Mike and Beth's Adventures

 Mountain stream, Smoky Mountains Road Trip!  It was time to park the boat, rent a car, and see the Smoky Mountains.  We left the boat in Nashville and headed east to enjoy the serenity and solitude of the mountains.  In the last year we had become "water people", now we wanted to get in touch with our inner "mountain persona".  So we pointed the rental car east and headed away from the sunset.  We were ready to embrace the cool mountain air and the fresh smell of the vegetation as the damp foggy air gently swirled .  A wilderness experience was in order. But First - Road Trip Food You just aren't on a road trip unless you succumb to the siren call of road side food.  Our first temptation was Buc-cee's, in Crossville Tennessee.  If they don't have it, you don't need it!  It is every road side tourist stop on steroids with cheap gas, clean restrooms, and reasonably priced, decent fast food.  It is also overwhelming.  Maybe becau...

 Early morning convection fog on the Illinois River We departed Hennepin free docks at 10am to continue our trip south on the Illinois.  The late departure was due to fog.  We encountered a lingering patch of convection fog and quickly popped out the other side.  Travel conditions were good so we settled into cruising at 7.5 knots.  This is an economical speed for travelling as it is max hull speed for our boat.  We can go faster if we try to plane, but doubling the speed increases dramatically decreases fuel milage.  We like to save money when we can.  After all it is about the journey. Grain and corn is loaded on barges from surrounding farms. Many of the tows we encounter are taking grain or corn to market The Illinois River has a very large concentration of Bald Eagles. You can see adult birds teaching juveniles how to hunt. We saw dozens of these birds each day. Beardstown Illinois Beardstown was our next overnight stop. We found many great l...