Alton, Illinois, Day Two

Monday, September 29, 2014

Stats:
Zero, just hanging around.

Today was a rest day.  We spent the morning doing chores like grocery shopping, laundry etc.  They actually came down from the local store and picked us up and took us home again.  When I told the lady from the grocery store the story about Jeff's remote for the tv being lost in the bilge she took pity on him and insisted on driving us around to find a new one for him....  And we were successful!  The tv is on as I type!

Habby's boat!

Jeff fishes Habby off the bottom

Habby makes new friends

Later in the day, a local boater, Brian, who we had been chatting with yesterday, came by.  He offered to take us out in his go-fast boat, a Bryant named Wine N Down.  Jeff's eyes lit up and before we knew it we were flying across a mirror flat Mississippi.  This boat can move!  He even let Jeff drive.  He took us to a local spot he knew where the Asian Carp love to jump.  And jump they did.  He was disappointed that they weren't jumping more but they were jumping enough for me.  They were right beside the boat and they were jumping high.  Eeeeeeeeeeeeee!!

Those girlish squeals are just part of my DNA.  I can't help it.  I thought they might jump in the boat and hearing that they are slimy and bleed a lot didn't help!  Too funny!

Later, Brian took us to a local hotspot, Fast Eddy's, for beer and dinner.  This place is huge and a local landmark.  You line up for $1.99 hamburgers, shrimp or their signature kabobs,  all at ridiculously low prices.  It seemed busy for a Monday night but Brian said this was nothing.  The place really gets rocking with live bands and dancing on the weekends.  We had a blast on our personal tour and a lot of laughs.  THANKS Brian!!

We ended the evening with some time in the hot tub, long hot showers in the marina's lovely facilities and preparing the boat for an early departure.  Tomorrow we'll pass through St. Louis and head downstream to Hoppie's Marina.