54 miles was the plan for today. After being advised by the lockmaster last night that he would get us through at 7:00 am, we called him at 6:30 to confirm. “Looks like it will be around 9:00 before we can get you through,” we were told. He promised to call at 9, which he didn’t, so I called. He said come right now and we will get you through with the tow going in. We jerked the power and the lines, and took off like our pants were on fire, running at a blazing 9 mph all the way to the lock. As we pulled up into position, the lockmaster closed the gates in front of us.
The gates closed and we watched the tow sink down 22′ without us in there.
The tow advised us on the radio that we could go through on the next cycle. So much for good communication. The lock masters are responsible for coordinating the cargo up and down the rivers, so pleasure boaters, rec craft, etc. get the leftovers. It’s okay, we made it through shortly thereafter and headed downstream for our long day.
Bollard floats with the water level. One midship tie keeps the boat secure while being lowered. 
This beautiful tree was at the Starved Rock Lock.
The day was long, but fairly uneventful (a good thing). We continue to enjoy the colors of Fall. There’s clearly a nip in the air. For Amanda, it’s more than a nip; more like a 5 gallon bucket. Though we have an enclosed pilot house, it still gets pretty chilly inside. To run heat, I have to run the generator, which I prefer not to do so while underway.
Amanda goes to the engine room when she gets cold. It’s REAL toasty down there; loud, but toasty. I have a camera in the engine room so I can keep an eye on her.
Wishing for more sunshine and warmer temps, we are content to be sightseers and free to travel in this country we call home. We (especially me) enjoy the absence of so much TV, 24-hour news, and politics. My attitude, I have found, is generally much better without those things. We still miss family and friends, wishing that each (one or 2 at a time) could join us on the legs of this adventure. We are so fortunate to get to taste and see. Early Wednesday morning, I saw a small deer drinking from the riverbank. The verse in Psalms immediately came to mind, “As the deer panteth for the water, so my soul longs for You.” Though we often encounter those who share the same faith, we do long for the fellowship of the church.
Sometimes, she sends me outside just to remind me of who the captain really is.
We arrived at the Illinois Valley Yacht Club (IVY as it is called) around 5:30 pm. We were pleasantly surprised to find other Loopers (Thunderbolt, Drifters, Pura Vida III, Kissed Some Frogs) already in the marina. Finally, we have caught up with some folks who are sharing our experience. The marina office was closed already, so we were instructed to deal with the bar tender in the little Yacht Club Grille. There we met up and ate with the other Loopers and exchanged truths and lies about our experience.
We try to keep things serious, because this is a dangerous hobby.
We had previously met a couple of the boats, and were introduced to the others. We all decided to leave together on Friday morning, with the goal of going to Beardstown, Illinois (Longston Tug). An ambitious ride of 59 nautical miles (68 statute); we will see how it goes. Each boat cruises at a little different speed, and we are clearly the slowest. But we burn significantly less fuel than the others and usually arrive 30 minutes or so after the crowd. I was in a hurry for 45 years, so I’ve decided the slow boat is good therapy for me, forcing me to “smell the roses” and see what’s going on around me.