Funny boats in Grafton

   Today was another scorcher of a day. We decided to go biking early in the morning before it got too hot. Since we had slept 10hrs the night before, we had lots of energy! So we knocked on Sherrie and Randy's boat to see if they felt like going for a little ride along the bike path.  What we did not know was that the bike path ran along the highway. Although it was not the nice meandering bike path of Princess Point, it was actually quite nice. The picture below of Jim and I shows the junction where the Mississippi meets the Illinois river. The next picture is of the Bluffs on the opposite side of the highway. We did a few miles along the highway and then turned around and rode on the bluff side. This is where we found the Museum of Grafton. There was a lot of neat stuff in the museum, but the thing that struck me most was the punt boat gun. In the picture you see Jim pretending the fire this gun. It is huge. The barrel was about 2 inches in diameter and it was mounted to the punt boat. The descriptor said people used to load these things with nuts, bolts screws and other pieces of metal and then load the gun with black powder. When they got to a gaggle of ducks they would fire it and cultivate the dozen or more ducks they killed. This is obviously illegal now.

   We got back from our bike ride just before lunch, so we  went over to Sherrie and Randy's boat to go over some of our charts and books to plan the next leg of our trip. Sherrie very kindly made us lunch which was sinful but delicious and yet another reminder of the need for weight watchers when we get back. After lunch we did what has now become a habit, and we went to sit by the pool.

   I did take a walk down the docks today to see a few of the permanent slip holder's who get very creative. "Wayne's world" boat is obviously a guy who likes to party. The whole boat is decorated with grass skirts and he has this full size mannequin dressed in the US flag bikini on the back. A similar mannequin sits on the front of the boat as well. He has lights and tables set up all around. Really he makes that AUYC dock look tame, even when we pull the pool and the palm trees out (lol). A little further down there was this small tug, that mounted a love seat swing from the rafters of his covered slip. looks really comfy. And the last picture is of another gentleman who has some rather interesting signs up on the stern. Hope you enjoy them. Good  Night All.