the world of boating we all have to be able to handle the unexpected as well as the excitement because as any boat owner will tell you," That's Boating". We hope to get in before the big Memorial Day weekend to start our Houseboating. Wish us Luck.
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SkipperLiner Comeback

A couple of years ago Skipperliner Industries got into financial trouble, they are a boat building company and operated a restaraunt and a marina called North Bay Marina. Last September a new local business man bought the business to revive the operation. There were several outstanding loans that Skipperliner Industries owed to our local governments and they and the new owner have come to a repayment deal. It's a 10 year deal of principal only but the good news is none of these monies owed is tax payer dollars.
The North Bay Marina complex has been divided up among several other business owners, the operations and the boat-storage facilities were taken over by American Marine boat dealership which plans to move all their service and sales facilities to this new site.  The restaraunt known as Huck Finn's on the Water was bought by another local business man and for the first time plans to add transient boat docks.
This is great news for all boaters alike that want to visit Port of LaCrosse. North Bay Marina is located on the Black River a little north of our famous Riverside Park. All these new businesses plan to hire more help which is great for the employment industry. North Bay Marina is another cruise stop everyone will want to stop at and enjoy.
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Mosquito Problems?

 Here at Houseboating Excursions in the Mississippi River Valley we experience many seasons that are filled with unpleasant creatures, mainly the pesty mosquito. Everyone knows that they can carry a variety of diseases. The markets are full of different kinds of repellents that are costly and stink and it is not pleasant walking around smelling like a chemical factory. We have learned of another way to help get rid of these bugs and inexpensively too. We learned that the mouthwash Listerine will kill the mosquito and keep it away. The way to use it is to buy a bottle and pour it into a small spray bottle and spray it around the area you wish to occupy, not directly on you. Spray the furniture, around doorways(not on the door), windows, decks, lawns, picnic tables, kids playgrounds, and the dog house. It lasts for several days and is earth friendly too. Another trick to keeping mosquitoes and other bugs away is to put a dryer sheet of Bounce tucked somewhere on you like a belt loop for example, it also works well as a fragrance for storage areas and for keeping mice out of stored boats.
With mosquito season fast approaching give this a try and see the results for yourself and spread the word.
Another product we like to use here at Houseboating Excursions is called Badger, Anti-Bug Balm, it is good for the skin and bad for bugs. It can be spread all over any exposed skin and it works great for repelling flies of all types and for taking the itch out of bug bites you already sustained. We obtain the product at our local food coop store. You can click on the link we provided and it will take you to their web site and you can order it directly from them, they also sell other types of balm that can help with other ailments. We like the product because it works and is also earth friendly and not harmful to kids and pets. Now you are ready for insect biting season.
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High Water is Here

The high water from the melting snow and some recent heavy rains is upon us here in the Upper Mississippi River Valley. Currently we are experiencing a weekend of thunderstorms that have the potential to drop a lot of rain, this is not good news for us boaters here in the Mississippi River Valley. We are approaching that time when we all want to get our boats launched and start a new season. The National Weather Service is predicting for now, that the Mississippi River in Port of La Crosse to hit a level of about 14-15ft. before cresting on April 16 or 17th which means the river levels would stabilize and start to drop, provided the area doesn't get hit with heavy amounts of rain. The flood stage for Port of La Crosse is 12ft. and we need it to get down to around 10ft. or lower to access our marina and to be able to safely launch our houseboat. We posted a photo from an area resident that shows the high water effects at Riverside Park here in Port of La Crosse.

We will have to wait patiently for mother nature to do her best and with a little luck everything will be fine and we will be launching at the end of April.

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Eagles Hatching in Mississippi River Valley

Here in the Upper Mississippi River Valley in Decorah, Iowa area the National Wildlife Federation has placed a web cam to view the hatchings of two bald eagles, we have embeded a video clip from our local TV station to assist us in allowing everyone to see the hatchings from our web site, Check it out.


The National Wildlife Federation also has a live feed for everyone to watch how the eagles are doing in their nest, just click on the  NWF link and it will take you to the site and you can download the live feed to see a real eagle's nest in action. It is a rare opportunity for anyone who loves nature and to see our nation's bird.
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Flood Warnings Are No Threat

It has been all over the news lately that with the melting snow and possible future rains there could be some severe flooding here in the Upper Mississippi River Valley. This is nothing new to all of us that have lived here our whole lives and have established businesses along the Mississippi River. Here in the Upper Mississippi River Valley we take a proactive approach to all possible dangers not a reactive approach, no one waits for it to happen then expect bailout we are ready for it and have taken proper measures. Here in Port of La Crosse,  people and the city are building dikes and making sand bags to stop a possible flood. Residents that live along the Mississippi River and the Black River can purchase already made sand bags for $.25 each, a small price to pay to protect one's property. Some basements do get seepage from the water table in the ground rising but we are prepared with our sump pumps and can handle it.
In Trempealeau, one of our favorite cruise stops, Hungry Point, is right on the Mississippi River and is preparing for a possible flooding by clearing out their lower areas, basement and bait shop, but will not be hindered by a little high water, they will stay open for business because they care about their customers being able to have a great place to go for eats and entertainment. The main road to the bar might go under water but they invite everyone to come any way possible be it by canoe, hip waders, or any means possible. The experience is always fun.
So from all of us here in the Upper Mississippi River Valley to Mother Nature, "BRING IT ON!"
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ICE FISHING ANYONE

What did you catch the last time you went Ice Fishing?

The big one didn't get away this time.

Houseboating Excursions Got Lost

We were down checking up on our houseboat to make sure it was surviving it's winter nap ok when we heard a voice that said climb aboard and make a wish. We are not winter fans so we wished to be somewhere warm again because we miss our summer fun. It was the season of playoff football into the superbowl and our favorite team the Green Bay Packers were in the hunt. We closed our eyes and made a wish and it came true we ended up in Jamaica. We were even blessed with our many houseboating friends joining us on our trip. We started the weekend off with a great football game Superbowl XLV.

After that great celebration it was time to enjoy the warm weather and reminisce about our past houseboating fun and about the future summer. We got together at several different times and here are a few pics of different groups getting together to solve all our problems.

Houseboating Excursions has fun in all parts of the world even if it isn't solely in the Mississippi River Valley.
This article doesn't have any Houseboating adventures but sometimes going off the wall is just as fun.
Please continue to follow Houseboating Excursions in the Mississippi River Valley as we provide more adventures, information,and resources. Please Don't Move Firewood and Help Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers.