Hennepin to Peoria, IL

It was foggy this morning and you couldn’t even see the opposite bank of the Illinois River. Kathleen went for a run and the fog was gone by the time she returned, leaving a clear blue sky and calm conditions. We had a leisurely underway, since there were no locks on our route today and departed Hennepin into light south winds at 9:15 AM.

We saw fewer commercial tows and industrial shore facilities today and more waterfront homes and recreational boats, which were out enjoying the sunny Saturday. The river geography is also changing, with more creeks, sloughs and lakes creating large widenings in the waterway.

We traveled 44 miles today and stopped at the Peoria Boat Club, a private marina that regularly accepts transients. We were met by Doug, the friendly harbor host and Roscoe, his shitzu, who showed us the club’s air conditioned clubhouse and free laundry. Our cabin temp hit 100F this afternoon, so both were extremely welcome. Map link: Peoria, IL

Find Dragonfly. Hint: Always look for the smallest boat!

Peoria is the 8th-largest city in Illinois, the oldest European settlement in Illinois and is named for the Peoria people of the Illinois confederation. It was the whiskey capital of America prior to Prohibition and is now known as a major agricultural trading port on the Illinois River and the world headquarters of heavy equipment manufacturer Caterpillar Inc.

We got out our folding bikes and pedaled into the city, exploring a little, then stopping for Tony’s birthday dinner at Blue Duck Barbecue. After getting back to Dragonfly and stowing our bikes we showered, did laundry and hung out with Doug in the clubhouse. 

From my childhood. Perhaps it explains a lot.

Bonus Question: We have owned four Subaru automobiles and love the brand. The Subaru logo is shown below—what does it signify? (Answer below)

Bonus Question Answer: “Subaru” is the Japanese word for the Pleiades, a star cluster in the constellation of Taurus. Also called the Seven Sisters, only six stars are typically visible to the naked eye. The stars in the Subaru logo represent the companies that combined to form Fuji Heavy Industries in 1953 and became Subaru in 2017.