1. Camera 3, Image 1
The morning of the 21st, Brian and I went to Hy-Vee to get some doughnuts. I wanted to be sure I got a picture of Hy-Vee, and of the sign that advertised a "WATER SOFTNER," but you can't read the sign very well. It's tiny. Actually, I don't think you can read it at all in this digitized version of the picture, which is a shame.
2. Camera 3, Image 2
Downtown Dubuque is home to many small businesses and a few large empty lots of despair. Here's one of the latter with a view of Illinois in the distance (the trees in the far background).
3. Camera 3, Image 3
I wanted to make sure I got a picture of Knippel's Religious Gifts, because it is unfortunately named. Incidentally, the girl who lives downstairs from Kyle and I here in Crawfordsville had the maiden name of "Nipple," spelled like that and all. I'm sure I mentioned this elsewhere, but I'm in fourth grade.
4. Camera 3, Image 4
I tried to get a picture of Brian in the reflection of the glass, but you can't really see him at all. I took this picture and we left, and about ten seconds later a lady came to open the store.
5. Camera 3, Image 5
More of downtown Dubuque, which in many places looks completely desolate. I think the economic history of the town is similar to that of Evansville, Indiana, which also has a dead downtown area while other parts of the city thrive.
6. Camera 3, Image 6
This picture was taken from about the same place, only facing toward the main part of town. Still not a lot of cars out on the street. Note the traffic sign on the corner to the right that informs drivers this particular street is actually four different roads in one. This is why my directions were useless once I actually hit town.
7. Camera 3, Image 7
You can almost see the reflection of Brian's truck in this image, but not quite. I have an obsession with empty buildings and mannequins in wedding dresses, and this corner shop caught my eye.
8. Camera 3, Image 8
I'm not sure why I took this picture now, although I guess I thought it was a good idea at the time.
9. Camera 3, Image 9
I wanted to get a picture of Brian and Kristine's art room where they did stuff like writing and painting and staining glass, but the camera I used for this particular set of pictures did not have a flash on it, and there wasn't enough light in the room for a good picture. I tried anyway.
10. Camera 3, Image 10
Here's the building the Cratchett Household lives in. It's a duplex-- Brian and Kristine's apartment is on the left side. Some frat guys live on the right side and apparently play Nintendo late into the evening most of the time, but I didn't hear them the whole time I was there.
11. Camera 3, Image 11
Here's one of the reasons Dubuque was so interesting: the layout of the town allowed for views like this from the sidewalks on the hill. Way off in the distance you can see the Mississippi River, and you can see quite a bit of downtown. Very nice.
12. Camera 3, Image 12
Here's another view from the same stretch of sidewalk.
13. Camera 3, Image 13
That white car up there is my mom's car. This neighborhood, a few blocks away from where Brian and Kristine live, was marked by large houses and steep hills. Very nice indeed.
14. Camera 3, Image 14
Brian told me that this theatre would be a good place to take pictures, but unfortunately I wasn't in town late enough for them to be open, so I just took a picture of their sign. They had a giant window display up for The Tuxedo starring Jackie Chan, but they weren't actually showing the film, which I found very amusing. This fact, not the film. I haven't seen it.
15. Camera 3, Image 15
Here's the sign for the Target Kristine works at, which is in a strip mall where the Hy-Vee is also located.
16. Camera 3, Image 16
Here's the giant Wal-Mart where Brian works. I didn't want to get much closer because it was insanely busy and I was running very late getting out of town.
17. Camera 3, Image 17
Over there is a sign for a liquor store that said something like "GOD BLESS AMERICA BEER WINE LIQUOR" or something very similar to that, and I wanted a picture of it. Again, though, it's too small to read. Sad.
18. Camera 3, Image 18
More of what Iowa looks like. This is on a road off the main highway that leads to a small town called Lost Nation that Brian suggested I check out on my way back home. The tiny specks in the middle of the picture are actually a house way off in the distance.
19. Camera 3, Image 19
Not a lot going on in Lost Nation, I found out, but it was a strange little town nonetheless. I got out of the car to take this picture of the Lost Nation Cemetary. They're saving a lot of room for future dead folk.
20. Camera 3, Image 20
Also in Lost Nation is the Rustic Park. I didn't go there, or even get out of the car for this picture, but maybe next time. *cough*
21. Camera 3, Image 21
I stopped once again at the Ampride station outside of Davenport to get something to eat and drink and to pick up my Iowa lottery scratch-off ticket. That's it laying on my backpack. I didn't win anything.
22. Camera 3, Image 22
I was fairly certain that my picture-taking this trip was over since I was on my last camera and didn't want to buy another expensive disposable camera at a gas station or something. Just as I was on the other side of Davenport, I saw the sign for Target. Here is the store where I bought the other Halloween Gogocams that I used on the rest of this trip, as well as the one I used for the Bloomington trip and two more that I have yet to use. They were on clearance.
23. Camera 3, Image 23
Heading back into Illinois over a big fancy bridge. Good times.
24. Camera 3, Image 24
I wanted more of the gigantic empty fields of the Midwest, but this van screwed it all up.
25. Camera 3, Image 25
Here's one, though, and some of the car. Once again showing you exactly what I saw for long stretches of the trip.
26. Camera 3, Image 26
This part looked like a neat cliff to play on, if I were a little kid. And I lived in Illinois.
27. Camera 3, Image 27
I think this is another one I took on accident. It looks okay, though.
