Going home

It was a difficult decision but we are NOT going up the Mississippi.  Fuel prices have knocked us out of that thought.  So, we're in Ottawa, Il and have decided to dock the boat for a couple of months and rent a car for our trip to MN.  Sad but true.  I would have shed real tears as we entered our home waters of the St. Croix but I guess it's not to be.  865 miles X 2 X 2 MPG up the current X the price of diesel fuel so reality strikes big time.  Dang.

We're at Starved Rock, IL Marina and will be closing things up in the next day or two.  Chris and Linda O' have been cleaning bumpers, the boat and all of the outside stuff so we will not come back to a mess.  I have mixed feelings as this is our home left to strangers keeping an eye on it.

The plan is leave in the next couple of days, do the car thing and come back after Labor Day.  We can't go below TN until Nov. 1 or insurance will go up by 3X so will take our time on the Tenn-Tom area which is supposed to be one of the best parts of the loop. 

We have not slept off the boat since early March so it will be interesting to see how that all goes.  When I shower at the marinas my sea legs and inner ear play tricks because we have been on the boat so much.

I'm bringing back a fuel sample for the diesel experts to take a look at,  black crap.  The guy at the marina here says that all the transients complain about it so maybe it's normal.  Normal my a**, 
I'm tired of thinking about it.  My torment du jour is... will the fuel, batteries and the rest be OK when we return in a couple of months.  See, I can drive myself crazy on things that I can't even check out for a couple of months.  Oh, to be like brother Greg who wouldn't even think about it until he turned the key...

What's left.  Put a new joker valve in the toilet that I screwed up when the hose was plugged.  Mea culpa.  Eat up the perishable supply's. Does Bud Light keep or should I drink it before we leave?  More decisions.  Put away the dingy, the motor, cover the bridge, the rebuilt bimini, etc.

AND WE'RE OUT OF HERE

Kerm