Today we left Indiana and headed west into Illinois. We again used I-64 for most of the drive because we are trying to sort of scamper across this part of the U.S. It is hotter than hell and the humidity is hard on us desert types who prefer the crispy west. However, the countryside along the road is gorgeous and I kept slowing down to leer at the surroundings. We figured Illinois was flat but the part we drove through yesterday was gently rolling hills. Due to recent rains, everything was bright green except the road which had lumpy bridge approaches.
About halfway between Indiana and St. Louis, we pulled into Wayne Fitzgerrell State Park. The park is located on some peninsulas protruding into Rend Lake, near Whittington. The lake is really a reservoir created by the Corps of Engineers but it is very pretty nonetheless. There are electrical hookups in the RV section but, strangely, only a few locations in the campground to get water. There are no sewer hookups. This arrangement certainly keeps big RVs from overstaying their welcome unless everyone camping chooses to go to the scattered public restrooms to go. There are no shower houses. The spaces are large and paved but the remainder of the area is lush grass and large hardwood shade trees.
I can get some satellite reception but it took some crafty compass work to get that. We don’t get all the channels but we do get an NBC broadcast from Evansville. Their news is funny because they really have very little to report in this farming country but they do an extensive local sports broadcast covering high school football hell weeks and they are showing the NASCAR races this weekend so I am pretty happy.