2012 - July 10-14 Gathering of Aframes at Thomson Causeway, Thomson, IL

We arrived at Thomson Causeway Recreation Area about 3:30 Tuesday afternoon, with Joe and Loretta in tow. There were only two other Aliners there when we arrived. After all, the rally doesn't officially start until Thursday! After we set up and visited for a while, we walked around the area with Jim & Jan. Then it was back to camp for some brats cooked on Jim's grill. After dinner, I took a few shots of the sun setting over the Mississippi River.

On Wednesday, we hung around camp while a few more people shoed up and the group began to grow. It was dinner again on Jim's grill before an evening around the fire, but not very near it!

Thursday was more of the same, but this time, we cooked burgers on our grill.
It rained on and off all morning Friday, so Marsha and I drove in the light rain. We went into Thomson and had breakfast at Dusty's where they served a lot more than pizza, as the sign would have you believe. We drove to the north edge of Thomson and checked out the Thomson Correctional Center, a facility which was built to house 3,200 inmates, but sits empty! What a waste! We went up to Savanna and picked up some groceries, then back through Thomson and south to Mississippi Lock & Dam No. 13.

After that, we wandered through the countryside and took pictures as we drove. We came across an Aliner that was set up in someone's yard way out in the country. Nobody was around, so we don't know anything about it. Back at the campground, John was doing some repairs on Fred's camper, but from a distance, it looked like he was sleeping on it. There was a pot-luck that evening where, as usual, there was more food that could be eaten. More sunset views after that.

Saturday morning, Marsha cooked breakfast instead of having our usual prescription of Bran Buds and fruit. After that, we hiked a trail which, according to a park ranger, would reveal the most scenic part of the park. Well, maybe it was scenic when the river was up and there had been some rain, but the basin was mostly dried up and the wildlife had migrated to parts unknown. We got back to camp in time for happy hour, the highlight of the day.

Saturday evening dinner at Poopy's in Savanna was interesting, but I wouldn't call it a highlight. The food was OK, but over-priced and the service was really bad. Marsha and I ordered a beer. She got hers in about 15 minutes. It took another 15 minutes to get mine. After eating inside where it was plenty crowded and pretty warm, we went out back and discovered where we should have eaten. The scenery was interesting, too.

As we were leaving the campground on Sunday morning, I snapped a picture of a white pelican floating it the shallow water just off shore. It was a good trip!