Havana to Grafton

A fixer upper

Two days without a blog post – let’s blame that on the lack of wi-fi connection, which is true.  But we can also site some extremely long, hot days sweltering under 97 degree heat while covering mega miles on the Illinois River.  Also very true.

Logsdon Tugs and Barge

After leaving Tall Timbers, we motored to our most interesting mooring to date.  We docked Tuesday night alongside a barge on the side of the river.  Yes, Logsdon Tug Service will allow transient boaters to tie up alongside one of their tugs – a very good thing because there is almost nowhere else that a good sized trawler can safely harbor for the night.  The tug workers were very hospitable and we were welcomed to Beardstown with a map of all the places we might want to visit.  We tried out the Mile 88 Pub – their location on the river map – and we visited a Mexican bakery to buy an anniversary treat for Chuck and Sue on Blue Moon.  Charlie and I even found a place to get a pedicure so civilization has been restored to its rightful order.

Moored to the Barge

No protection but no problems either

Barges waiting to be filled

Today we covered 88 miles by river.  That’s eleven hours in the (again) 97 degree heat and we were just about wrung out when we reached Grafton Harbor.  A few hours in the pool, some Illinois wines and some snacks at the Kahuna bar and restaurant – by tomorrow we should be returned to normal again.  

Interesting architecture

One of the things that we are noticing is that the barge traffic is not as great as we expected.  Because its mid-September, barges are being “stockpiled” next to the great grain elevators along the river, waiting for the corn and soybean harvest.  In the next couple of weeks, the elevators will fill with new crops, and the barges will be moving up and down the river to bring us all the grains of the bread basket of America here in the Midwest.