Sunday...July 10...sun rise start...a really pleasant time to be headed north...we made good time...and experienced great weather...and then it all feel apart! Starved Rock Lock and Dam...less than two miles from our stop for the night...1:30 in the afternoon...TWO tows with chemical barges put a stop to every thing... They said it would be at least four hours...and they were right. We pulled off the channel and anchored...took Dakota to shore thinking that would help...but since he was so distracted, his business didn't happen. We weren't too uncomfortable with a little breeze...but really....at about 4:30 a down bound tow arrived and we reminded the lockmaster that we were still here waiting...he announced that we should move closer and that they would split the CITY OF CHICAGO and we could ride up with him. WOW...what a ride that proved to be...with his barges blocking the exit and him in front of us...we had to slip around him, go between his barges, the holding cells and the down bound tow...but at 6 PM...we did it...it sure beat waiting another 4 hours.

Around the bend to discover that someone else was parked at the gas dock, so we entered the narrow channel into the marina...picked a slip...parked, walked the dog (he was ever so relieved), headed straight to the bar/restaurant...just saying it is 8:30 PM and This ol' gal is not long for the world! This day has been forever...we have two more probably just like it or worse before we reach Chicago. But then we are done with locks and skanky river water!! There's light at the end of this tunnel!