So Friday night we spent the last of time here doing final shopping and getting for our camping trip. We hit Target and Hy-vee. Shannon was a bit late getting home from work, so we couldn't go to The DaVinci Code with Chris and Holly, so shopping was the name of the game.

We woke up early (I woke up earlier then Shannon), and got the final prep done and loaded my car up.

Chris and Holly met up with us at our house and we caravaned to our destination of the Highlandville General Store and Campground. We stopped at a McDonalds off of I35 for an early lite lunch (or a late breakfast for Chris).

We continued on. Eventually Chris and Holly lead the caravan.

We ended up, after a bit of time, in Decorah. And so the search was on for Nordic Wedding Spoons. Many shops on Water Street (which is what was suggested for us to go to by Lindsay). So we parked near the begining of the street (free parking!) and headed through our walking tour of it.

There were several shops that looked interesting, and had neat things (lots of nordic themed items and trolls and what not, including a cool little find of classic beer glasses at a 2nd hand store). Most of the things one could probably find in the metro if they looked, but it was still nice to have it there. One store, Vanberia International Gifts, held a lot of promise and when we asked about Wedding Spoon, we didn't get the strange look that usually follows, but a look of "I know what you are talking about, but I'm not sure we have anything right now". She asked if we wanted metal or wooden and I told her that it really didn't matter. So she looked, she was pretty certain they didn't have it in stock but when one of the other co-owners showed up she'd ask where they could order some more from. This was very promising. I gave them my information and I took a card, and we continued on.

I was hoping to find other options, but among the other stores, where there were other cool things, there was nothing that resembling the Nordic influence that would actually carry wedding spoons. Oh well, it's a lead, and If not, I have another thing in mind too.

During our trip down he street we stopped at a sports bar and had a late lunch/snack. And continued on.

We did find some neat little wire sculptures from Rock Creek Metal Craft. Holly got quite a few, and we got one...It's called Pet Grooming, but we'll call it Vet Teching...

We headed back up the street and to the campground.

The drive to Highlandville from Decorah is quite fun. Very winding, very hilly. It just made me wish my car was empty so I could take the roads a bit faster.

We got to the campground, and a bit of surprise and disappointment followed. Not only was there a suprising lack of tress, but it was surprising as to how many people were there. Not that it was overly crowded, it's just that there wasn't any real dividing lines between campsites or trailer sites. It was kind of wierd. It was kinda like someone took thier side yard and said, "we get trout in this stream, how can we make money here?".

We raced the light scattered showers that we drove through, but we (Shannon and I) got setup in time, Chris and Holly needed a little help to get finished in their "classic" tent (from this point forward, lovingly refered to as the clown tent).

We had fun that night. Cooked a little. Shannon made a s'more (everyone else was full). I think everyone was tuckered, cause after a bit of darkness we went to bed. Nobody really knew what time it was, since we all depened on our cell phones for the time, but we were in a no cell phone reception.

Across the creek, pretty much for the majority of the night, we heard the party surrounding a, as I will call it, "Hippie Wedding", and they had a drum circle, or something like that, so we heard their beats late into the night.

There was too much random noise, so I had trouble sleeping. Not to mention that it was warm and humid, so I was hot anyways. I did sleep, some, and Shannon woke me up a few times, to tell me to turn on my side, but apprently I didn't disturb anyone else, so that works.

i woke up pretty early, but because of the way that we were situated in the tent, it made it pretty much impossible for me to get out, without Shannon getting out. So she got up too. I turned out that it was around 5:30 AM...yes...that early. Shannon headed to take a shower, and I headed to wander around and take pictures.

I made some breakfast, of Scrambled Eggs and Sausage, and they turned out ok...certainly not the consistancy that I'm used to making, but stilled turned out well. Not totally happy, but good enough for camping.

As the day continued and the temp started to rise, Shannon started looking worse and worse. It was quite hot.

We headed into town and in the car (A/C) she got better, and stopping buy to pick up some Camping things (and some sore throat medicine for Shannon), but when we headed out side, she would decline again. We searched around the town for fire wood (so we wouldnt' have to barrow from our neighbors). The first place we found, only sold to campers in the campground it was on (so not us). The second place we found, didn't answer the door when we knocked. Here we have fire wood at Dahls or Hyvee or hell, even Target and some gas stations, but in Decorah, apprently only 2.

We stopped at Mabe's Pizza for lunch (the pizza was very thin). And it was pretty good.

We did go to the Ice Cave and she seemed fine in there, and it was. It was down right brisk in there. It was neat, you could see ice on the walls. The girls headed into the cave while my fat ass couldn't really fit in there without to much of a struggle, and Chris kept me company.

We headed back to camp and into the heat. As the day passed Shannon got a head ache and started to look very pale. Even with the attempt of buying some ice cream to cool her down, it had ltitle affect. Of the options I gave her, she ended up picking to go home. So I packed up everything as quick as I could, (while playing scrabble) and got the car started and cooled on the inside and we made our good byes and headed home. As the time passed and the cool air was on her, the headache went away. It was good, it made me feel better.

Around the halfway or a lttle less stopped at an A&W and got dinner.

We got home around 10:PM and Shannon went up to bed, while I unpacked the card. And when I got it unpacked, I put in the supplemental air conditioner upstairs (since the rest of the house is covered, but the upstairs remains a bit to warm in the summer).

Today she was recovered but still a bit on the weak side. So I really think that it was a combination of heat exhaustion and actually bing sick, which didn't make up for a good day for her.

So it was still fun (even though I complained a lot (cause I like too)) and I'm glad she's ok. It was tough to see her like that.