A few years ago, Flat Clara’s older brother, Flat Max, visited us when we lived in Austin, TX. We have since moved to Belleville, WI, which is about 150 miles from my hometown of Marshfield, WI. My buddy Mike knew I loved road trips and asked if Flat Clara could visit.
I said yes, and soon Flat Clara arrived in the mail.
Our first stop was Riverville Bar & Grill. They’re one of my favorite restaurants in Belleville.
We had a Mexican breakfast skillet.
We hit the road and stopped in New Glarus. Our first stop was Hoesley’s Meats to get a snack for later.
Green County, where New Glarus is located, is known for landjaegers. These are like beef sticks but a bit bigger. They are seasoned a little differently and do not require refrigeration. This is what makes them the perfect road trip snack!
After Hoesley’s, we stopped in Downtown New Glarus. New Glarus is known to be “America’s Little Switzerland.”
We soon got in the car and headed south. Before you knew it, we were in Illinois!
Further into Illinois is Freeport. This is where Little Cubs Field is.
Little Cubs Field is a miniature replica of Wrigley Field.
Our next stop was heading west on US-20 to Galena. We made a pit stop at one of my favorite scenic lookouts. Many people think Illinois is all flat, but Northwestern Illinois is very hilly. Northwestern Illinois, Northeastern Iowa, Southwestern Wisconsin, and Southeastern Minnesota form the Driftless Area. This is the area the glaciers did not flatten out. That’s why it’s so hilly.
The pit stop didn’t last long, and we made it to Galena. Illinois is best known for Abraham Lincoln and his role in the Civil War. However, Ulysses S. Grant also had a significant role in the Civil War. We visited his house in Galena.
After Galena, we headed to Dubuque, Iowa. They have a beautiful courthouse, which is one of my favorites. We stopped by and admired its beauty.
We then took a look at the mighty Mississippi River.
Our trip went on the final leg when we got on US-151 and headed into Wisconsin.
We were soon back at my house. Finally, it was time to wish Flat Clara goodbye and send her back to Marshfield.
I hope she had a nice adventure on one of my favorite drives around the Driftless Area!
-e