7/31/22 Tall Timbers to Peoria

It was a pleasant morning at Tall Timers Marina with cool temps and friendly company.  Several of the other Marinette owners came over and struck up conversations.  We prepared the boat for todays voyage and motored over to the fuel dock to fill the tanks.  While paying our nearly $1,000 fuel bill we were treated to “free” muffins….those were the most expensive free muffins we’ve ever had!  

We departed at 8:30 am to start our planned slow cruise to Peoria by seeding the throttles at 1600 rpm’s that was pushing us along at 8 mph.  Depending on the time it takes us to get through the one lock on our path this would put is to our destination 42 miles up river between 1:30 - 2:30 pm.  The sun shone brightly warming the cool morning air.  This has Erik quickly out of his jeans motoring along from the Flybridge in his skivvies…sorry ladies no pictures!  Lol

Didn’t get get any good pics but if you zoom in you can see a bald eagle on the shore 
We expect to see lots of them on up the river 

We maintained discipline by keeping up our slow pace the entire trip allowing us to get a whopping .9 mpg going up river.  Feeling extravagant we dined on gourmet peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, fresh cucumber spears and sun chips for lunch.  As we got to within 10 miles of Peoria the industry and barge congestion picked up as it seems to around any bigger city.  We did also start seeing more runabout type pleasure boaters and even saw the only person water skiing that we had seen since leaving the Kentucky Lake area.   

Lots of barges

Kayakers out for a Sunday float
Or maybe on a longer adventure? 

We made it to the one lock that we would be traversing today, Peoria Lock and Dam, at 1pm.   Radioing ahead to the lock master at a couple miles out we were told to ‘bring it on up’ and they would prepare the chamber for us.  We love getting that response.  The lock was a very small lift of only about 3’. Riva officially has a favorite lock as she had a friend, Max, to converse with on the ride up.  

Riva’s new found friend, Max

Notice Riva yapping a LOT

 Max sitting quietly ignoring her ;-)

Large gates just outside of the lock walls 
The lock master informed us they are for blocking the dam when performing maintenance 

Four miles upriver from the lock we came to downtown Peoria and the municipal free docks.   There were no other boats at the docks and we easily slid into one of the only spots for larger boats.  Often free docks or walls in river cities exist but it is uncommon for them to have full electric service for boats as this one does. Technically there is no overnight docking here, but, Navionics reviews state that “everyone ignores that”.  So, we will give it a try.   The worst that could happen is that we would be awoken at night and asked to move.  If that should happen there are several good spots for anchorage nearby.  

Since we got settled in early we discussed possibly going to the Riverfront Museum and Planetarium that was very near the dock.   We ended up opting out of that idea and instead went for a bike ride along the riverfront trail and stopped in for some yummy ice cream; toasted s’mores for Renee and mint chocolate chip with Oreos for Erik.   When Erik grows up he thinks he wants to be an ice cream flavor designer, or, a saxophone….we’ll see.

Back at the boat we showered up, relaxed, did some planning for upcoming days and even napped for a bit before fixing dinner.  Tonight’s menu included penne pasta with a garlic sauce, smoked sausage and red onions.  Did the belly and tastebuds right but left us both with some serious garlic breath.  It was with it!  

After a big dinner we jumped back on the bicycles and rode along the Peoria Parks River Trail about 2 miles.  The riverfront area was nice but not many people or activity.  The trail dropped us out close to the area of a 7pm AA meeting that we stopped in at.  The meeting hall was in what appeared to be an old historic building that was very nicely restored.   Bob, the chairperson, turned out to be the only other person to attend the meeting.  He was an interesting fella and we had a nice small meeting between the three of us.  Wherever two or more of us are gathered we have fellowship!   

Easy Does It

True statement! 

Unity-Service-Recovery

On the ride back from the meeting the riverfront had come alive with many more people enjoying the beautiful breezy evening.  Folks were walking, playing volleyball and there was even a group of eight or so people roller dancing to music around a monument in the park.  We had several groups of visitors throughout the afternoon and evening inquiring about Happy Destiny and our trip up the rivers.  It is always enlightening and uplifting to strike up conversations with the local people.  

At a rec center along the bike path there is about  twelve volleyball courts that were all being utilized in some sort of league or tournament on our way home 

Memorial for Dan Fogelberg along riverfront trail
His birthplace and childhood home was Peoria

The remainder of the night was spent walking Riva in the park and enjoying a peaceful night on the aft deck with each other’s company.   We will be retiring early to get a good nights rest in preparation for a planned long cruising day tomorrow.  

Riva is worn out
Livin a ruff life!

Our view for the night 
The lit up bridge added some nice ambiance 

 “There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguments, and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance—that principle is contempt prior to investigation” 

-Herbert Spencer