July 15, 2025
We wake up, have breakfast, and pack up to head to Starved Rock Campground in Oglesby, Illinois. This will be about a four hour drive.
I don’t know where this truck is headed but I’m not going there for coffee.
5:00 PM
Our route brings us into the town of Wenona, Illinois. I ride into this town on my double trans continental tour in 2022. While in the City Park getting ready to set up for the night two people drove through in a golf cart and stopped to visit. Alan invited me to follow him to his home two blocks away and spend the night. I graciously accepted his invitation. This began a friendship. Now three years later I find myself in the center of his town. I ask Nancy to pull over and park while I open my phone and call Alan. After the phone rings I hear “Hi, Russ”. After a short chat I say that I am in Wenona. Alan says I’ll be there in two minutes. Nancy and I watch as he turns the corner and drives to us. We visit and make plans to meet up at our campsite in a few days.
July 17, 2025
At the campground.
Hiking along the Illinois River.
After hiking we head back to the campground. Alan will be coming to meet up with us soon. After we shower we visit and Alan takes us for a tour of Utica, Buffalo Rock, then to Ottawa for pizza at Bianchi’s Word Famous Pizza. This place lives up to its name! Than we tour the city and more sites along the way to our campsite. The visit continues until dark.
Tomorrow is another day.
