Namesakes and Strange Names

It was frustrating to open a blog, then be in a wifi-dead area for 3 days. But we are back now, and there are several things I want to share.
We spent several days at Pettibone RV Resort in LaCrosse, WI. To look at surrounding businesses, one might think that the town was named Pettibone: Pettibone RV Sales, Pettibone Pointe, and, if I am not mistaken, there was a Pettibone Marina. It was a beautiful site on the Mississippi River, and was our first waterfront site. Ed felt it was one of the nicest parks we have stayed in.

One of the interesting features of the park was the collection of wood carvings spread throughout. It was as if someone wanted to leave a tree stump, but in a more decorative fashion.










On our last night at the Pettibone Resort, we saw a TV add for a Bluegrass Festival in Strawberry Point, Iowa. We have attended several Bluegrass Festivals and wanted to add that to our list. We knew that it was called Backbone Bluegrass Festival, which we thought was strange. Then we learned that it was at Backbone State Park, a beautiful rural setting. We were told that in recent years, volunteers spent a week before the Festival chasing the cows out and collecting all the cow patties. They managed to get our big rig in, but we discovered too late that the ground was very soft. Our jacks sank very deeply, and we were in danger of not getting out.

 We sat on a hillside Saturday afternoon, evening and well into Sunday afternoon, listening to one group after another. We were not familiar with any of them, but I preferred the music of the Bluegrass Blondies, a family group of Dad, Mom and three daughters.

After a night at Walmart in Independence, IA, we arrived at our "home" for a month, the Lazy Acres RV Park in Urbana, IA. It is a beautiful park, with large lots and well-kept grounds. Right now we are finding one drawback: we planned to rent a car, but the nearest Enterprise is in Cedar Rapids, and they don't pick up this far out (about 17-18 miles). So we have to either find a closer agency that rents cars or transportation to Cedar Rapids. I have made one contact, but so far nothing.