Minnesota - The Badger

For the return trip, I decided to take the Badger from Manitowoc, WI to Ludington, MI. The Badger is the last coal powered car ferry left on the Great Lakes. At one time Ludington was the busiest car ferry port in the world. The term car ferry refers to the train cars that they carried, not automobiles.

Railroads that didn't have passage through Chicago used the ferries to get to the other side of Lake Michigan and continue their transport of goods. After these railroads obtained rail passage through Chicago ferry traffic declined. The railroads wanted to discontinue service, but the government wouldn't let them. Gradually they reduced the fleet until there were only three ferries operating. The City of Midland, the Spartan, and the Badger, which was the last one built.

Finally the railroads were allowed to shut down the ferry service. The remaining ferries were purchased by Charles Conrad of Holland, MI. He returned the Badger to service transporting people and cars across the lake.

The future of the Badger is up in the air. The ship dumps it's untreated coal ash in Lake Michigan and the government has demanded that it cease this practice by the end of 2012. There are a number of options being considered, but it is not clear if any of these will be economically feasible.

If you're interested in the experience, do it now.




A truck backing a load of coal into the car deck of the ship. It will be offloaded into the bunkers for use.



A picture of the partially loaded car deck.



A picture of the truck being loaded with coal. In the background you can see the U.S.S Cobia, a WWII submarine docked at the Wisconsin Maritime Museum. The Cobia was built in Manitowoc with a number of other submarines that served in the war.



An old placemat from the days when ferry service was offered from more ports than just Manitowoc.



A bit of history from the ship's museum.



A freighter from Great Lakes Fleet, Inc that passed in front of us on the Lake. I was unable to make out the name of the ship.



The north pier light at Ludington.



The south pier light at Ludington.



Entering Ludington harbor.



The Spartan, the sister ship to the Badger. She is non-operational and there are no plans to restore her to service. She is currently used for spare parts for the Badger. Both ships are beautiful.

Minnesota - Along the Mississippi

The next day I decided to do a day trip along the Mississippi. I was staying in LaCrescent, Minnesota and drove north to where the next bridge crossed the river. This was in Winona, Minnesota. There I crossed over into Wisconsin. From there I drove south through LaCrosse which is across the river from LaCrescent to the next bridge to the south. This was at Lansing, Iowa. I then turned north and returned to LaCrescent.

Kings Bluff, where I hiked the first day.



Overlooking Winona.







In the distance, you can see a Tow moving up the river. This is what a tug and it's barges are called apparently.



Looking north up the Mississippi from south of LaCrosse.



An old nuke plant. This was built to show that a small nuclear reactor could be feasible for smaller communities. It has since been converted to a coal fired power plant.



The bridge crossing the Mississippi at Lansing, Iowa.



Railroad tracks.



Railroad tracks along the river.



Here some work is being done on the Mississippi. Because of the Lock and Dam system, many of the islands in the river have disappeared. Work is being done to create new islands for the wildlife in the area. These barges are working on that project.

Minnesota - The LaCrosse Queen

I decided to take a trip up the Mississippi on the LaCrosse Queen out of LaCrosse, Wisconsin. The LaCrosse Queen is a stern paddlewheeler. The trip took 3 hours and proceeded through Lock and Dam 7 on the Mississippi River.


The view up the Mississippi as we leave the dock.


A swing bridge over the Mississippi. We had to wait for a couple of trains to cross, the the bridge opened. This is apparently one of the oldest and largest swing bridges on the river and is due to be replaced in the next few years with a lift bridge.


The bridge opening.







Some of the bridge workings.




A view up the Mississippi.


The lock after passing through.



The bridge on the return trip.



LaCrosse from upriver.



The twin bridges that link LaCrosse, WI to LaCrescent, MN.

Minnesota Trip - Great River Bluffs State Park

On the recommendation of the friends I was visiting, I stopped at Great Bluffs State Park. There was a nice hike along the ridge through the woods out to a point overlooking the Mississippi River.


The Mississippi River.



Here you can see a houseboat making its way up the Mississippi River along with a train in the foreground on the tracks the parallel the river.


At the end of the trail.


From along the trail.


An early part of the trail through the pines.