Mike and Brenda on "Velsignet"

“You made my day,” Mark (Sailing Vessel “Orion”) said as the three of us savored sausage-stuffed dates and butternut squash tostada appetizers at Paducah’s Freight House Restaurant (It's chef, Sarah Bradley, is a "Top Chef" chef).   We’ve been traveling with Mark since the Illinois River.   Mark is from Minnesota taking his sailboat to Florida.   He's a  guy who we find fun to hang around.    Mark is traveling solo.  All we did was offer him the opportunity to raft onto Velsignet (which was in a prime location) for calm dockage. As fall progresses and winter approaches, groups of boaters move south and marinas are closing down for the season.  Hammond Marina near Chicago, IL shut off water to its docks two days before we departed.  Paducah, KY was scheduled to shut off the water today.  The marina at Alton, IL (the last fuel stop before getting on the Mississippi) requested advanced notice of boat arrivals so they could manage thei...

As we left the theater at Chase Park Plaza Cinema (downtown Saint Louis in the Historic Park Plaza Hotel), a short elderly man standing near the exit doors wearing round eyeglasses, a plain suit and red vest and red tie smiled at us.   “How did you enjoy the movie?” He asked (We’d seen “Judy”—the story of Judy Garland played by one of our favorite actresses, Renee Zellweger).   We got into a discussion and learned that this man was the organist for the theater’s silent movie showings (current silent movie:   Phantom of the Opera).     Back in the silent movie days, this man’s father was a traveling organ “trouble-shooter” for movie theaters and worked for the Wurlitzer Company.     How interesting is THAT??!!! Nine vessels left Alton Marina (Alton, IL) this morning to make the 7 a.m. opening in the small chamber at the Mel Price Lock (via prior arrangements with the Lockmaster).   Cruising downstream on the Mississippi River approaching the ...

Mike brought Velsignet to a sudden stop (that is, as sudden a stop a boat can make), walked quickly out the salon’s aft door, and as we slowly moved passed the 37’ Catamaran anchored off to the side of the Illinois River, shouted to the vessel’s captain:   “Good morning!   Mel’s Riverfront Restaurant!   Tonight!”   Captain Jeff, MV “Geru,” gave the thumbs-up sign.   With plans in place to enjoy dinner and dockage this evening with Loopers Jeff and Ruth of Ottowa, Canada, Velsignet continued on its way. We left Peoria, IL yesterday morning and with an estimated 1-mph current, cruised 71 miles down the Illinois River (The Illinois River stretches 338 miles from Chicago, IL to the Mississippi River near St. Louis, MO)   Despite the 20-25 mph wind, last night’s anchorage off of the Illinois River near Sugar Creek Island (not far from Beardstown, IL) was a calm and quiet place for spending the night.   A couple of barges traveling by could be heard at...

"Scott, are we going to make it under this bridge?" Brenda asked.  We (Mike, Brenda, Mike's sister JoAnn and brother-in-law Scott) were moving smack dab in the middle of downtown Chicago on the Chicago River and approaching one of the 72 bridges we would encounter that day.  Reviewing from the flybridge level of the boat, Scott gave the affirmative, made a small leap to tap the bridge's bottom side with his hand, and Velsignet cruised (squeezed?) slowly under the 18 foot clearance. Mike describes Velsignet's accommodations like this:  Good for 6 people during happy hour; 4 for dinner; and 2 for sleeping.  Because JoAnn and Scott had met us in Chattanooga, TN earlier on the loop, they were well aware that our three days on Velsignet for an "after wedding" adventure meant small-space living with matching personal space.  None of us, however, anticipated the thrills of squeezing in Three Floyd's Brewery, a Second City/Old Town Walking Tour, a wild rid...