The video of Phil, Donna, and Bob raising the mast.  Nice job and thanks for the help, Phil & Donna.

Friday Day 3

Pepin, WI is turning out to be a wonderful surprise.  Hot homemade sticky buns every morning at Two Old Men Country Market.  It is right next door to Great River Amish Inn where we stayed the first two nights.

Addictive and spoilin' me.

Day 3 - main job was to raise the mast.  One problem... the track was bent in one little spot and wouldn't allow the sail to slide past.  Phil, with hammer, chisel and file, climbed up several times and did his magic.

What a monkey!

Not bad for a guy close to 60. 

Testing out our new fish scale.  Looks like it works.

Wicket is totally disgusted & very mad right now.

Doesn't show real well in the photo, but Bob is sporting his raccoon face after motoring out into the lake for about an hour and trying to raise the mast. The whole day was calm winds and temps rose to 73 degrees.  Couldn't ask for a nicer day.

Chillin' after a very busy day.  Said goodbye to Phil and Donna as they headed back to Ankeny. We were very grateful for all their help these past 2 weeks.

P.S.  I have videol, but need to transfer it off the tape & burn it to a dvd,  but haven't dug the dvd recorder out, yet.  More video coming soon.

The Heron is wet

After a delicious homemade sticky roll for breakfast, the guys rigged the lines, set up the dinghy, attached the boom and Magna grill to ready for launching.

Rod at the marina backed the boat into the water with the JD tractor while Dennis, the marina owner, guided him.  Bob & Phil prepared for the launch on the boat.

Just about ready to lift off the trailer where it has sat for nearly 20 years.

Bob & Phil motor Heron to the other end of the marina and tie her up to the dock.

After christening Heron with a bottle of sparkling wine, the crew celebrates.

Arrived at Pepin Marina and Stepping the mast.

3:30 we pull into Pepin Marina and get things needed for stepping the mast

Bob & Phil straighten the wiring so it won't get pinched under the mast.

Bob & Phil get the mast in place for raising it into place.

Donna turns the winch while Phil & Bob steady the mast as it stands up.

Once the mast is up, the mainstays must be secured.

Crossing the Mississippi in the Truck

Here we are crossing the Mississippi River at Wabasha, MN

We left Boone, IA about 8:30 and we were here about 3:00.

Surprised to see a sailboat on the river already. But with the strong breeze and blue skys, it was a good day to be sailing.

The little river town, Wabasha, MN

The long haul to Pepin, WI

Wed. May 4th and Bob is ready to go.  Our townhouse has been empty since Saturday so we have been staying with great friends Phil and Donna.  Thanks guys.

Donna & Phil have taken time off to head to Pepin, WI with us.  They will be great help in stepping the mast & getting things ready for us to launch the boat.

I'm ready too.  Sorry about the white socks but I was extremely excited about throwing out all my dark colored socks, since the plan is never to be in cold weather again.  Is it me or do others only wear dark socks during the winter & wearing dark winter clothes?

Our first stop after hitching up to the trailer at Sister Lesley's and Brother-in-Law Steve's north of Boone, IA.  Getting diesel at Webster City, IA

Heading out of Webster City, IA.

We made it. Pepin Marina, Pepin, WI

To Sioux Falls and back

We have established residency in South Dakota where we will not have to pay state income taxes.  One requirement is to acquire a South Dakota drivers license and in order to do that we have to go to South Dakota.  So another step closer to blasting off Wed. a.m.

When we arrived home this afternoon we cleaned kitchen cupboard and all should be out of the house by end of day tomorrow. Hopefully, we will have time to change address at the post office, run more boxes to the storage shed, and disconnect cable with the cable company. 

Not a lot to report today or tomorrow, but Wed. we should be arriving at the Marina at Pepin, WI., stepping the mast and launching the boat into Lake Pepin.