July 7-9 Port Byron, Illinois

The RV park is right on the banks of the Mississippi river. The water level looks high, but the manager shows us a photo of the place a week ago and the office was surrounded by water. He also told us that he is having a sale on driftwood: All you can carry away for FREE!


One of the local robins who stopped by to say hello. There are tree squirrels every where, but they don't sit still long enough to photograph. We have ground squirrels at home, they scamper, but the tree squirrels hop. Their movement makes us think of the animated feature "Ice Age".

We are checking out the river front community when we see these electric vehicles. We just have to stop and find out about them. We meet Bruce and Amy who have left their careers to start this business venture with electric vehicles. We find that Bruce has resided in California and one of the cars he is promoting is assembled in Camarillo, CA., just 15 minutes south of where we live. We also learn that he was employed at John Deere for many years before starting this new business, and he offers to show us around the Museum and Headquarters when we tell him we stopped here just to visit John Deere.

We learn that Amy is an artist and Adjunct Professor in the college art department. Her works are fabulous! She teaches and still devotes time to the electric car venture. She is a very busy person.

We joined the couple for lunch and learned all about the ePower company they have set up. Check out their web site at ePower.com. We think they are on the right track for the future with their line of cars, scooters and even a little flat bed "truck".

On the Mighty Mississippi.

Museum with a collection farming equipment built by Deere. The Antiques & Classics are hands off, but the public is welcome to climb aboard the new models.

Today's tractor.

Antique

Antique.

The green machines are the farming line.

The yellow machines are the earth movers: building & road work.

Just to give you an idea of the size of this equipment here I am in the scoop.

What is it about men and machinery. Here is Dan manning the ginormous harvester.

We can see that tonight's sunset is going to be good. The clouds are the "back end of the storm". Every time I think I've got the best shot and turn to go back to the trailer I look back and see that the colors have intensified, so I go back to the river's edge to get a couple more shots. In the course of shooting this spectacular sunset on the Mighty Mississippi I have been chewed up by mosquitoes. But isn't this worth it?

July 4,5,6 & 7 Joiliet, Illinois

We are camped at the Oasis RV Park at the Empress Casino on the Des Plains River. This is the only RV park we were able to get into for these days. This park caters to those who come to gamble in the casino and there are no brochures in the office on local points of interest. There is no Internet service of any kind. We check out the hotel to see if Internet connections are available there, but no. We do get a Joliet area map which will be helpful. We find a few places to visit. We also need to do laundry and find a laundromat.


The Casino on the River. The walls inside resemble Egyptian temples & tombs, some in relief.

Hey! there's a White Castle burger place! We have to stop there for lunch. We have been wanting to eat at a White Castle and now's the chance. Out impression: so-so, but interesting.

Another place we have been looking for, and Aldi grocery store. We stopped here for some supplies. Very nicely laid out and very low prices. On our way out the toddler in the cart in front of us reaches out for Dan and squeals as if he knew Dan as we pass by.

Bird Haven Green House and Conservatory.

we are looking through the water fall as the walkway goes behind it.

The fall and pond. The place is beautiful and we spend some time wandering through the green house and around the grounds.