Chief Walks With the Wind

Thanks for all the well wishes last night, it sure made me smile to see folks wishing us happy travels!  We made it to Starved Rock at sunset, and got all set up just before it was too dark to see.  Spent most of the night just trying to figure out where we had put stuff during the transfer or figuring out how to work stuff.  Half the kitchen items are going to end up in the living area I think because while it looks like there is lots of cupboard space in the kitchen we soon found out that wasn't quite true.  We have to build a shelf across the under sink area, and another one in the space for the washer/dryer setup, but besides that the only other modifications we've come up with are a robe hook and dryer caddy for the bath. 

We're staying at Hickory Hollow Campground in Utica, Illinois.  I stayed here before with my mother for Mother's Day a few years back.  Service is friendly, we paid $37 for FHU, no cable, free wifi.  I know you boondockers are having a heart attack right now.  Someday we'll be wheeling the West with solar panels on our roof, but for now this is the way of the Midwest.  We'll pay more when we get to Tennessee next week....I mean if we go to Tennessee next week.  Sharon, feel free to comment with an update on the situation for hiking the Smokies!

But this morning's hike was in Starved Rock, our destination: Chief Walks With the Wind.  Check out time is an ungodly noon, so we had to be up early and get on the go.

Chief Walks With the Wind of the Winnebago Nation was associated with Starved Rock State Park for almost 50 years.  The Chief taught archery, was scoutmaster and performed ritual dances at the park.  The carving was done by Peter Toth in 1989 specifically for Starved Rock and is the 62nd in his series.

From the statue at the Lodge we walked down the steps to the Illinois River to hook up to the hiking trails. 

We just did the small Starved Rock loop because on Thursday Wayne had a cortisone epidural in his lower back and we have to take it easy and keep the inflammation down. He enjoyed the view of the Illinois River.

There's a big festival in downtown Utica this weekend.  The big attraction is supposed to be the Burgoo Stew, but all we saw as we drove through was hordes of booths trying to selling everything from garage sale junk to tie-dye t-shirts and bird houses.  Twenty five thousand people usually show up from all over for that?  Not our style at all.  I told Wayne that if it were a community celebration like they had in Little House on the Prairie days then everyone would gather for food, music and dancing.  Laura Ingalls described a lovely gathering for when the syrup ran in the trees.  I could deal with buckets of syrup and fiddle music while everyone danced, couldn't you?  If you know of any festivals that actually are like that anymore, let me know!