Summer of 18-#11-Strange thoughts, Prairie Pines Campground and the old Chanute AFB

May 20th, 2018

We left Dam West and headed to Prairie Pines Campground in Rantoul, Illinois.  We had changed our leaving day from tomorrow to today(Sunday).  Thank goodness we did as this road was scheduled to be closed tomorrow.  See, everything happens for a reason!!

We got stuck in traffic though, according to our app it was an accident that had just happened ahead.  

Bryan catching up with the news

Long line of traffic

Twenty minutes later, this was the cause of the slow traffic.  I guess this vehicle had broken down in the traffic lanes and the tow truck had to move it over to the shoulder.  Thank goodness it looked as though no one was hurt.

Finally, we arrived

Not a bad spot.  This was a military campground on Chanute AFB until the base closed down.  It is now run by the city.  We'll be here for two nights.

May 21st, 2018

I had some strange thoughts as I was brushing my teeth this morning.  Are you ready for this??

I thought about the two funerals that are happening this week, which led my mind to life after death.  Would I come back liking water on my face, or maybe whomever or whatever I was would always be afraid of that.  I always have wondered if it was thought I was a witch in a prior life and I got dunked.  Maybe I am doomed to always have a hatred of water on my face no matter who I am!!! I sure hope not, I would love to be able to swim and enjoy being in the water as much as I love looking and listening to it.
Then I wondered if bugs were nasty people before, and made to feel how they treated others, by being squashed underfoot, or squatted,  or crushed to death.
Hmmm, these thoughts were very fleeting.  It's amazing how much the brain can pack into so little a space of time!!!

Anyway, on to the rest of the day.  We wanted to look around the old air base which is in a sorry state of disrepair now.  One of the camphosts here used to work there.  In fact, he and Bryan had a lot in common and spent quite a while comparing bases and military lives. This is one of the reasons we like staying at military campgrounds.  They are like minded people with a lot in common with us.

The Octave Chanute Air Museum had to close at the end of 2015, as the City decided it was costing money, and they wouldn't be able to make it pay it's way.  They can probably get a lot more for the property by selling it to a developer!!!  What a shame.

Most of the planes have gone to other museums and the few that are left are being cut up as scrap.

Old Fire Station

Old Hospital

Back of the old hospital

The back of the old hospital building had ivy growing all over it.  It was a beautiful building.

The old base housing has now been sold and is available on the economy.

Someone still flying the flag, yay!!

This 4 bed, 3 bath property is for sale for $94,900

 and this 3 bed, 1.5 bath property is for rent for $775 a month.

It was sad to see the old base in a state of disrepair and reminded us of our beloved Upper Heyford base in the UK.  

On the way home we got stuck at the railway crossing but fortunately the train had just passed and so it was only a couple of minutes before we were on our way again.

We will leave here tomorrow, heading north.

Summer of 18-#10-Royal Wedding & Dam West Recreation Area

May 18th, 2018

We were going to look around the park and the lake today, but it rained most of the day so we stayed in.

We soon had our own private lake in front of Lily!!!  Late in the evening I started to watch the preparations for the Royal Wedding of Prince Harry & Meghan Markle, and then went to bed earlier than usual so I could get up at 3.30am to watch it live.

May 19th, 2018

My alarm went off earlier than I would have liked, but I "jumped" out of bed, ha!!ha!!  Got a large mug of coffee, and settled down in Bryan's recliner to watch the wedding.  It was fabulous, darling!! Love the way the Brits do these ceremonials.  Of course, the castles/chapels, carriages, and troops all help with the occasion.  The sun was also shining brightly.  Bryan didn't get his recliner back for a few hours.  Of course he was in bed for most of those.  Thank goodness we managed to get our satellite signal, wouldn't have wanted to miss that!!  I especially liked the Episcopal Bishop Michael Curry, who brought some life to the ceremony, although I do think his sermon was a tad too long and he risked losing everyones attention.  Fortunately I think he realized that and stopped just in time!!!  I loved watching everyones expressions during it as well!!!!

Later in the day we went for a drive around the Dam West Recreation Area.  There was a fishing competition this weekend, which is possibly the reason that the campground is full.  I think the rain yesterday put a bit of a damper on it though.

We were not as impressed with this recreation area as our previous ones on this trip.  You can't see them, but there were dead fish floating in the water in the picture below.

There were lots of fisherman on both sides of the red barrier.  We both said we wouldn't be wanting to catch any fish there, after seeing the dead fish on this side of that barrier.

                           

Tilly is the car on the right, she's got a good view!!!

Hey fishermen, don't you see the dead fish???

The spillway

This was the other side from the spillway, looking over the lake.

The campground is to the right of the marina in the distance.

Close up of marina

 This was the lake in front of our motorhome a day after the rain. It had receded from yesterday.

Tomorrow we will leave here and head further north.

Summer of 18-#9-Ulysses S Grant Historical Site & Scott AFB

May 17th, 2018 (Part Two)

We left St. Louis after seeing the Arch and headed to Ulysses S Grant National Historic Site.

Here's a couple of pics along the way.

Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States and a Civil War General for the Union. This site is where he met his wife, Julia Dent, at her family home, White Haven.

Our first view of White Haven after exiting the visitor center.

Looking back to the visitor center

Bryan outside White Haven.  They have guided tours but we made our own way around.

I took this picture of Bryan taking his picture.  Love the reflection of the trees in the window.

Inside looking out

An old newspaper

Stove

In the basement

Well and pump

Rear view of the house, access to basement is on right hand side  behind the pump

Wild flowers and dandelions that have gone to seed.  We used to blow the seeds as kids to see "what time it was" Ha!!Ha!!

The Museum/Interpretative Center was very good and had a lot of information

At the end of his presidency, Grant wanted to travel the world which he did until Julia had enough.  I would imagine in those days it was not as easy to travel as it is now.

A map of his travels.

After Grant died, Julia's children suggested she write her memoirs.  Doing this, enabled her to start living again.

The traveling and writing of memoirs resonates with me as it is so similar to what we are doing.  Of course we are ordinary people, but it goes to show that you can do what you set your mind to, no matter who you are.  I can understand how writing her memoirs helped Julia with her grieving, as I do find writing the blog is therapeutic. It is certainly good to look back at some of the old posts and reminisce.

Loved this sign

When we had finished looking at all the exhibits we started to head back home, although we stopped at Scott AFB to get food shopping and visit the few planes they have on exhibit there at the Scott Field Heritage Air Park

Bryan on his way back to the car

We got home at about 7pm, that's late for us but we had a busy fun day, apart from the food shopping!!!