Alton, Illinois

Sunday, September 28, 2014

Stats:
Willow Island, Illinois River to Alton Illinois.  8:30 to 2:00.  45 miles.

We awoke to fog this morning which delayed our departure.  We had no cell service or internet connection here and no TV signal (as Jeff accidentally dropped our remote for the t.v. into the bilge. The hardest part about that accident was ejecting Jeff from the bilge after he dove in after it. I had to pull him out by the belt loops. Stuff happens.)  So, we enjoyed slow coffees on the deck while watching the fish jump.

The cruise down the last thirty miles of the Illinois River was uneventful.  The landscape started to change with hills, the river getting wider and more signs of human inhabitance: cottages, hunting blinds and boats.  Most of the cottages are on stilts.  Me thinks they get high water sometimes.

We came to the town of Grafton, at mile marker zero on the Illinois and right at the junction of the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers.  We were so stoked about being on the Mississippi and it was such a beautiful day for cruising, that we decided to keep going to the next town, ten miles down the river.

Two rivers:  on the right is the Illinois, which we have just finished
and on the left is the Mississippi, which we have just joined.

Jeff driving onto the Mississippi River  Whoo-hoo!!!!

                                                                                                                                                                 




We arrived in Alton and got a slip at the beautiful Alton Marina, right beside and under a large interstate bridge.  As soon as we pulled in, we noticed some familiar boats:  John and Lorrie from Andiamo and Joe and Connie from the Chesapeake.  That's the thing about Loopers, as we are all on the same general course and time schedule, we keep running into each other.

Large bluffs as you enter the Mississippi

Look closely at the trains in this picture.We're not the only thing "made in Canada"around here!

The Alton Marina is right under this bridge. Very pretty at night when it's all lit up.

Our plan is to spend the next couple of days here at the marina.  They have a pool, hot tubs etc. and the weather is predicted to be warm and sunny.  We'll spend some time on the bikes checking the town out and sit by the pool, fine tuning our plans for the next leg of our trip.