Sept. 14-28, 2017 Alton, IL to Clayton, NY and back again to Alton
Bob and I flew home from St. Louis, Mo to Albany, NY on 9/14/17. Our daughter Jess picked us up and we spent a few days in Altamont, NY at our in-law apartment above Jess. So nice to see Jess and Adam and their son Clark. Jess, Clark and I took a quick trip to Maryland, NY to visit my cousin Jeannie. Then we drove to Bowdoin, Maine to visit our daughter Steph, son in law Byron and granddaughters Josie and Sophie. Came back to Altamont and caught up on visits to our friends Margie and Bob along with appointments with MDs and dentists. On 9/22/17 we drove up to Clayton, NY, our home port in tandem with our daughters and families.
So here is the Valkyr, an Erikson 35 purchased in 1968 by Bob’s parents. We basically grew up on this boat. Can’t believe it will be 50 years old next year! How does that happen that 50 years can just blow by? Anyway, Valkyr (now owned by our nephew Clayton) lives in French Bay Marina which is our home port. The wedding of Clayton and Samantha took place at the Antique Boat Museum in Clayton, NY, just across from the marina. We took the Valkyr out for a sail and then after docking her at the museum, raised the code flags for a back drop for their wedding. (the aft flags spell out Just Married, then blah blah blah).Me and grandson Clark. I’m pointing to a freighter and he’s saying “big boat.”Bob at the helm, town of Clayton in the background.Our daughter Steph, granddaughter Sophie, their Portuguese Water Dog Gigi. Missing: Son-in-law Byron (he had to work) and granddaughter Josie (she had to go to school).Our daughter Jess, her husband Adam and their son Clark. Poor Clark, he was swallowed up by his life jacket.Good friends aboard “Little Wing” caught up to us and took this picture. Thanks Jan and Dave!So we clean up pretty well. Our nuclear family, me, Steph, Jess and Bob. Wedding was wonderful!!!
We flew back to St. Louis on 9/26/17. We had a stopover in Washington, DC for about an hour and in that time we met a fellow traveler named David Buxton. He was headed back to his home town outside of St. Louis. He was fascinated with our “loop” adventure so we invited him to visit us on 9/27 at the marina in Alton. Great visit. Hope he can join us some day as we continue the “loop.”
So this was random, when we awoke on Sept 27, we noticed a replica of the Nina passing by!And then the Pinta!So many interesting boats. We rented a car on 9/27 and saw this mural in Alton.Visited a bird sanctuary across the Clark Bridge into Missouri. Here are birds on a wire.And birds in a tiz when Bob whistled at them.Remnants of an old lock, looking at Alton in Illinois from across the Mississippi in Missouri. Gotta love the graffiti.Going back over the Clark Bridge. Love these suspension bridges.Then we visited the Great Rivers Museum near the Melvin Price Lock. Once again, there seems to be a mindfulness of Monarch Butterflies.Inside the museum Bob successfully navigates a 15 barge tow under a bridge near the Arch in St. Louis.Got to tour the Melvin Price Lock just as a 15 barge tow entered the lock! Don’t even know what to say about the color of the water – split pea yuck soup?Looking back, another tow approaches. Our marina is to the right under the second span of the Clark bridge.Bob in conversation with the tour guide for the lock (that we’ll be going through on 9/29).Instead of the gate, a wall comes up to enclose the lock.The tour guide pointed out where a barge hit the wall gate and left two tracks. They have scheduled a repair for January. Glad we will be long gone since that repair will close the lock for a very long time.Next up – a stop at the statue of Alton’s claim to fame. The tallest person to ever have lived, Robert P. Wadlow, was born in Alton. He was 8 feet, 11 inches tall. This is a replica of his actual height. Unfortunately he only lived to be 22 years old (he had a pituitary gland defect causing excessive growth hormone).This is me in the custom made chair for Robert Wadlow.Alton also boasts the restaurant Fast Eddie’s. When the no smoking rules went into effect, Eddie bought the street next to the restaurant and enclosed it so his patrons could still smoke. Not a fan of smoking, but we loved the restaurant. Great food for really cheap prices (i.e. $1.99 hamburgers)Inside the “street”Note the double yellow lines!We placed our order upon entering and scooped up some popcorn and peel and eat shrimp.When Bob went to get the order, I couldn’t help myself, had to rearrange the chairs into rainbow order.One of many cool decorations in the restaurant. Later on the 28th we met with fellow loopers at the marina to plot our strategy for getting through the next two locks. The marina we stayed at was so accommodating – they even provided extra ice at our “docktail” hour in the evening.
Islandia Grabo's Blog 
Great blog Dee! Really enjoyed it!!
Where was the Santa Maria though?
Love you
Deb
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Welcome back to Illinois!!! Beautiful photos and great stories, thank you!!!!
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So much fun to tag along!
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