Day 2: Rock Island, TN to Marion, IL

Great Falls

Broke camp around 8:30am and drove to the "Great Fall Rivers of the Caney River" in the park.  Water here seeps through the limestone layers and re-appears as a waterfall.  While not particularly tall, the waterfall can be 200+ feet wide during high water in the reservoir upstream.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a cotton mill stood here and utilized water power from the falls to run the mill.  According to a marker on the site, the mill employed mostly orphans and widows - draw your own conclusions there.

Spring house

The mill's turbine was washed away in a flood and the mill did not re-open.  Across the highway from the ruins of the mill, a turret style spring house and dam still stand.  It was used to supply drinking water to the mill workers and pressurized water for fire fighting.

We ambled about 50 miles through farmland and hills to I40 at Lebanon, Tennessee. We gassed up here and then took I40 to the Briley Parkway around Nashville to I24.  We stopped at the Kentucky welcome center for a stroll around the grounds and then continued North entering Illinois about 2:30pm.

I wanted to visit the Wise-Robinson Cemetery at South of New Burnside on US45.  Lots of family here dating back to the 1830s.  Then we took Illinois 166 at New burnside through Creal Springs to my Great Aunt Ivolene's house.

Wise Robertson Cemetery.

We arrived at Ivolene's 4pm and visited with her and cousins Doug and Cindy before bedding down in the PW next to her garage.

Miles: 284 Total: 498

Day 1: We have begun the journey

We are underway at last, Mary and I have driving each other crazy the last few weeks trying to get everything ready for our departure.  This morning we got up around 7 and after breakfast loaded the last of our stuff, closed up the house and hit the road a little after 10.

Keeping to our lazy day game plan, we followed US 70 up the escarpment to Crossville where we stopped for a 30 minute stroll around Lil Angels Junkatorium. Lots of good stuff but no place to put it so we only left with some books on cassette (Yes, our RV has cassette and CD - one advantage to having an older system).

Arrived about 12:30 and setup camp in 10 minutes, had a light lunch then walked the bluff trail to a river overlook. The campground is nearly empty now so we had the trail to ourselves.

Now we are relaxing and de-stressing. 114 miles

Tomorrow, we'll brave the interstate to Illinois.

Chillin'

Our Campsite

On the trail

Mary's Bench