Wednesday, Aug. 22, 2018
We left IVY Club at 8:35am through a frenzy of barge traffic, one going down river coming at us on our port (left) side and another going up river coming at us on starboard. Got in front of the one on our port side and passed the up-river tow “on the 2” – river lingo for starboard to starboard in opposite directions. Ten miles to the Peoria lock and only a 10 minute wait - amazing!
At noon we passed the second lock & dam built on the Illinois River in 1876 at Copperas Creek. Of course also non-operational, but we learned that the original gates were built of wood (as was the old Henry L&D) and the floor of the lock was still intact though below 20 feet of water and muck. They just don’t build things to last anymore!
We were forced to go past our intended dockage for the day at Tall Timbers in Havana, IL, because their entry is too shallow due to shoaling. So as we rode past it we listened (and Sue danced but Brian Bo and Wilson wouldn’t) to Havana by Camilla Cabello just because we were near Havana-ooh-na-na… not East Atlanta-na-na-na! With such a gorgeous day, sunny, breezy and only a barge now and then, it would have been a waste to stop in Havana-ooh-na-na (it’s a catchy tune) at 1:30 anyway. Instead we headed 32 miles further to tie up to a tow dock at Logsdon Tug Service in Beardstown, IL at 4:30.
Bo was thinking, “Grass, finally!” however getting to it was a challenge! He had to go up 25 feet of grated metal stairs to get to the landing from the tow dock. “Uh oh! I’m not doing that! I can see through to the water below!” (See pictures) After a lot of total body shaking, a couple of terrific tow captains who brought treats, plus our coaxing, plus cheese and 20 minutes later, Bo took a step onto the metal stairway … then another, then eventually got to the top shaking all the way! FINALLY GRASS AND RELIEF! But then he had to go back down, which thankfully seemed a bit easier. He was still hesitant about the next 2 trips up to the grass but he pushed through his nervousness and cautiously climbed the steps – what a brave pup we have!
BTW – THAT Beardstown is the one and the same as an Investment Club founded in 1983, (formally the Beardstown Business and Professional Women's Investment Club) by 16 women, average age 70. Also, The Beardstown Courthouse has “the only Illinois courtroom still in use where Lincoln once practiced law.”
https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB114596682916135186
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beardstown_Ladies
http://www.abrahamlincolnonline.org/lincoln/tours/lawbeard2.htm