Gourd-jous!

September 20-22, 2019

Woodhaven Lakes Resort, Sublet, IL

Day 98-100

Leaving for Illinois today to meet up with my friend Teresa’s brother. Something’s up with Sparky. He slept in his bed under the dinette, which is unusual. Typically, he is on the other twin bed. He didn’t eat breakfast, not even his meat “course” (about 2 tablespoons of chopped chicken or the like). I'm getting concerned.

Will came over and we had our last breakfast together. He walked Sparky for me which was so helpful. I am still walking Sparky, but it’s less and measured. We say goodbye.

Nice drive to Shannon, Illinois. It's almost a straight shot on nice small state roads. Fortunately, there were no flooding issues along the way; we had a lot of rain and flooding the past few days. Terrain is becoming flatter, and there are a lot more corn and soybeans, and fewer animal, farms. I drive thru Freeport (aka Pretzel City) known for the Lincoln-Douglas Debate and once famous for their German pretzels; stopping off at Krall Park for a quick walk and snack. Tried to feed Sparky some turkey meat, but he wasn’t interested.

Got to Shannon about noon and met Tim (Teresa’s brother) and Kyle (nephew) shortly thereafter. They both are corn and soy farmers. Tim is a hoot and you can tell immediately he has a heart of gold, like his sister! Shannon is a small town and you get the impression he is the Big Man on campus. You can also tell he is a great dad and friend to Kyle; who is also so sweet.

I parked my rig at their farm and used their generator to stay powered, while they took us on the local tour. We went thru Shannon, including Kyle’s house, the old schoolhouse, the helicopter pad which they helped organize and fund (and necessary in these parts for emergency medical events) and his house. The farmland is beautiful and that's all there is out here; and, tractors, really big tractors.

Left Shannon around 3pm so I could check into my camp about 1 hour away. I chose to stay at a camp because it had full hookups, which I needed. Otherwise, I would have stayed on the farm; a decision I would soon regret.

The entrance to this camp in Sublet, IL was lovely! Right away my expectations were high. I was even escorted to my site. That’s when things changed drastically. This is a very low-quality, supposedly, non-residential park. But the security guy tells me most stay 200+ nights a year, because they're closed the other 156. In short, this park is an arm pit. Yes, can’t believe I am saying that, but that’s what it feels like. The weather isn’t any better either. It’s cool, overcast yet humid. Most rigs look they have haven’t been cleaned or moved in years. Mildew covers the mostly old RV’s. There is crap outside most rigs. I am told there are over 800 RV’s in this park. I don't see any Airstreams or nice motor coaches. This place is huge and very depressing. I don’t feel unsafe, but I don’t want to be here. Weather tonight is going to get stormy including a possible tornado. I am here for 2 nights. This park is worse than the one in Des Moines or the one outside of Eugene, OR. Staying at the farm would have been so much better. Making the most of it, I filled up on water, did the grey/black tanks in the rain, then took a hot shower.

Day 2 - Up and out early, so I could meet Tim and Kyle at 9:15 am, as well as Tim’s lovely wife (and Kyle’s mom) Barb. They are helping unload pumpkins and gourds for the Lion's Club sale. I meet them at the only 4 way stop intersection in Shannon. It’s wet, overcast, chilly and a little windy. Tornado weather? Maybe.

Sparky is still acting odd. He doesn’t want to get out of the truck. He also didn’t want breakfast, including ground pork?!

We go to lunch at Farmers Family in nearby Forreston. Pretty much a diner with a fairly big menu of hearty fare. I opt for the safest lunch – tuna salad. I am kidding you not, this was one of the best tuna salads I have ever had, and it was huge!!! An enormous scoop of perfectly seasoned tuna salad on a large bed of crunchy romaine salad with tomatoes, a hardboiled egg, and a terrific Greek dressing (probably bottled, but I didn’t care). It was refreshing, and I was so thankful to have such a perfect lunch. Nothing was left on the plate. After lunch, we drove by the school where my friend taught home-economics, and we said our goodbyes. I really loved meeting her family and know that next time I visit my brother in Madison, I will stop by here again. They were so genuine and giving of their time. Plus, I feel even closer to my dear friend…if that was even possible.

Heading back to camp, we take another scenic route stopping off at the John Deere House & Museum, in Grand Detour, Illinois. In 1938, John Deere moved here from Vermont as part of the Home Stead Act. Blacksmiths were a dime a dozen in New England, but not here in the new frontier. Farmers where having a difficult time working the soil because it was different from that on the East Coast. So, he forged a new blade that cut thru this soil better, where the soil would not stick to the blade. It revolutionized plow farming. Generation later, wanting to get into the gasoline tractor business, the company purchased nearby Waterloo Boy Tractor. (So, technically, John Deere the man never made a tractor, he just made the blade.) Because the John Deere reputation was so well known, the new technology of motorized tractors was immediately trusted. The rest is history.

Raining again. Stopped off to do to some grocery shopping before heading back to (awful) camp. I drive by the check in gate waiving but they don't see my placard. A security person chases after me like I was trying to sneak in. I apologize but am really thinking of who would want to be here in the first place. I catch up on some phone calls including to my sister Jill, who is in Chicago for a few days visiting a friend. We try and figure out how to meet up, but it looks like that isn’t going to work. I leave tomorrow for The Dunes National Park near Gary, Indiana, just east of Chicago, but want to avoid tornado warnings along the outer ring of The City. Chicago is smack in the middle of the line to Gary, so I decide that will be my route.