Day Seventeen

Oh, the luxury of having no place I need to be going and no need to
prepare my RV for travel. If there were a church I could walk to I'd
attend but alas everywhere I would go involves a super-highway and a
massive bridge here in Rock Island on the Mississippi. Thunder rumbled
and flashed all about us last night but no heavy showers or worse passed
over us. Deo Gratis.

Just now I was rewarded by the sight of the first bird at my feeder
here, the fact that my next door neighbours moved out probably has
helped. A nuthatch just landed on my bird treat. Upon arrival at Rock
Island, Illinois on Thursday the first thing I learned was that gas here
due to some dispute between the State and the oil companies is
30¢/gallon more expensive. The Rock Island/Quad City KOA is on the Rock
River which runs into the Mississippi just west of here. Getting
anywhere involves a bridge and an expressway. After discovering that
everything at this campground was as advertised I decided to settle in
for four days, at $30/day. Remember I stayed at Coronado in Lindsborg,
Ks ten days for $5 more.

I needed a rest after 1254 miles of driving; I'm just under 800 miles
from home. Spent the first days catching up online with my E-mail and
such and going for walks about the campground. The campground has two
large ponds, I would not want to be here during mosquito time. My
campsite is typical of a commercial campground where the cost of
supplying underground services--hydro, water, and sewage--places sites
rather close together but this one is in a dell which makes it quiet
save for when an engine shunts along the industrial spur line across the
road. The nuthatch is feeding a mate on the nest or some young, he flies
in for a quick peck, then flies off again.

Yesterday, Saturday, April 6th got my act together and drove back across
the Mississippi to get gas in Iowa--16 miles round trip to save $9.00.
Stopped on the way back to tour the local Quad City Botanical Gardens.
Interesting to see two bridges across the mighty Mississippi
particularly given their totally different styles. The system of one-way
streets around the gardens made me thankful there was little traffic.
The gardens themselves consisted of one central multi-story greenhouse
structure with a model railway court and surrounding lawns. Not the time
of year for a lot to be happening I stopped because my RBG Membership
got me in by reciprocal agreement.

While I was out dropped into the Hy-Vee grocery store a mile from my
campground and was pleasantly surprised. Recommended by my campground's
owner the place had a wine and beer store, fresh produce, bakery, deli,
meat market, and a fine selection of cheeses; and the staff were
friendly and helpful. One caveat, their oven baked beans were not
pre-cooked quite enough before the seasonings were added and are a
little tough. Expect they'll be gassy--serves me right for not thawing
out my own.