Boating Fun on the River

2009-11-08T07:45:00.000-08:00

Boating Fun at the River

It’s all about getting away for the weekend. It’s about family, friends, lasting memories. The Mississippi River has many attributes, good and bad, but fills your life with many memories. The old saying, “What happens at the River, Stays at the River” holds true in many ways that can’t be explained so easily. Now I am not going to go into great detail about things that happen but I want you to get a sense of why and what goes on that makes it seem like forever before we can get back to the River.
This last summer really wasn’t a summer at all. The few weeks that were really hot we had a family medical that kept us from the River, which is unusual. My mother did have to spend about a week and a half in the hospital with staph infection in her leg. She got staph a long time ago when she had surgery on her leg. Little did we know then? The few weeks that we did get to spend up at the River were enjoyable.
There wasn’t much flooding on the Mississippi River this year, so boating was able to on all summer long, if you could stand the cold winds the River produces; and, the actual temperature hardly ever reach about 90°F. The parents have a seasonal spot up at Sports Unlimited Campground with a 24-foot pontoon boat. It’s great because we can fit about 15-16 people on the boat and all the coolers with beer and food, mostly beer. We can cruise up and down the River, beach it, or bar hop.
There are two great beaches to go to on the River. We stay in pool #9, which is the Prairie du Chien area. The main two beaches we go to is North (Volleyball) beach and Wyalusing. I like North beach because that’s where most of the people I know from Harpers Ferry go. It is a good beach because it has nice sand not very much mussels/rocks to hurt/cut your feet. I usually put my beach chair in the water on hot days to keep cool. Plus the guys like this beach because there always seems to be a few rowdy women who take their tops off.
The other beach is Wyalusing. This beach is south of Prairie du Chien. It is the most fun when I have my lab with me. The water is deeper and he has to swim more. It gives my lab more exercise and wears him out so much that when we get off the river he just crashes. There is a person every year that has a water pump and slide, mainly for the kids. If you have kids, this is probably the best beach for you. It’s not up all year round, but if you go by on your boat and see a blue tarp like item on the beach going into the water then it is up. The bad thing about this beach is that it is smaller and you have to get there early to get a spot on the beach. Which for us, we have to leave the marina by 10:30am or 11am, we don’t have a speedy boat but it gets us where we are going and the fun never stops.
We do also go bar hoping. Main place we travel to by boat is Glen Haven, WI. If you have never been there then you have missed great times. Two bars fill this town, Wacks Goodbar and Randy’s (used to Up The Street). If you end up at Wacks then get a Wack Attack the first time is free. Say hi to the labs and the owner. Randy’s put a striper pole in the bar this year. Didn’t get a chance to see it because it broke. Not going to say how it broke, use your imagination.
I have had many good, drunk, and really drunk times at these bars. I like the fruity drinks that they serve which only hit you when you stand up. I would not trade any of the memories from the River for one good weekend at home, no way it could match up. There are so many good people out on the River and in the Campground that you never feel left out of anything. So if you see us out there don’t forget to wave and scream as you go by. Remember, if it’s fun it’s at the River, the Mississippi River.

Boating Fun on River

Boating Fun on the River