One fine, autumn day we went on a drive enjoying the country landscapes and ended up in Wisconsin. We stopped at the Nelson Creamery for lunch, and then headed to Alma and a small county park there, with an expansive overlook of the Mississippi River. The sun was out, the sky was blue and trees were an array of beautiful fall colors.
While entering Alma a barge was approaching Lock and Dam #4. We decided to park the car and walk to the observation platform to watch the interesting process of moving a barge through the lock.
It was process. This particular barge, technically called a 9-pack barge because each unit is called a barge and when tied together they are identified as packs. A 9-pack barge is three barges wide and three barges deep. For simplicity in this blog I am using the term “barge” to identify the entire barge pack.
The tugboat would not fit in the lock at the same time as the barge so the barge went through first, after disengaging from the tugboat. Once it passed through it was secured to shore while the tugboat went through the lock. The two were reconnected – the barge and the tugboat – and it continued on it’s way again, down the mighty Mississippi River, to the next lock and dam.
It was interesting process to watch and it took over an hour. And this is just… one barge… on one section… of one river. This process is repeated several times a day for many months of the year.
In the meantime a train came rumbling through town on the railroad tracks and there we were, between the train and the river barge. It seemed like a lot of activity in this small Wisconsin town of 791 people.
It’s interesting to stop and think of all the ways commodities are transported in this country…quickly or slowly…by boats, trains, trucks…mostly unnoticed… and the availability of goods taken for granted.
What a beautifully documented story with the importance of gratitude and not taking for granted the blessings and gifts we enjoy everyday!
Thank you Starr. It was very interesting, and fun to watch.
Wow, Valerie, I love how you share so much information about the sights you see, and note things that I might have missed. It has made me notice more when I am sightseeing. I appreciate that you have helped me look more carefully at the world around me. Also, coming from my hometown of Dubuque, Iowa, watching barges was a local pastime, so this blog post took me on a bit of a walk down memory lane. Thanks for sharing!
Northfield is considered a river town, but not quite like a river town on the Mississippi. I am glad this post brought you back to fond childhood memories. I think living on the river would be a wonderful thing.
Thanks for your kind words.
This is something I’ve never seen, but now want to based on your description. Thank you for sharing this with us.
You would love the drive to Alma…it’s a little town with a great park that has a very impressive overview of the Mississippi.
But who knows when the barges come through. We were there at the right time.
You did such a beautiful job of describing Alma by your great pictures and written word! I have been to that park several times and what a great view from up there!
I’m glad you have discovered that park in Alma…it’s a hidden gem.
Valerie,
What a lovely way to spend an afternoon. So enjoyed your writing about the river barge and its passage through the locks. We’re in New Orleans now and I wonder if your barge passed through here. We did not see any 9-packs though but Jess said some really large vessels pass through.
That’s a fun thought…seeing the barge in New Orleans. It could be….