TUESDAY JUNE 5TH, 2012

The Mississippi is much busier with tow traffic than the Illinois was. It is an issue for us because they outrank us at the locks and it takes a tow about 1 ½ hours to pass through each lock. Having to wait this amount of time at several locks each day really slows down our progress.

This was our first lock for today. Our hearts sunk when we saw one tow already in the lock and this great big one all tied up and ready to go behind it. This barge is almost as large as they can be for this part of the river. It is pushing 15 containers and has one additional tied up to the right side of the tow. If the tow had one tied on to its left side it would be at the maximum.

The towboat captains do an amazing job navigating and moving this immense weight of cargo around. Each single container holds the equivalent to 60 Semi truckloads.

Bless the heart of this captain as he gave permission to the lock to allow them to let us pass ahead of them. All we need to do is sneak in through the opening between the lock wall and the yellow cell that the front row of barges are tied too.




The water was squirrely and it was creepy going in between all that, but we made it.






We passed by Hannibal, Missouri. The home of Mark Twain. We could hear calliope music emanating from shore. We think the riverboat along the shore is a museum about Mark Twain and it was the source of the music.





We arrived in Quincy, Illinois fairly early in the day. We were lucky with the locks today so the travel day was shorter than we planned for. The water levels here are very low and we got stuck as we tried to enter the marina where we were to stay. Tami, Mark and I went as far forward as we could and stood on the bow pulpit. It lifted the stern up just enough for the props to clear and we were moving again.

The marina had power hookups, only they didn’t work. So it was a bit like camping. Lucky for us it cools off at night so it was comfortable to sleep.











We weren’t within walking distance of town so we called for a cab. We told them we needed it for 4 people but this what showed up. I figured if we could all cram into this, it would take the “jaws of life” to get us out! . Plus our driver took up plenty of space to begin with.  I’m sure it looked like a clown car when we arrived at the restaurant.






View of the Pier restaurant from the water where we went for dinner.











Today was my 59th birthday! My children, family, and friends called, texted or emailed me. I had a wonderful dinner with my husband and good friends Mark and Tami Heimer. Life is good!