Stick a fork in us, we’re done!

It was another uncomfortable night of sleeping aboard, but we did get some sleep. The human body’s ability to adapt to a difficult environment is pretty amazing. And a beautiful sunrise is always a nice consolation for any challenging situation.

Our cabin temperature was already at 88F at 7:00 AM, when I called the Peoria Lock, five miles downriver. They didn’t answer the phone, which typically means that the staff is busy. Checking the lock queue on the Army Corps of Engineers website, we saw that there was a 15-barge double tow at the lock with a 12-barge double right behind it. Knowing that it would be many hours before we would have a chance to get through, we stayed put and had time to think. 

At 9:00 AM it was 96F in our boat’s little cabin, and a quick weather check showed that hot, muggy conditions were predicted to continue through the July 4th weekend. By 9:15 AM we were in the marina clubhouse with a plan to pause our voyage and finish it later in the season when it might be cooler. Boat cruising is supposed to be fun, and we weren’t enjoying ourselves. We’d get a rental car, pick up our truck and trailer in Indiana and return to Peoria. The next day we’d pull the boat out of the Illinois River at the harbor’s launch ramp and go home. 

As we were booking the rental car, the club’s Commodore, Sue, and her husband Perry entered the clubhouse. They were there for Sunday chores, and after introductions, we quickly discovered that they have vacationed for many years on our home waters of Lake Pepin. As soon as they learned of our plans, they offered to drive us to pick up our rental car. The people at Peoria Boat Club have been absolutely terrific!

It was a three-hour drive back to Hammond, IN, and it was Sunday, so Chicago-area traffic wasn’t bad. After getting the truck and trailer and returning the rental car, we had dinner at Sugar Wood-Fired Bistro in Peoria, then settled in for one more sweaty night aboard Dragonfly. 

Bonus Question: Pogonophobia is the fear of what? (Answer below)

It’s mayfly season—we have to scrape the carcasses off of everything!

Bonus Question Answer: Pogonophobia is the fear of beards, mustaches and other facial hair. Some people suffer trauma or abuse from someone with a beard. Other folks have beliefs and stereotypes that associate beards with poverty, homelessness, certain religions, ethnicities, or the suspicion that someone is growing a beard to hide their face, suggesting mysterious or criminal behavior. This has some relationship to beardism, or discrimination based on facial hair. Fun Fact: In January, Disney lifted its 60-year ban on facial hair for its theme park employees. They still forbid visible tattoos, piercings other than ears and “extreme” hairstyles or colors.

Double Bonus Question: Who was the last U.S. President to wear facial hair? (Answer below)

Sunsets are nice consolations too

Double Bonus Question Answer: William Howard Taft, our 27th president, 1909-1913, sported a mustache. 

Super Bonus Activity: Inky the Whale Word Hunt