Please look on the July4th or May 4th trips. This thread will no longer be updated

[Betik]

Unless you guys need to be on your boats; I don’t think y’all need to tow from the east coast and then back home.

if we launch at starved rock, we only have one lock ( I think) and 240 miles to Grafton ( aka st Luis ). This got to be doable on a long weekend. It should reasonable for people to take off Friday May 24. So take letate flights on Thursday night or early Friday morning. The drive from st Luis to starved rock is like 3.5 hours. We get going by noon on Friday and then we have 2.5 days to cover 240 miles.

 

[Betik]

@2kwik4u think you might interest

 

[swatski]

If you or @swatski is willing to do starved rock to St Louis in two day trip or less (not sure if it can be done in one day) I would pay for one of your guys fuel and a marina night if needed if I can jump on your boat. Agree I’m not sleeping on the boat we would need a marina and lodging.

For this stretch I would be looking to jump aboard someones boat as well. Just spitballing but if @swatski @Berrie or someone is game perhaps @robert843 and I could fly into St Louis and split costs for fuel, lodging, etc.. Would just need someone to drive us all up to starved rock and get the boat trailer back to st louis unless doing a round trip on the boat. I still vote for a guys trip. Someone will need to have some motley crue cued up. This kind of thing could make for a rough morning and will give me an excuse to start training

For other southeastern stretches I am game with my boat with others jumping on or still me jumping on someone elses. Whatever works.

Sorry I'm late here. I'm totally game and happy to partake, assist or have you guys use my boat, also happy to put you guys up if meeting in St. Louis. Keep me posted about the dates, and I will talk with my management to keep those open.

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[Speedling]

My pc is down so i have been a bit slower to respond due to that distraction. (Both pc actually,very frustrating.)
There is lodging and bass pro and restaurants near portage if you start there. Could launch at night, stay at the hotel, and have someone shuttle you to the dock before heading to st. Louis.
At starved rock if you decide to do that as a start point, it is a nice campground and lodge. Stay at the lodge, enjoy some rest and the restaurant and head out in morning. If/when you get to peoria, on west side of river (opposite the marina) there is a bass pro and a holiday inn i believe it was. I stayed there while putting up a portillos in town there.
Now, having daylight savings time give me that extra sleep, i had a thought.
Every year us midwesterners do a starved rock to peoria run in the fall. It's when the part of the loop is planned to be done, and having a group do it means i doubt anyone would need to bring a boat at all unless you wanted to go on to st. Louis.
It would be family friendly, a single day, and give you the best part of that section: the people that live here.
Also typically done in the SPRING is the Chicago loop. Come with us on that.
Breaking the whole trip into 2 would skip chicago to starved rock but honestly is not the prettiest section and other than saying you did it continuously you aren't missing much. Even the bigger boats would enjoy a quick spin on lake michigan, see the pier, go through the locks, see downtown chicago via water, and it takes less than a day. Could maybe even do portage to hammond, top off in hammond and go through calumet and when you come out chicago runthe shore back down and around.
In any case, these two options give flexibility and some group fun to the ride and would be very manageable for a family ride, which is what these rides were designed for!
This would just leave peoria to st. Louis which i already got my wife to KINDA agree to taking trailer from peoria to st. Louis with the agreement to show her around town a bit. May need st. Lunatic help on that one!

 

[Speedling]

https://jetboaters.net/threads/canc...ria-run-sunday-oct-7.19748/page-2#post-340583
This is the peoria run just ignore that rain thing...

 

[Amar Nanduri]

Unless you guys need to be on your boats; I don’t think y’all need to tow from the east coast and then back home.

if we launch at starved rock, we only have one lock ( I think) and 240 miles to Grafton ( aka st Luis ). This got to be doable on a long weekend. It should reasonable for people to take off Friday May 24. So take letate flights on Thursday night or early Friday morning. The drive from st Luis to starved rock is like 3.5 hours. We get going by noon on Friday and then we have 2.5 days to cover 240 miles.

I got greenlight at home for this trip to go alone if it is 3 days.

 

[Speedling]

https://jetboaters.net/threads/2018-chicago-loop-cruise.17342/
Chicago loop thread.

 

[swatski]

Every year us midwesterners do a starved rock to peoria run in the fall. It's when the part of the loop is planned to be done, and having a group do it means i doubt anyone would need to bring a boat at all unless you wanted to go on to st. Louis.

I would very likely be able to pull this, I mean go all the way to St. Louis. I would most likely be navigating alone, maybe with my two younger daughters - my only troopers, leaving plenty of room for anyone who would want to join and co-captain.
Depends on dates and her travel schedule/availability, Kate would just drop us off and pull the trailer back home. I think this is a pretty good plan and totally doable without getting crazy as far as logistics.

