Bob & Susie's Big Adventure

Free workshops at the Blues Festival.  This is Harper facilitating this workshop.  He is originally from Australia but now lives in Michigan.  He has a blues band.  He plays the harmonica and the didgeridoo.

Didgeridoo

 

Before all the fireworks Sunday evening in Davenport.  We stood on the levee near the marina and could see fireworks going off in about 13 different locations.

The Blues Festival location the day after.

Le Claire Park in Davenport.

Our biggest worry was getting through the lock  in Davenport and the swing bridge.  The two are within yards of each other.  Turned out to be a piece of cake & there is no way the lockmaster would expect you to exit the lock if a train was going over the bridge.  We went out of the lock, the bridge was already open and we motored our way to Muscatine, IA 28 miles down the river.

Wicket & I at the tiller.

Can you believe it?  This huge crowd came out to welcome us to Muscutine, IA (Population about 22,000).  Okay, they really came for the fireworks.  We caught the parage 2 blocks up the street at 5:00p.m. and then the fireworks off our deck at dark.  Great fireworks, too.

We, also, met Alex Linnell and his dad in Muscatine.  We have now seen people making the long trek down the Mississippi River on kayaks, canoes, paddle bicycles, and Alex is going down on his paddle board.

http://www.alexlinnell.com/

His Dad is following along in their pontoon boat.  Seems the lockmasters will not let him remain on his paddle board while going through the lock so he hops on the pontoon for a ride through the lock. They spent the night down the dock from us.

We left Muscatine, IA at 7:30 and motored south to Burlington.  The weather was beautiful with sunny

  warm temps and little wind.  We motored about 6 mph and arrived in Burlington (about 50 miles) at 5:00 p.m. We went through Lock # 17 at New Boston, IL and Lock #18 just north of Burlington.  We had to wait about an hour for a barge to move through lock #18.  But all in all it was a very good ride. Above is the highway bridge from Burlington, IA to IL.  And Alex came paddling up at about 7:30p.m. and is staying in at down on the next dock. He will gain miles on us these next few days as Bob, Wicket and I are renting a car & driving to Moravia to visit Bob's Mom and then on to Ankeny to visit Susan's family & attend a class reunion.