Friday, September 21, 2012

A Tall Timber & Tug Tale


We’ve been without internet for a couple of day (OMG! How have I survived?  Quite well thank you!!)  Trying to write this while underway but there is too much interesting stuff happening around to make much headway.  But I will continue on…

Wednesday, September 19 – Tall Timbers

Wind was blowing pretty strong out the South so we hung around Tall Timbers another day at Tall Timbers.  We lazed around much of the day, I fixed the reverse cycle AC/Heater…sorry to say we used the heater at night…and walked up town.  Charley on Bamma Belle cooked up a roast and we all had dinner on Attitude Changer.  A box of wine and a couple of shots of strawberry and peach liquor latter and it’s bedtime!

Thursday, September 20 – Logston Tug, Beardstown, IL

Beautiful sunny morning and we are off!  Short 30 mile run today to Logston Tug.  Lots of interesting sightings (as always) on the river.   Enjoy the pics. Which reminds me…I told many of you that I thought I wouldn’t be interested in cruising the river.  Thought it would be a bore.  Was I wrong (again)!  It has been great!!  Our next stop is Logston Tug, which is a fleeting service of tugs that assemble barges for tows up and down the river.  They also sell overnight ties to the side of barges and tugs for recreational boats.  Pretty neat!  I got a tour of the bridge deck of a tug by a captain!  And the owner arrange for a ride to fill a couple of my diesel jerry jugs!!  Les (Admiral of Attitude Changer) put a Croc-Pot of chicken and rice on during the trip so we ate and drank well again.  Three other Looper boats joined us on Logston for the night.  Bill and Joyce on Carried Away told us about their good Michigan friends, Greg and Sally Whitaker, who they spent time with on their cruise through Canada.  Then we helped a 69-foot yacht tie up after dark.  Harbor Lady, owned by Jack Anderson (born and raised in Saginaw, graduated Arthur Hill HS) was on his way down to Napes, FL.  He travels the river at 30 mph!  As a reminder, we travel at 7.5 mph.  I think he’ll get there before us.
















Friday, September 21 – Illinois Riverdock/Restaurant, Hardin, IL

We were off early today as we we’re facing a 60+ mile run…including the LaGrange Lock.  Departing an hour before the two other trawlers was a strategic move.  Or maybe just blind dumb luck.  We got to the lock a couple miles ahead of Attitude Changer and Bamma Bell to find it open and ready for us.  So we went in and waited for the other two.  In the mean time two tows were approaching, one up and one down stream.  Normally they get priority but since we were in the lock the friendly lockmaster said he’d put us threw!  That easily saved us 2-4 hours!!!  Enjoy the rest of the river pictures…Chris tells me I need to start cooking the pork roast for tonight’s feasting!!

Late update:  We made it to Riverdock and decided to go up to the restaurant...no cooking...yeah!!  Food there...out of this world!  Brisket and pork chops to die for!  The mudslide pie...I have gone to heaven!!  They have a delicious looking carrot cake...good thing they open early for breakfast!!!







































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