Days 168-171 On our way to Grafton, IL

Saturday October 4 — Tuesday October 7, 2025

SATURDAY

Last night, two of the four boats in our group launched their dinghies and came over for a visit with those of us who stayed put. It turned into a lovely evening—cooler temperatures and a gentle breeze made it perfect for winding down and drifting off to sleep.

In the middle of the night, I woke up and decided to step out onto the back deck to take in the night. The sky was absolutely breathtaking—millions of stars scattered across a velvet-black sky. I could’ve stayed out there for hours just watching the universe quietly unfold above me.

This morning, we all pulled anchor and traveled together about 40 miles downriver to the LaGrange Lock—the final lock on the Illinois River. We had to wait about two and a half hours while a massive tow passed through ahead of us. These tows are serious business—this one was three barges wide and five or six long. Since the locks give priority to commercial traffic, pleasure boats like ours have to wait our turn. Still, it’s only the second time we’ve had a significant delay, so not too bad all things considered.

Once we finally locked through, we anchored just below the dam, front-row seats to watch more towboats maneuver through the lock. The next one came right after we got anchored so we watched. He had 3 very long barges. He was able to fit in two of them, then disconnected and moved over so his tow and the other barge fit. It took just over an hour to do this. The drop here right now is only 10’. It will likely take a bit longer to get out.

Check out these birds!

So far on the trip we have been through 80 locks! We’ve still got plenty more locks between here and Mobile Bay 🤪—but for now, it’s anchor down, cool breeze, and hoping for another peaceful night on the river.

SUNDAY

Willow Island Stopover

Today’s journey brought us to the peaceful anchorage at Willow Island. While Spirit of Adventure pushed on, Jelly Bean, Avontuur, and we decided to drop anchor and soak in the stillness of this beautiful spot.

The scenery was serene, but the trip down wasn’t without its hiccups—our port engine started acting up, surging and missing sporadically. We’ve made a few calls to see if someone can take a look before we tackle the long, service-free stretch of the Mississippi ahead. Being Sunday, we’ll have to wait until tomorrow to (hopefully) get some answers.

Despite the engine gremlins, today was a celebration—Jeff’s birthday! We marked the occasion with steaks on the grill, fresh asparagus, and a great bottle of wine. Not a bad way to end the day.

MONDAY

Another scorcher today! Jelly Bean headed out early toward Grafton—they cruise a bit slower, so they usually get a head start. We set off with Avontuur, aiming for a breakfast stop at Mel’s River Dock Restaurant. From the outside, it looks pretty modest, but I was surprised by how spacious it is inside. The food hit the spot, and yes—they had homemade pies. Whole pies, slices, you name it. They looked really good… but somehow, we all stayed strong and passed. (Barely.)

That’s the tricky thing about a trip like this—you always feel like you’re on vacation. So many new places to try, but not quite enough time (or space) for proper workouts. Oy!

We cruised on to Grafton next. We are now at the convergence of the Illinois and the Mississippi Rivers. Naturally, the port engine decided to behave perfectly all day—no missing, no surging, just smooth sailing. Typical.

We pulled into the marina around 2 p.m. Jelly Bean is just down the dock, but Avontuur had to divert to a nearby marina for some planned service work. We tried to line up someone to look at our engine, but no luck—everyone’s booked solid for the next two weeks. So we grabbed the courtesy car for a quick supply run. Jeff picked up some fuel injector cleaner, fingers crossed that it does the trick.

Here’s a fun surprise: the marina has a pool, and—miracle of miracles—they hadn’t drained it yet! So we threw on our suits and jumped in. Was the water freezing? Absolutely. Did it feel amazing anyway? 100%.

Dinner was at the Grafton Pub—tonight’s special was a cheeseburger and fries for just $7. Can’t beat that. We sat outside on the deck, watching the sun dip over the river and marina. A beautiful evening to wrap up a hot, busy, slightly unpredictable day.

TUESDAY

What a difference a night makes! After a stretch of sweltering days, a front rolled in and brought the sweet gift of cooler weather—and with it, the best night’s sleep we’ve had in a while. Today’s high? A predicted glorious 76 instead of 90. Yes, please!

This morning, we teamed up with Rob and Chellie for the Grafton Sky Tour—a scenic ski-lift-style ride that whisks you up the hill with a mix of open chairs and enclosed gondolas. At the top: a winery, a resort, and some pretty breathtaking views. The original plan was for the girls to chill on the deck while the guys braved the alpine slide. But we had so much fun watching them zip down the hill (and maybe laughing a little too hard), we never actually made it to the deck until they were done!

Jeff’s Alpine Slide Ride!

Backstory to the video:

That’s Rob from Jelly Bean taking his turn on the slide — but the real fun started just before. Earlier, we watched a worker take a ride to test it out, and Rob couldn’t resist shouting, “Hey, the track is broken halfway down!” 😂 Turns out, the girl running the chairlift thought that was hilarious… because the guy riding? Brand new on the job.

Fast forward to Rob’s turn — and now she gets the last laugh. Right as he starts down, she yells back his own line: “Hey, the track is broken halfway down!” The scream you hear? That’s Rob playing like he’s scared. We were all in stitches!

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Lunch at the hilltop restaurant was fantastic, and the view—despite the overcast skies—was still stunning. With the sun hiding, it got a bit chilly, so we headed back to the boats for a lazy afternoon of warming up and relaxing. PS: It never made it to 76 degrees

Dinner was back at the ever-reliable Grafton Pub, where Taco Tuesday was in full swing—possibly doubling as a National Taco Day party. Live music, good company, and tacos? Count us in. I had a catfish taco and a beef taco (both excellent), paired with some icy margaritas. We joined Rob and Chellie, and the vibe was just pure fun.

And to top it all off? I got to hop up on stage and sing before the night was over. Definitely one for the books!