Since I was a child, I have always enjoyed camping along the banks of the Mississippi River; mostly between La Crosse, Wisconsin and Clinton, Iowa.  Unfortunately, I have not had a chance to get back until this year.  Lisa and I found a wonderful little campground, Merrick State Park in Wisconsin, that sits right on the river.  Well, actually an inlet to the river, but still nice enough.  Finding one on the river is really hard, and getting to a campground that does not have the reservation system, is even harder.  This one is nice because you can reserve your site online and take your time getting there.

Even the view from inside the camper was pretty nice. 

I always enjoy visiting lock and dams on the Mississippi River.  This one is Lock and Dam Number 6 located south of Fountain City, Wisconsin.  We did not get to see any river boats going through, but there were a few smaller water craft utilizing the facilities.

And here are a few miscellaneous photos.  The last photo is of an item that  was leftover from another camper.  Either that or a squirrel trying to modernize.

The last weekend of camping at Merrick State Park.  This time my brother came along and he brought his boat.  Going out on the river gives the camping experience a whole new adventure.

And, of course, the boat ride on the Mississippi River.  The pictures of the beach are actually on the island between our camp and the main channel of the river.  The two pictures of the town are of Fountain City, Wisconsin.  A quaint little town that I hope to explore a bit more in the future.

We were on our way to Lake Peppin in Minnesota when we saw the Good Year blimp coming toward us.  Quite a pleasant, if not rare, surprise.  The last picture is of the southern portion of Lake Peppin in Minnesota.