Grafton Il - Sept. 13th

Today we finally got the early start we have been trying to get (no fog this morning) so up and out at 6:30.  We had planned a loooong day 88 miles and 1 lock, that 1 lock could make or break us. 

More of the same scenery.

grain

salt

Hey! look behind you Sid!  Company.........moving at warp speeds.

Seeing more houses today all up on stilts we noticed that they looked newly raised as they all had new staircases and decks.

Ahhhh a sight to behold

Finally Grafton Harbor, time to fuel up and pumpout as we wait for our slip assignments.  We are planning to stay here for a week as we are awaiting poky, I mean NautiNell.  There are 15 loop boaters here some have left their boats for wings or wheels to visit home.  For those up stream they have a special going on.  "pay for 4 nights get 3 FREE"  great deal as there price per foot is good as well.  Good place to leave the boat and visit home, covered slips, pool, hot tub, really nice ship/gift store, courtesy cars, super nice shower rooms and some nice restaurants.  This weekend Grafton is celebrating their 175th Birthday with a parade, fireworks, car show, motorcycle show, boat parade, and a reenactment of the opening of the river road.  Make reservations now all the B&B's in town are booked for the weekend.

In our slip, behind us, we see big orange balls, howdy neighbor! We have a case of B.O.B envy.  Now time for boat chores and boy does SweetPea need a good cleaning inside and out!  Jim also plans to do an oil and filter change while we are here.

tie ups to Abandoned wall, docks and Barges! OH MY...

Not alot to see along the way a few houses, lots of trees and barges though.

The barges are loaded with asphalt, bark mulch, salt, sand, stone, pig steel, grain, crushed stone and other unmentionables.  They are being transported from other plants on this river or the Mississippi as well as the Gulf ports.

Honey I'm home!  We tied to a barge for the night quite an experience.

Took a walk into town, (Beardstown that is) 88 more miles to our next stop Grafton Il.

We all had lunch at the local Elks lodge in Beardstown,  something new for our Canadian friends aboard SomethingSpecial.  Nope, no Elks in Canada, but they are the home of the Moose Lodges.  A good time was had by all.

Isn't he cute................this is Skipper he's just 12 weeks old he's a Portuguese Water dog.  His master picked him up along the way and have had him for 3 weeks.  He's Canadian as well.  We met him at his new home aboard MyWay for cocktails.

Hmmmm Not really sure