Chicago or is it Elgin ?

 We are currently parked at Paul Wolf Campground in Elgin, Il.

We scored a very nice site with some shade trees along with 50Amp & water. Plus a view for our Satellite.

When we first arrived we arranged to stay at the Kane County Fairgrounds, where they have 50 amps & water at site along with a common dump. We would have stayed longer, but there were events planned, about 10 days later. 

It's about a 20 min drive to the MacDonald's house about 11 miles. I have tried various ways and it still around 20 mins or a little longer. 

I was asked about doing or wanting Honey dues. This year was a No. But I did do 2 small things, about 10 minutes.

I was asked to help re-install a playset, which was used and taken down in sections.  Done after 1 day (8hrs) of working on it. 

On Monday 27th we headed to Michigan - Benton Harbor - to see Karen and Ray Palmer, as they will be spending time on the east coast and will not be back in the Yuma area for 1-2 years. 

Traffic - well every mayor Road in and around Illinois is under mayor construction. What can I say. 

However on our way back thru Indiana, we picked up 5, 12 packs of Yuengling. Sorry everyone, I did not pick up any spares to carry back.

Nothing special about doing the tourist thing. Maybe someday something can be plan with the whole family going downtown spending the night and seeing some unique places. 

Some people don't know this, but my Grandparents (mother side), mother and sister were born in Chicago. My Great grandparents immigrated from Prussia around 1890's. My grandmother married an Irish man name of Frank Fallon. What happen to him I may never know. 

One of the things Susan and I will always do and will continue to do so, until we no longer return to Chicago will be this:

Rest in Peace Grandmother and Aunt

By the way, this year, while we were down southern Illinois, Susan and I spent time seeing her grandparents and parents gravesite. 

Ok, time to get off of this subject. Alright anything else, maybe but nothing worth reporting. Susan and I were discussing, well I was talking and she was listening. I stated, unless we came earlier or later, this might be my last trip this way. In part, due to the humidity. 

We'll see, but maybe in my time family vacations were different. I remember 1 vacation, were I was staying with a cousin in Little Rock, mom, dad said he's all yours's for the night.  Well that night we went raccoon hunting in the woods. 

What a night we had, listening and running down the Coon hounds when they were able to tree a raccoon. We were out for over 6 hours. If I remember right, I was around 10. 

There was one family vacation that took place over in Buchanan, MI. Susan and I were staying at a Thousand Trails CG., which also had cabins. We rented 1 for 7 days, and informed the Helzing's and MacDonald's, what we had done and let them setup the days they each wanted. What a great time. 

The last simi family vacation was in 2019 Custer City. 2 adults and 5 childrens arrive after a straight thru drive from Chicago.

Ok, so that about wraps it up. Except for some photos: By the way, Susan and I found a Fisher Nut Outlet store at there factory down the street. 10% extra off on Tuesdays

DaGirls Rv AKA Gus

Susan, Tilly, Dakota and Me

Safe travels and journeys

Bo Wood Campground Sullivan Illinois

 I used to Post Sites/Campgrounds/Reviews on DaGirls blog sight. Well, it seems as I have gotten away from this. So, change up time. Back to basic's but I will only post good to outstanding sites.

Susan book us a 4 night site at the COE campground south of Sullivan, Il. titled Forest "Bo" Wood Campground - Website - Here.

What offsets this COE from all the others we have stayed at? 

Is it the 50Amp service with shared water within 50Ft. Is it the sites with water and electric? Or is it the Full Hook Up sites: Water, Sewer & 50 Amp service? Or all the sight's are extremely large along with some of them are pull thrus. 

When Susan booked the sight she did not realize the FHU option.  Either way the grampground gets a 5+ in recommendations from us.

While I am at this, how about a few photos of Sullivan, IL.

Safe Travels and Journeys

Susan, Tilly, Dakota & me

DaGirls Rv, Gus

 

Beginning or is it the End?

Location: Clarksville, Mo.

Just west, Really just west of the Mississippi river. 

It's really just a part of Route 66:

When we left Qua Paw Casino, our plan, to stop in Springfield, Mo., changed. We ended up in Florissant, Mo., just north of St. Louis. We landed at the Elks Lodge for a 2 night stay. Why, to visit Family. Our stay this time was met with a open lodge.  

Our stay at the Downstream Casino, cost less than $10 dollars. How? Well simple. First locate a spot, go inside to the Electronic Players Card Machine and get a card. Go to the store or counter inside casino. Fill out form. Each card gets a free night. Spend $20 using the card get $10 to spend at the casino. Stay 2 nights, get the 3rd for $15. The $10 we spent? Well that was playing the slots. 

If you are a PassPort American, cost $17.50 / night.

50 Amp service and water at site. Common dump, easy access to everything. 

 Our short drive was met with a sign stating - Traffic at a Stand Still - What? As Susan was driving, I started looking to find out what was going on and a route around. Traffic on Missouri DOT and Google traffic, showed both West and East bounds lanes on I-44 stopped. Learned this was do to an accident. Big one.

Began north of Conway, Mo. and Lebanon, Mo. That is a distance of 20 miles. Think of it 20 miles of traffic at a stand still. 

Armed with a laptop, and Google Maps and a GPS, I went in search of a route around the standing traffic.

 There is was local roads leading east of Conway, then heading north of Lebanon, where we got back onto the Freeway. 

Some people would just have driven straight into the jammed traffic. In an MH, simple, we have our own home. However, due to the amount of vehicles on the road, it would have been an 8 hour trip for 150 miles. Another adventure with DaGirls. 

NEAR LEBANON, Mo. (KY3) - MoDOT reopened I-44 near Lebanon around 12:30 p.m. after a morning crash shut down the interstate.

The crash happened in the eastbound lanes of I-44 near mile marker 125 around 10:30 a.m. The crash blocked both lanes of traffic.

Lanes of the interstate stayed closed for about two hours.

You can think about this, 2 hours of stopped traffic. Think of all the cars traveling 1 way, 60 - 75 Mph. Not stopping or reading signs. Boom, complete stoppage. Then there are the vehicles trying to get around. Getting nowhere. As there is no place to get off. Then think, a vehicle in front of you moves. 5mph. 18 miles of this at 5 mph until the road opens in front of you. 

We were glad of our detour, and how quick we got around and back onto the Interstate.

Let's get back to Joplin and Route 66, the best part, it was Sunday and no traffic.

With no Traffic off we went in search of unique structures. Old Vs.New

As we were walking down the street, we met this gentleman having coffee on the roof.

Ok, that about wraps up this adventure - it was a wild one as you have read.

Safe Travels and Journeys
Susan, Tilly, Dakota and me
DaGirls Rv and Gus