Saturday was warm and sunny. For much of the day, I was walking around without a coat. Sunday was overcast and windy. The temperature at the start of the day was around 35. By evening, it had dropped about 20 degrees and the windchill made it miserable. But we didn’t let the weather keep us from our adventures. We started by taking the park road up to the overlooks. But I will admit we didn’t stand in the wind for very long.
That’s Calhoun County across the Illinois River. The river is the narrow slit of silver just visible through the trees. The wide patch of water is Swan Lake, part of a National Wildlife Refuge.
By afternoon, it was nasty outside, especially where the howling winds had a run down the Illinois River. I dropped my wife at the lodge and set forth in search of further adventure. I drove down along the river and saw several cars parked in the marina lot right underneath a Bald Eagle. I pulled up about 30 yards away to get a better angle. I slipped the chair out of the car and laid on the cold parking lot to get these photos.
Bald Eagles are billed as one of the chief attractions along this stretch of river, and we saw a bunch on Saturday and again on Sunday. As bad as the weather was, I saw several people standing along the water with binoculars and cameras.
I could see this small tower along the river from almost every window on the west side of the lodge. I parked and walked to it and was immediately seriously cold. I have no idea what function the tower served. The upper floor is unlocked and full of junk furniture.
This cross sits on a rock along Highway 100 right where the Illinois River empties into the Mississippi. The plaque on the rock reads:
At this place in early August 1673 Marquette, Joliet and five companions entered Illinois dawn-heralds of Religion, Civil Government and Consecrated Labor.
Dedicated September 1, 1929 Rt. Rev. James A. Griffin D.D. Bishop of Springfield, Illinois
Really. That’s what it says.
This being Illinois, the steps leading up to the cross were closed for safety reasons. I ignored the sign and climbed up anyway for another shot. And I survived to tell the tale.
We drove home on Monday. We took our time and stuck to back roads until we got near Bloomington. I jumped out of the car and took this photo a couple miles north of Pere Marquette State Park. This is the name for Route 100 from St. Louis north to this point because it’s along this stretch that the Illinois and Missouri empty into the Mississippi.
