There is a Bald Eagle on the bank
Sunset at anchor near Beardstown, IL
More sunset
Sunrise!
We had a stowaway... Asain Carp jumped in the boat. It's a pretty common occurrence
The Hardin Bridge at sunrise
Picture-perfect day for a cruise
Grafton sights
Grafton Winery
Funky bars line the streets
Pere Marquette Cross is where Marquette and Joliette are said to have landed
Reubel Hotel is reputed to be the most haunted building in Illinois
The view from the Aerie Winery, atop the big hill in Grafton
We left Peoria and made it to the lock, just before the lockmaster was going to close the door. (They are really good about getting people through and on their way). We proceeded to Beardstown, IL, loving the calm river and lots of bald and golden eagles everywhere!!. We anchored just downriver from there and had a million stars after a beautiful sunset. We arose the next morning early to make the LaGrange Lock with several other boaters. We enjoyed another lovely day and stopped at Hardin, IL, where we were told "the best brisket in the world" is served at Mel's Dockside Restaurant. Three other Looper boats stopped there for the night as well, and we made new friends over dinner. I do believe that I ate the best brisket I have EVER tried that night!! The next morning, everyone headed down to the funky town of Grafton, which touts itself as the "Key West of the Midwest." Having spent quite a bit of time in Key West, I can kind of see where they get that. Here, we said goodbye to the Illinois River and hello to the Mighty Mississippi.
After a couple days in Grafton, we cruised down to Alton, where we are spending a week, working on the boat, getting packages, mail, and provisions. We also filled our 2 150 gallon tanks to the brim with diesel fuel, as there will be NO FUEL for about 250 miles when we leave here on Thursday. Luckily for us, the Mississippi has a current that will help us along! After passing the ST Louis Arch, we plan to spend Thursday night at Hoppies Marina on the Mississippi River, at anchor on Saturday at the Thebes Railway Bridge in Thebes, MO, and the Paducah, KY Marina on Sunday.