[kstanfel]

Didnt know if any of you girls were really waiting for an update on what Iowa/Illinois border area looks like. It appears that Interstate 80 is closed so we will have to take a different route to Des Moines. We will be going across the Mississippi in Dubuque instead of Davenport. Ill let you know if we see anything interesting though. The new route really shouldnt add to much time on to our schedule. Its normally about a 4 1/2 hour drive and this alternate way looks like it will take about 5 hours. We will leave around 4pm today.

[*Cyndee*]

Good luck & safe travels!

Please be careful!

[mylene169]

Bummer! I live in Bettendorf/Davenport! Maybe if you come back this way we could meet up? Travel safe! I80 is the worst around Iowa City.

[IneedCoffee]

Mylene!!!

Have a safe trip Kelli!

[QueenCrafty]

I hope you have a safe trip Kelli!

Mylene- we are so glad you're on today! Is your area okay?

[WendyBird]

Have a safe trip! Wish I was a bit closer so I could visit with you.

Mylene, good to hear from you. I hope you are doing well and safe.

[kstanfel]

Mylene, Ive heard that its going to be closed for several days so we will probably be coming back Dubuque route too. We are just going for the weekend, coming home Sunday night. But yes sometime we will have to meet up!

[WendyBird]

I just heard that most all the bridges between IA and IL will be closed tomorrow, eventhe one3 down here into Keokuk.....my DH just got called to go sandbag.

[MommaDucks]

have a safe trip!

[jennferbu]

Hope you have a safe trip! Can't wait to hear about it!

[momto4blessings]

Be safe and let us know when you return.

Mylene, glad you are here. Everything OK in your area?

[mylene169]

Everything is good now. Lots of flooding still but all the roads are passable now. Cedar Rapids is under water. About 430 city blocks are submerged still. That's about 60 miles west of here on I80. The Army Corps of Engineers is shutting down 260 miles of the Mississippi to keep barges off the river - it's pretty much the entire Iowa/Illinois border that they're closing all the Lock and Dams on. Our biggest problem here is that we're at the intersection of 5 different river basins, so when they all swell like they have been there's no where for the water to go. Most of the area is also still recovering from the flooding we had in April and the ground still hasn't had time to dry out making the water just sit. At least most of the area was prepared for this one! Oh, and it rained again today... yippee.... But I saw 2 really perfect rainbows!

[kstanfel]

I'm back! Safe and sound. Well it was quite an adventure going there. Interstate 80 was closed so we took a different way. Well we tried to cut down on a diagonal to Des Moines from Waterloo (It didnt work to well) Interstate 14 around Marshalltown was completely under water so we had to back track and went west well that rode was under water so we really back track and went back east. We finally got through that way but it was a 2 lane road that they had a levy made on one lane then they were flagging people through on the other lane while at the same time pumping the water. Kindof scary. It took an extra 1 1/2 hours for all that. Little to say on the way back we went straight up 35 then 20 and over to Illinois. Thanks for all your concerns. The river that is about 1 mile from my house is really flooded almost on the bridge I expect the road to be closed there if it rises anymore.

[mylene169]

Kelli, you're right on the Rock River aren't you? Did you have flooding earlier this spring too? I'm glad you got across and back okay!

[kstanfel]

Yes its the Rock that is flooding. We did have flooding this spring but not nearly as much.

[WendyBird]

So glad to hear you made it back safe and sound!