Day 369, "on the loop", 10/13/2023

*links included within post*

Sunday, October 8:

Left Henry Harbor Marina at 8:30am and made our way to the Peoria Lock & Dam. This day was an easy travel day for us, the flotilla 1 boats are starting to spread out (which was the plan). I believe flotilla 5 departs Joliet wall today and we have heard feedback that flotilla 3 had 3 incidents that required US Tow.

Side note: US Tow is a service boaters use when they have break downs or issues with boat not working properly (i.e., props, electronics, etc.)

We anchored at a 'wicket dam' near the Peoria Lock & Dam. Typically, we would not anchor so close to a dam; however, it was recommended at the briefing provided by Jeremy (at Heritage Harbor). It ended up being a great anchorage! We slept really well.

Side note: Before modern locks and dams with lock chambers and lock gates were built, another construction fulfilled the purpose of regulating the river in a way that boats were able to navigate the rivers almost throughout the year, independently of the natural water level. Wicket Dams consisted of movable planks that were only raised when needed.

Monday, October 9: First of all and most important: HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my brother, Brian Carr! Hope you have a wonderful day.

ALSO, Today marks our 1 YEAR ANNIVERSARY on The GREAT LOOP (a wonderful adventure). One year ago (on this day), Jus Relaxin' (Robb & Jaime) took us to breakfast, took our picture and sent us on our way! Looking back, didn't know what we didn't know; feeling so many emotions, we left everything that was familiar to us. Sure there have been challenges; however, the positives of the trip as a whole outweigh all of the scared and anxious feelings we had.

In true Summer Place fashion, we traveled 72 miles .... A long day. We arrived at Logsdon Tow Service late afternoon, technically a barge dock that fits about 5 - 6 boats. There were no locks, just a long ride. We were allowed to raft, 3 wide, provided boats on the dock were comfortable with that. Most of us staying the night were loopers and rafting seems to be the norm on this part of the trip.

Our flotilla was the first to arrive at Logsdon (4 of us: Arabella, Long Gone 2, Spartina and Summer Place). Later, a few other boats (from flotilla 2) joined us at Logsdon; Bear Den, Idaho Red, BushRanger, End Game and Senza Fine (these boats rafted to our 4). Side note: Grafton is an 83 mile cruise from Logsdon and Summer Place and our buddy boats are trying to stay ahead of the other flotillas (to prevent being bunched up). Some boats from flotilla 2 and 3 have already passed us (and currently at Grafton, IL, Alton, IL or further down river).

Now back to our evening in Beardstown, IL and dinner at Little Mexico. The bulk of our group walked to the restaurant leaving Joel and Capel behind to assist with the incoming looper boats staying the night at Logsdon. While walking to the restaurant, a person from the marina offered a ride, we graciously declined. She gave us her cell number and told us to call or text if we should need anything. Side note; After 7 hours of cruising, we all wanted and needed to walk and get food!

Logsdon staff were nice and recommended a local Mexican restaurant called "Little Mexico" for dinner. Margaritas were ONLY $1.99 (yes, one dollar and ninety-nine cents), we all had 2. The food was great and it came out fast, considering they were waiting on about 20 or so loopers.

Want a little bit of everything? Little Mexico served these large bowls full of all sorts of goodies! Capel finally met his match, he had leftovers!

A little bit about this area, the marina is in a town called "Beardstown," it was about a half mile walk to the restaurant. We passed a cute little park, the post office (we always have post cards to mail :-), several Mexican eateries and a CLOSED ice-cream shop. The weather was starting to chill off a bit and the majority of us turned on the boat heaters.

History:

Beardstown was first settled by Thomas Beard in 1819; he erected a log cabin at the edge of the Illinois River, from which he traded with the local Native Americans and ran a ferry. The town was laid out in 1827 and was incorporated as a city in 1896. During the Black Hawk War in 1832, it was a base of supplies for the Illinois troops.

Thomas Beard's son, Edward "Red" Beard, a noted gambler and saloon keeper of the Old West, was killed in a gunfight in Kansas in 1873 by "Rowdy Joe" Lowe. Earlier, he had built a two-story brick building which was used for 85 years as a store and inn. This inn is alleged to have sheltered Abraham Lincoln during his visits to Beardstown, but that is legend and unconfirmed. The building was demolished and replaced by a post office.

William Henry Herndon, Lincoln's Springfield law partner, claimed that Lincoln contracted syphilis from a prostitute in Beardstown, an incident author Gore Vidal colorfully recounts in his historical novel Lincoln (1984).

The house was the site of a famous trial which helped build Abraham Lincoln's reputation as a lawyer after he used a copy of a farmer's almanac to undermine the credibility of the prosecution's key witness. The scene was later depicted in a painting by Norman Rockwell.

A Lincoln Museum is on the second floor of the courthouse along with many Native American relics.

Tuesday, October 10: We left at first light (6:45am).

All boaters were up, willing and ready to depart Beardstown at first light. We lost one of our black fenders at this stop.

Pic 1: Rafted 3 Wide

Pic 2: Early morning view

It was extremely foggy, making for a VERY slow start for all. We were traveling at such a slow rate, we could barely run the boat without pulling it in and out of gear. We only have 1 lock for the day, The LaGrange lock.

