#houeboat vacation

[sohannabarberaesque]

Postcards from Snagglepuss: Even on the river, it can't help but get cheesy

... and so the voyage up the Mississippi continues to ensue when Huckleberry Hound's significant other, Clementine, somehow had the idea of getting some decent Wisconsin cheese and crackers for some evening snacking. And an opportunity ensues in sight when DeSoto, a modest little village, comes unto sight off the right of our boat. So we decide to dock ... and after having to wait for a freight train to pass after tying up at the DeSoto Community Boat Landing, we all make the walk into the village, having to cross The Great River Road (otherwise known as Wisconsin 35) besides.

(I have to wonder what the reaction was of what passed for the traffic to see such a motley and unlikely assortment of characters so cross.)

And fortunately, we were able to find a decent little cheese-and-sausage shop that tries not to be too campy and touristy, yet concurrently provides a decent selection of the best in cheesy Wisconsin goodness. Particularly Cheddar, Colby, Brick and Gouda, all decent snacking-type cheeses to have on a boat early in the evening. And some decent crackers worthy of such cheesy goodness; none of those saltines, and besides, they don't make Ry-Krisp anymore. But fortunately, their Swedish cousin, Wasa, was to be had--especially the one with added flax. Fiber, you know ... and rather than chintzy and hokey "energy drinks," we decided on cranberry juice, orange juice and club soda, which was probably better anyway. And even then, we just hoped that the "locals" wouldn't take dumb notice of us, in particular Choo-Choo from Top Cat's crew; he can't resist the girls, and would stop at nothing just to date especially classy such. (Fancy-Fancy, his closest rival in the dating arena--not so much, but still on his guard.)

So we crossed the highway again, even if such was bound to inconvenience a long-haul trucker as had a heavy load to handle ... and made it back to the dock, back on our way even, with Loopy DeLoop helping Clementine arrange the cheese and crackers on a decent little tray. As well as setting up a bar for folks to mix their own juice-and-club-soda sparklers. And you'll never guess who was especially taken in: Top Cat's crew and the Hair Bear Bunch, the latter especially legendary for being quite the gourmands. Square Bear especially, for some reason or another.

And what a fitting time for such a cheese-and-cracker exercise ... the softness of those moments before the sunset creeps in, the remarkable stillness of the Mississippi's waters (especially when you're probably the only leisure craft out at this time) ... and Lock and Dam 8 approaches, the southern gateway into Genoa, another interesting little Wisconsin-side river town. Sunset isn't quite imminent, but it's close as we make our way into the lock chamber for the lock-through procedure. And once out of the way, we make announcement that we'll dock in Genoa for the night. Fortunately, you have a decent little cove that serves as the local boat dock to tie up for the night, for which The Banana Splits, howbeit comedically, manage to do the job--with Huckleberry Hound giving some pointers.

Making our way into town, again crossing The Great River Road, we couldn't help but try some barhopping in classic Wisconsin fashion. Only a couple of taverns, but still, even with frozen pizza and sandwiches, you manage to appreciate life. And just be thankful that we didn't get some "dumb looks" from such who probably didn't understand Saturday-morning TV back in the day. Rather, a few actually asked for autographs and conversation, even to the point of explaining we were making a little houseboat cruise up the Mississippi, starting as we did in Harper's Ferry, Iowa.

And as they say, all good things need to come to their end--we had to make our way back to the boat for bed. And though Top Cat and The Banana Splits managed to share bedrooms as much as Huckleberry and yours truly, that left the Hair Bear Bunch with "deck seating" outside. And sensing the prospect of rain, we were able to get them under cover impromptu. And with railroad tracks so close, it was just so crazy actually trying to sleep the night docked in Genoa.

Whence our story continues next week.

#fanfic #hanna barbera #postcards #snagglepuss #houeboat vacation #upper mississippi river #cheese and crackers #lynxville #genoa