Muscoda WI - April 20, 21 and 22

Most of these pictures are clickable and contain text you can read by holding your mouse over the picture! Enjoy!

A hovercraft is given away; Verdon fights with a railroad underpass; Charles Dixon and Bill Zang are hover maniacs! Doesn't sound like a typical hover-in, does it?...or does it????

LIST OF DRIVERS AND HOVERCRAFTS!

A list of hovercrafters attending this event are: Ray Matthews, Freeport, IL (SC25); Steve & Nancy Leffin, Naperville, IL (SC25); David & Mary Jean Janni, New Ulm, MN (SC25); Glenn, Peter and Laurie Gungel, Forreston IL (UH6); Dennis & Carol Alm, New Brighton, MN (SC25); Bob & Gloria Steinhauer, Muscoda WI (SC25); Ben Tilson & sons, Rochester MN (SC25); Ken Roberts, Chicago IL (UH12R); Mike Jacobson & sons (UH13); Charles Dixon, Downers Grove IL (SCAT 12); Mike Lynch (SCAT 2) & son, John (SCAT 2), and daughter Stephanie, Lombard IL; Vince Vobeck, Wausua, WI, (UH10F); Dave Schneider, Houlton, WI (UH13P); Don & Jean Searls, Piedmont MO (SC25); Bill Zang, Woodstock, IL (UH13P); Brian Roesch, Potosi WI (Leaf Blower Entry Level); David LaCombe, St. Paul MN (UH10F); Verdon Weber, Cuba City, WI (SC23); Vernon Weber, Cuba City WI; and Linda Weber, Cuba City, WI (SC18).

THE BEGINNING OF A GREAT WEEKEND!

We drove to Muscoda a day early, to get in some R&R before this hover-in. As the flood reports of the Mississippi River had been posted almost hourly to the area, the Wisconsin River had actually receded from the week's crest last Saturday, but still we actually expected a very small turn out, knowing that if someone didn't live close, it was a bit chancy to drive a ways and find out the conditions were less than perfect. Of course, then there is always the other side of the coin......it might turn out to be the grand break in the wet spring season! What we didn't know was that we would get some of each!

David and Mary Jean Janni drove from New Ulm, MN, and this was Mary Jean's very first Hover-In. Can you tell from that great grin??? It continued all weekend.....

The drive along 80 to Muscoda for us always has some surprises. Note the 14 wind generators newly erected in the Montfort WI area. A spectacular site. Utility needs are growing in the area, as well as everywhere, and hats off to the utility companies erecting these beautiful machines.

Arriving at the campsite, the water beckoned, as well as new arrivals thinking the same thing we were--LET'S HOVER! Bob Steinhauer, Muscoda WI, was co-hosting this event on Friday, enjoying every minute to be able to just slide down his lawn onto the grand river and hover over to the boat landing to meet new campers and motel-goers bringing their crafts in for the weekend!

The beauty of this hoverin for the first day, was that you could actually hover into the campground and avoid the landing if jet skis were also using the ramp, as Mr. Steinhauer shows here!

Before we got wet, I took the opportunity to apply Mr. Steinhauer's new Pilot/Co-Pilot graphics to his craft.....a very regal addition to Eagle 1!

The best dressed hovercrafts are now wearing all the graphics of the speed boats...!

Now....let's be careful out there, says Carol Alm....or something to that effect!

I really don't know what Carol Alm was telling Dennis (Alm, New Brighton, MN), but she certainly has everyone's attention! Dennis and Carol held a wonderful event in 2000, and we will anxiously be awaiting the announcement of their next cruise date in MN.

Left to right: Eagle 1 (Steinhauer), D. Alm, D&M Janni, V. Weber and L. Weber

Guess what? We left for a beautiful cruise on calm waters down river and Verdon enjoyed going in and out of the flooded river banks, but perhaps this time he came back with more than just his hovercraft.....

He reported to everyone he honestly didn't know he hit anything--just a little tight squeeze here and there but he got thru!!

The night beckoned but just one last trip?????

Friday came to a close......and it rained most of the eve. Even if the weekend went sour now, we had a beautiful 5 hours on the river....but WAIT....there's more! Turn to Page 2!