LaGrange Lock and Dam:

LaGrange Lock and Dam is located 7.8 miles below Beardstown, Illinois. It sits 80.2 miles above the confluence of the Illinois River with the Mississippi River at Grafton, Illinois.

Pic 1 & 3: In the lock, the view ahead

Pic 2: Captain Joy... she drives their boat the majority of the time! She's one cool Captain! Her husband, Pat, takes care of the first mate responsibilities.

Dock hands provide the lines in these locks.

Locking Through: LaGrange is one of only two wicket dams on the Illinois Waterway. During high flows, the wickets are lowered and open river conditions prevail. The lock is used only during low and moderate river flows when the wicket dams are raised to maintain the nine-foot navigation depth. Safety is the prime consideration when locking any type of vessel through a lock. Operators must require all passengers to wear a Coast Guard approved life jacket. As you approach a lock on the Illinois Waterway, you must inform (by radio or phone) the lock operators of your desire to pass and they, in turn, will indicate to you when it is safe to proceed into the lock.

We arrived in Grafton, IL at 5 Harbors Marina late afternoon (around 4:30 pm). We put everything away from a day of traveling and had dinner at the Grafton Oyster Bar. We were part of 2 large tables of loopers all having dinner. The Other Woman & No Agenda paid for the bulk of the bar tab - Thank you guys!!! (They are at the table to the left, not in the picture). The guy next to Joel is Steve (Dragonfly), he is from Atlanta (near Lake Allatoona).

Wednesday, October 11

Finally, we had a few days to "sit still" which allowed us to catch up on a few chores. I used the time to do laundry and clean the boat cabin while Joel took care of a few maintenance projects.

For those that didn't know, Joel and I owned a river house near the Grafton marina on the Missouri side near the Grafton Ferry (we sold it a few months before starting the loop). Side note: Joel used the house as a duck hunting lodge :-) in the winter and boating during the summer months. (as time permitted, which wasn't much due to Jonathan's sports, etc.).

With that said, Joel knows a few people in the area. Mid afternoon, Joel and I took Summer Place to the fuel dock for a pump out. While doing so, we noticed our old boat (that we kept at the river).

We were able to catch up with Meredith and Tom, it was great to see them and chat a bit. The boat looked GREAT!

Meredith shared a few cleaning tips on how she keeps it so shinny!

The boating community is great, Joel met a couple who plan to start their loop in 1 year. They live in Branson and keep their boat in Grafton, their boat name is "Irish Wake" (they are Irish :-). The story here is, Sandy (1st mate) offered to take a couple of us to the grocery store to provision our boats. Side note: We have not been to a grocery store since Michigan, so we were running low on food. Plus, I needed to get ready for the VIP's.

Karen and I were beyond thrilled for the Walmart run! Thank you Sandy & Mike for your hospitality! Side note: 5 Harbors marina does have a courtesy car; but, it was checked out.

Arabella, Long Gone 2, Spartina and Summer Place enjoyed a Chili potluck. We invited Irish Wake to join us.

We ate near the pool / hot tub area; but the mosquitos were so bad we wrapped up with dessert on Summer Place and turned on our Thermacell to keep the mosquitos away. It was a great night that ended with pie and ice-cream, provided by Spartina (Joy & Pat), it was yummy!

Thursday, October 12:

Last day in Grafton, it was truly a fun stop! Joel and I finished our chores and look forward to receive our next guests.

Our first VIP couple Jane & Ron Morgan drove to Grafton and spent the day with us! They brought snacks and a bottle of champaign (for our wake crossing celebration). John make sure to come hungry! We have plenty of snacks, thanks to Ron & Jane! They made us feel like VIP's.

We had so much fun with the Morgan's. Jane and I took the sky lift to Aries winery. We followed Arabella and Spartina on the lift, they were so brave. Not me, I was scared, Jane told stories all the way up, can't remember what she said; but, I was grateful she kept my thoughts at bay!

Pic 1: Arabella (Capel & Karen)

Pic 2: Spartina (Pat & Joy)

Pic 3: Arabella and Spartina (in line to go up the hill)

Pic 4: Jane and I before heading up the lift

The Grafton Sky Tour Aerial Lift offers one of the best views of the region and a cool way to get there. The gentle and leisurely open seat ride takes you up the bluff top to Aerie's Resort and Winery, where they had plenty of patio seating set up for drinks and food. The spot overlooks the confluence of the Mississippi and Illinois rivers and is a relaxing way to enjoy the beauty of the region. Tickets are $10 per person for a round trip pass and season tickets are available for $29 per person.

Joel & Ron met us at the winery after they visited with Galen (our old river house neighbor). Last ride for the sky lift was 7pm. I was too scared to ride down, so Joel, Jane, Ron & I walked down the hill (from the winery).

We went to 3rd Chute for dinner. There was only one waitress at the restaurant so service was slow; but, the food was good. Thank you for dinner, Ron & Jane! Galen was nearby and stopped in for a drink and purchased a round of drinks for the table- Thank you, Galen! Charlie (the person that purchased our river house) stopped in at the 3rd Chute too. Joel was happy to catch up with them!

