Secrets of Jo Daviess County
- and Beyond
July 11-13, 2008

The third annual Secrets of Jo Daviess County Tour has been scheduled for the weekend of July 11-13, 2008. This year the name has an addendum. It will be Jo Daviess County - and Beyond. We’re going outside the county into southwest Wisconsin and Northeast Iowa to seek new hills and curves and views.
The MG enjoyable weekend will begin with an afternoon reception at the Lake Carroll home of the Herman’s for those who wish to travel to the area on Friday. After the reception we’ll dine at the Yellow Creek Inn with the famous fish fry so popular last year. The host hotel for that night will again be the Country Inn and Suites at Stockton.
The Saturday launch will be from the Country Inn parking lot at 10 am. Our route will take us to a short winery stop then through some new venues in Jo-Daviess County before crossing into Wisconsin. We’ll use a ferryboat to cross the Mississippi River into Iowa. We’ll work our way along the river to a famous overlook of the juncture of the Mississippi and Wisconsin rivers and end the day at Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin. Dinner, lodging and parking lot party in PdC.
Sunday we’ll run cross-country in southwest Wisconsin with a destination of the ever-popular Baumgartner’s cheese store in Monroe. The tour breaks here and you will be free to choose your way home.

Arrangements:
We have a block of 20 rooms at the Country Inn in Stockton. It’s identified as MG Club and consists of 17 rooms with 2 Queen beds and three with King beds, all non-smoking. The rate for our club for a standard room is $98. If you qualify for AARP or other discounts the rate is $88. Other configurations may be available if you ask. The block expires at close of business June 11. The phone number is 815 947 6060. It’s better to call directly than to use their national reservation line. Ask for Wendy, but anyone there can help you.
If you wish to reduce the hotel cost for Friday night the Baymont Inn in Freeport has an ample number of rooms available at this writing. I did not establish a block there. The standard room with either 2 Double beds or one King is $80, $72 with AARP. Remember that this hotel is 20 miles east of the host location at Stockton.
At Prairie du Chien I’ve arranged a block of 20 rooms at the Brisbois Inn, phone 608 326 8404 or 800 356 5850. Ask for the MG Club block. The rate has been negotiated at $69 for Double bed, $79 for Queen bed and $94 for a larger room with King bed. All are non-smoking. The block expires June 28. A Cabella’s store is a mile down the road. Note that PdC is a resort and casino destination and rooms are scarce and more expensive on summer weekends. Accommodations at the more familiar hotel chains were either unavailable or priced at ridiculous levels. Hotel costs are generally higher this year; the Stockton hotel acknowledged they had increased their rates substantially from last year.

If you plan to join us please send me an e-mail of your intentions, including whether you will attend the reception, to danherm@jcwifi.com. I’ll then put you on my distribution list and keep you posted of information and developments regarding the tour.
We hope to see you then for some genuine MG driving enjoyment.