We have made it! That is us on the Mighty Mississippi. Yes we are now docked on the Mississippi River at mile marker 221.5 at Port Charles Marina. Now some folks who were watching the SPOT thought we had lost our way and made a wrong turn going upstream on the Mississippi. But the reason is because of our faithful readers. You see two of our most faithful readers are David and JoAnn Berg who we met at the Rendezvous at Joe Wheeler State Park back at the beginning. David is also a member of the Bayliner Owners Club. They happen to be the AGLCA Harbor Hosts at Port Charles Marina. It is only a few miles up the Mississippi and has a repair facility where Native Son can get their prop repaired so upstream we went.
Pushing against the current on the Mississippi is laborious but thank goodness when we leave it will be downstream all the way.
Here is a look at our trip from Beardstown on the Illinois to Port Charles on the Mississippi.
We left Beardstown where we had tied up to a corn barge at Logsdon Towing. It was 0615 because we had our longest day ahead of nearly 100 miles.
A bald eagle and her offspring from this season which has not yet gotten the distinctive plummage. There were many eagles along the way but they are hard to photograph without a long lens.
We saw industry and failed industry beside the riverbank.
A car ferry taking people to work. These are usually at a narrow portion of the river and we have to slow and wait for them to cross.
The extra tall stilts under these houses should tell you how bad it floods up here after bad rains or a heavy snow melt.
Believe it or not this was the courtesy car at Port Charles Harbor Marina. A pearl white Cadillac Escalade pickup. We enjoyed going to the laundromat and Walmart in style. Not since Dr. Bell got the Lincoln over in Metter, GA has anyone had such a ride.
They hauled out Native Son and Rich got a close look at what was causing his vibration. Both props would be over $1100 before it was over.
The world’s greatest AGLCA Harbor Hosts, Dr Dave and JoAnn Berg, took fantastic care of us all weekend.
The Bergs threw a party on their 47 foot Bayliner “Great Escape” where at least twenty boaters enjoyed docktails.
They took us all out to the Duck Club Yacht Club for a delicious and fun filled dinner. I had a great filet mignon. Things were far more festive than these folks appear. Guess I snapped at a bad moment.
We even saw an old friend of all children at Grant’s Farm. This is the former home of President Ullysses S. Grant which was purchased by the Busch Family of Budweiser Brewing fame. It is open to the public at no cost and has their collection of exotic animals which mostly run free on the estate.
The front gate where many Budweiser commercials were filmed. More on this later.
The fence made of surplus rifle barrels from the Civil War. That is why a complete rifle is so valuable today.
Some of the animals at the farm.
We had bratwurst, sauerkraut and beer in the beer garden.
Now can you guess what else is located at Grant Farm. A clue, they were filmed many times coming out of the gate pictured above.
Yes it is the home base of the world famous Budweiser Clydesdales. They breed and birth them on another farm in Missouri and then bring the colts here at a certain age to be trained for the harness team. They are amazingly beautiful and huge. If you wonder how big, they grow to weigh a ton and each one can pull two tons. Just look at the next picture and you can see the difference between them and a regular sized horse.
We bid fond farewell to Port Charles and our new friends Dave and JoAnn Berg.