Pic 1: Morgan's / Boisselle's & Galen (river house neighbor)

Pic 2: Charlie (He purchased the river house in Portage De Sioux)

The pumpkin fairy stopped by and left a gift! Jane got a great deal on the pumpkin and insisted we keep it as a decoration for the boat. Thanks, Jane... definitely adds a pop of color to the galley!

Friday, October 13 - Very Important Birthday, Jonathan turns 20 today! I can hardly believe it. We couldn't be more proud of this kid! I always tell him, he is the best gift I ever got!

Left Grafton Harbor (5 Anchor Marina) at 8am , headed to Alton, IL. We are only a week away from crossing our wake, We are estimated to cross on October 19th, weather dependent. We look forward to seeing VIP, Jonathan.

Passing our old river house! Joel will miss the house come duck hunting season; but, we have great memories. Charlie, current river house owner, had his mom paint the house on a Christmas ornament. He gave it to us at closing. We love it!

Pic 1: River house during a flood (and back when we owned it)

Pic 2: Pic of River house (new owner, not a great shot)

Pic 3: The Christmas ornament Charlie's mom painted

Our second VIP, Jonathan (our son) arrived around 6:30pm in Alton, IL. He drove 6 hours (from Arkansas) for a birthday dinner :-) We took him to Gentelin's On Broadway, the food was amazing. My salmon was awesome, it may be "as good" as the place in Savannah, Ga. The guys had steaks, they were not disappointed.

John Mills will be our next VIP and scheduled to arrive on Saturday (he will do the last leg of the trip with us to Paducah, KY)! More to come next week! Stay safe.

Weather permitting, next stops:

Sat (14) - Hoppy's (near the Blue Owl) - one night

Sun (15) - Kaskaskia Lock - one night

Mon (16) - Anchorage near Cape Girardeau bridge - one night

Tues (17) - Anchorage below Olmstead Lock - one night

Wed (18) - Paducah Marina - one night

*We will take the Cumberland River Lock*

Thur (19) - Green Turtle Bay - CROSS WAKE

Oct 19 - 22 - Green Turtle Bay, preparing to leave boat behind

Random Information & Miscellaneous Stuff:

The Beardstown Ladies

From 1984 to 1993, a group of 16 late-aged women were picking stocks in the Dow Jones and over the course of nine years were claiming returns of 23.4% on their stocks. Once they went public with the amazing returns, they gained national recognition for their success. The Beardstown Ladies, with an average age of 70 (1994), were asked to appear on The Donahue Show, CBS's Morning Show, NBC's The Today Show, and ABC's Good Morning America.

Wanna know more about Beardstown, check it out here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beardstown,_Illinois

Electric Barriers (we passed a couple of these while traveling down the Illinois River system):

I think the birds are waiting for food :-)

The Electric Barriers are operated to deter the inter-basin establishment of Asian carp and other fish via the CSSC by maintaining an electric field in the water. The barriers are one controlled technology in a broad interagency Asian carp prevention effort.

The Electric Dispersal Barriers are located near Romeoville, Ill., in the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal (CSSC) within the CAWS. The CSSC is a man-made hydrologic connection between the Great Lakes and Mississippi River basins that was completed in the early 20th century to address sanitation and flooding.

It's our understanding these electric barriers do not impact boaters; however, a couple of boats had electrical problems with their navigational systems shortly after passing the electric barrier.

Asian Carp (fish):

Several species of heavy-bodied cyprinid fishes are collectively known in the United States as Asian carp. Asian carp are considered invasive species in the United States.

In June, 2022, the EPA funded initiative to rebrand Asian Carp as Copi. The new name — Copi — is a part of the Federal and multi-state campaign to reintroduce the carps to the public as a healthy and responsible seafood option in order to decrease its numbers in U.S. waterways.

Jumping ability

Silver carp are easily frightened by boats, which cause them to leap between 8–10 ft into the air, and numerous boaters have been severely injured by collisions with the fish. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, "reported injuries include cuts from fins, black eyes, broken bones, back injuries, and concussions". This behavior has sometimes been attributed to the very similar bighead carp, but these do not normally jump when frightened. Catching jumping carp in nets has become part of the Redneck Fishing Tournament in Bath, Illinois.

Funny, not so funny stories: When Jonathan was about 10 years old, he was tubing when a carp jumped from the water and hit him in the face, causing a black eye. I was at work that day, thank goodness! I would have been freaked out! Once Avery and one of the boys was tubing when a carp jumped in the inter-tube, Avery was bouncing around trying to avoid the fish (wasn't funny at the time).

Oh, I just remembered, the Jesionowski's were with us (on the river) the day Joel broke the prop on his smaller boat. The rest of us were on a pontoon boat. Kendall - remember this?! That was the weekend the crabby lady yelled at Joel, I was stung by the wasp and you and I went to the Brad Paisley concert.

Random Pictures while in Beardstown, IL:

Pic 1: Hanging with the minions

Pic 2: Passed a couple of small parks, this was at the entrance of one of the parks. Side note: We saw several eagles on this leg of the trip.