May 23, Friday

Slept in this morning and had a leisurely walk to the overlook , to a small waterfalls and around the park.   The river is smooth this morning.  Lots of sounds of trains as some are below us under the bluff and some further across the water.

 

Added eggs to our Irish Shantie leftovers for some awesome breakfast tacos.   Took showers again and filled the fresh water tanks, then headed inland for some adventures.  

Scratch ‘n’ Sniff of the day:  Smoke from some farmer’s fire.

First stop was in Festiva to see what is billed as the world’s smallest church.  It is a chapel built to honor St. Anthony of Padua.  Built to honor a promise made by a woman whose son was conscripted into Napoleon’s army and survived.  It is 8 x 12, holds 8 people in 4 small pews.  Originally built of logs in 1849, it was improved to stone in 1885.

We are seeing more evergreens, although most are planted around farms as wind breaks.  Passing towns like St. Olaf,  Gunder, Osterdock.

Next stop is the Vesterheim (Western Home) Norwegian Museum in  Decorah . They have a huge collection of Norwegian and Norwegian American artifacts and history.

The story of Norway and emigration (due largely to overpopulation and the potato famine).  Between 1825 and 1930 over 800,000 peopple left – a number equal to the total population in 1825!  Many emigrants brought household goods, tools, jewelry and other things from Norway and there is a large collection of mainly wooden items, clothing, furniture.

The Norwegians did a lot of painting and carving to decorate their wooden products.  The brightly painted chests and cabinets with rosemaling (type of painting) were typical and were disdained by some  non-Norwegians as “too primitive or poor”.  There is a full size sailboat built by 2 brothers  who crossed the Atlantic in it!

There were at least 6500 Union Soldiers born in Norway, 300 Confederates.

Tatting, cross stitch and cut work, both old and new on display.  Then we joined part of a tour of assorted outbuildings, including the house which was dismantled and shipped from Norway.  Note the beautiful slate roof which looks like fish scales.

Next we go to the Decorah Fish Hatchery where there are a nice waterfalls and park in addition to the production ponds.  A local attraction is an Eagle’s nest which a webcam is attached to.  Apparently people all over the world have watched the three chicks developing and the locals are very proud of it.  We had lunch at a picnic table here and talked with a DNR man who told us a lot about the eagles.  We decided to come back in morning when, he says, they are more active.  Google Decorah Eagles to see the live feed.

We stop by Dunning’s Spring Park which the folks from Cedar Falls had recommended.  Pretty falls and good exercise climbing to an overlook.

Down the road is an Ice Cave which we hike up to.  Not much to see but definite cold air coming from it and Greg squeezed in a bit.  Could see ice on the floor – not a place you’d want to fall.

We boondocked at Trout River Wildlife Area, as the ranger at the Fish Hatchery told us we can camp on any State Property for free any time.  He gave us directions and we ended up almost across from an RV Park.  But we were the only folks here and it was very pleasant.  The path nearby didn’t go far before being blocked by a stream which we would have had difficulty crossing.  Lots of birdsong, few bugs!