Where in the USA Are the Happy Wanderers Now?

It seemed as though we had just arrived home from the trip to Greece and Turkey, when it was time to hit the road again. However, since we now have a small car which cannot be flat-towed, we had to pick up the trailer ordered to transport it, which also carries our bicycles. After the usual pre-travel inspections and cleaning, we began to check on the roads, as we had all kinds of stories floating about concerning the recent flooding in Iowa and Missouri.

After looking at the flood map and road condition details, considering we are pulling a trailer behind the RV now, we decided that discretion was the better part of valor and took the southern route to Chicago! So we went I-29 to St. Joseph, Missouri, across Missouri on US36 to Hannibal, then across Illinois on I-72 through Springfield to Decatur and on to Champaign/Urbana, where we stopped spend the night. As another positive result of going on the "backroads," we are getting much better gas mileage, as well! YEAH!

Sadly, though, the effects of the flooding were visible all over. Much of the Missouri River "bottom land" was completely covered down to the Nebraska/Iowa/Missouri border, and all across the state of Missouri, as well. The Mississippi is SO high where we crossed at Hannibal, that some of the small towns along the edges to the south of Hannibal are completely flooded. On top of that, huge cumulus clouds looked as though they could produce more rain at any given moment.

When we stopped for gas and lunch at Macon, a hour west of Hannibal, a couple of big tour buses were parked in the same area, but not packed with the usual groups. Instead there were all ages, from little kids to seniors. Naturally, I had to get off and ask where they were going. It turns out that they are being taken cross-country by bus because of the Amtrak railroad lines being flooded/washed out between Chicago and Omaha, and Chicago and Minnesota/Wisconsin. When I checked it out online, it was explained more clearly, but it had the same results. So those poor people were just trying to get to Chicago and points east and north from there. One guy had bought a twelve-pack of beer somewhere near by and was happily sharing it with his traveling companions while they were waiting. Hope they had a bathroom on the bus!

Last night (Wednesday, June 18) we spent the night at a small, lovely campground half way betwen Champaign and Rantoul, where I spent half of my sophomore and junior years of high school. Believe it or not, it looks remarkably the same, with miles of acreages of corn across the flat Illinois farmland. There was a large pond which made me wish for a fishing pole, as we watched huge bass jumping out of the water all across the lake. It was cool enough to just open the windows and enjoy the fresh air!

Today we are heading north from Champaign, skirting the southern edge of Chicago and Gary, and then heading up the Lake Michigan side of the state almost all the way to the top before turning east at Beulah/Honor for Interlochen. This is a brand new road for us to travel, which is always a welcome adventure! We'll let you know when we have arrived!

We hope everyone is well and that those of you in the deep south of Texas are able to cool off occasionally. We hope those in Nebraska and Iowa DO NOT have any more rain for a while (or storms of any kind!). Our thoughts and prayers are with all of you across the country as we continue our happy wanderings!