Good-Bye Buddy Boats

Illinois River

A perfect landing on the Illinois River

Cooling your jets

Illinois River bird gang #1

Gang #2

Gathering for the rumble

Dredging on the river

Gambling ship

Lounging on the Illinois River

Illinois Valley Yacht Club's mascot

08.23.2010 - 08.27.2010. Freedom was docked in front of the Illinois Valley Yacht Club's restaurant. Some club members stop by to ask us about the boat and the trip. Others just stared at us from the 2nd floor dinning deck. It was like living in a fish bowl or being on reality TV but without getting paid.

We took a road trip to Bloomington to get a few body parts serviced. We returned with shinny teeth, adjusted eye glasses and a ton of groceries. It use to be so easy to get health care. If we had a medical problem I called the doctor and made an appointment. Now we have to plan around weather conditions and lock closings to see our regular doctors.

Tut helped me search for something I thought was stored under the bed. I never found it.

This patch of fog reminded me of a soybean field. Each cluster of water droplets was narrow on the bottom and wide on the top, like a soybean plant.

08.27.2010 we anchored after a 13 hour (140 nautical miles) travel day behind Willow Island. It was quiet and peaceful there. Fog danced around Freedom as the sun rose.

Train lift Bridge

Sunrise on the Illinois River

It was a beautiful day for air travel

"Hey wait for me , I overslept"!

"I'm just flying low so Andrew can take my photo"

Debris in the river caught on a red navigation marker called a nun and or a cone

Tut tried unsuccessfully to fit in the small size bag without tearing it. I know the feeling.

08.28.2010

We waved good bye to Monkey Girl and Blue Yonder as they disappear into the fog with Bull Dog Sally. They're headed South at a quicker pace then us. We hope to meet up with them again someday.

08.29.2010 Farewell dinner at Aerie's Restaurant with the crews from Noah Genda, Shingbiss and Prime Time. Noah Gender and Shingbiss turned right on the Mississippi River and Prime Time continued South.


Don't get the tissues out but it is sad to say good bye to people you buddy boated with on the Loop. We still have Hospodar withdrawals and we haven't seen them since April. We talk on the phone but it's not the same as watching George mix a gimlet or listening to Pat fill in the details of an event when George is laughing too hard to convey it.

Laura, Bill, Anna and Pete,

We miss you already. May there always be water under your boat and ice for your drinks.

View of a barge from Aerie's Restaurant

Sallyann and Andrew with shinny clean teeth

Andrew and Tut take a walk around Grafton Harbor

Tut's walk was exhausting today. He was unable to stand to drink water.

Holy Carp!

08.28.2010 09.-04.2010

The price was right, (pay for 4 days get three free), so we spent a week at Grafton Harbor Marina. The marina, advertised as The Key West of the Midwest, is well maintained. Their general store offers gifts, boating goods and wine tasting. We tasted six varieties and purchased all of them plus a few we didn’t try.

Above the store is the Big Kahuna Floating Bar and Grill. The restaurant has good food and friendly service. They offer a breakfast buffet on Saturdays and Sunday. It a busy place on the weekends

Most of the restaurants in Grafton have wine and or beer tasting and live entertainment on Saturdays. Their menu items are moderately priced. The town is a hot spot for partying locals and travelers.

Jan and David R visited us on 09.02.2010. We ate dinner at The Landing Dock and got caught up on the happenings at GTB. T-storms illuminated the evening by providing a cloud to cloud lightening show. It was awesome and so was the company.

We meet the nicest couple, Joe and Lisa, in Grafton. Joe offered to buy Andrew a beer because he wanted to hear about the loop. They live in Alton and are taking us to a cool restaurant when we get to the city.