Finding our Groove

Hi all...we are safe and sound in Peoria, Illinois on the Illinois river...we've had some challenges with this website but hopefully were good to go..We are into night four of our great adventure, and believe me it is that! We are "buddy boating" with a boat from Montana for a few days and just met another "looper" from Sacramcnto California!
To sum up our first 4...thanks to Captain Jim Brinckerhoff (picture at right) our friend for accompanying us on the first few days..we have so far travelled about 200 miles, gone through 6 locks, stayed at free docks every night, passed numerous tow boats (some as long as 4 football fields) experienced high winds and cool temps. Last night we stayed in Hennepin Ill...a real slice of Americana. The town is picture perfect and sits high on a bluff overlooking the river. Three of us were tied to the town dock. The Illinois is a beautiful river with steep bluffs and miles of untouched woods and farmland. We are tied to the town dock here in Peoria because we could not get into any of the Marinas because of low water. Tonight the corps of engineers will open the wicket dams to let water into this upper pool so tomorrow we should have no problem. Were off to dinner out in peoria...will be here for a few days