Now, going from St. Louis in the other direction, south, is way more of a logistical challenge. At the minimum, it is a 200+ mile stretch to hit Ohio/Tenn-Tom.

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[BigAbe75]

if we launch at starved rock, we only have one lock ( I think) and 240 miles to Grafton ( aka st Luis ). This got to be doable on a long weekend. It should reasonable for people to take off Friday May 24. So take letate flights on Thursday night or early Friday morning. The drive from st Luis to starved rock is like 3.5 hours. We get going by noon on Friday and then we have 2.5 days to cover 240 miles.

I’m not sure about this... Starved Rock is only 2 hours or so from Peoria (at 30mph). I feel like Peoria would be a good halfway for spending the night. Launching at Starved Rock, we wouldn’t be ready to stop yet, and I’m not sure there are any other towns with hotels along the river, further South. I looked briefly at Beardstown and other than some barge docks didn’t really see a marina on Google Sat view.

Might be able to do Starved Rock to Grafton in one long day... but that would be at a pretty good speed. Also, need to check on fuel availability. Surely there is some, but I’m not that familiar with the IL river and those little towns over there.

I’m hoping we can pull this together, somehow.

I’m also hoping that we can pull that Kentucky Lake / Cumberland River down to Nashville TN cruise together too. @2kwik4u

 

[robert843]

I would very likely be able to pull this, I mean go all the way to St. Louis. I would most likely be navigating alone, maybe with my two younger daughters - my only troopers, leaving plenty of room for anyone who would want to join and co-captain.
Depends on dates and her travel schedule/availability, Kate would just drop us off and pull the trailer back home. I think this is a pretty good plan and totally doable without getting crazy as far as logistics.

Now, going from St. Louis in the other direction, south, is way more of a logistical challenge. At the minimum, it is a 200+ mile stretch to hit Ohio/Tenn-Tom.

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@swatski I discussed this with @Andy S earlier and if there is room we would gladly join you. I think the Memorial weekend dates work fine for us unless you guys think that weekend would be super busy on the water. I can even fly up a day early and help with logistics of getting your boat to Starved Rock and your trailer back to St Louis if needed probably. If its logistcally better for you for us to start in St Louis and finish in Starved Rock we can do that as well either is fine for us two. Realistically @Andy S and I could easily fly in to Chicago and rent a car have you run your trailer and truck to Starved Rock we can pick you up in the rental car and drive us all back to St Louis and start there and just return the car in St louis. We then finish in Chicago and fly back out of Chicago. Either can easily be worked out though as we can Fly into St Louis as well.

 

[Berrie]

So irrespective of dates, this would be my (selfish) logistics plan.
I tow from Kansas City to St. Louis, with my wife following me in her car. We drop off her car at the end point marina, all get in the truck, and I tow to the starting point - most likely Portage, IN. Splash the boat, park the truck, and get on our way.
Once we get to St. Louis, park the boat, grab my wife's car, drive to the starting point, and pick up the truck. Driving to the starting point we probably would have room for 2 passengers if that would help out.Then drive both cars back to St. Louis, load up the boat, and head home to Kansas City.
*Footnote: Should there be a passenger (@Amar Nanduri ), this would likely be a 4-day trip.

But maybe I should discuss this trip with my wife first before I start making commitments....

Anyhow, the Memorial Day weekend may be difficult. We already have a west coast trip planned for the last week of May. Also, with it being the first holiday of the boating season, it may be very difficult to get a transient slip.

 

[robert843]

So irrespective of dates, this would be my (selfish) logistics plan.
I tow from Kansas City to St. Louis, with my wife following me in her car. We drop off her car at the end point marina, all get in the truck, and I tow to the starting point - most likely Portage, IN. Splash the boat, park the truck, and get on our way.
Once we get to St. Louis, park the boat, grab my wife's car, drive to the starting point, and pick up the truck. Driving to the starting point we probably would have room for 2 passengers if that would help out.Then drive both cars back to St. Louis, load up the boat, and head home to Kansas City.
*Footnote: Should there be a passenger (@Amar Nanduri ), this would likely be a 4-day trip.

But maybe I should discuss this trip with my wife first before I start making commitments....

Anyhow, the Memorial Day weekend may be difficult. We already have a west coast trip planned for the last week of May. Also, with it being the first holiday of the boating season, it may be very difficult to get a transient slip.

You could always drop the boat in St Louis then tow the trailer to Portage and I will pick you up and drive you back to St Louis in the rental car I pick up at O'hare. This will save you an extra trip .

 

[Amar Nanduri]

I weigh only 170 pounds and should fit in any boat without sinking it
Any takers ?

 

[Berrie]

I weigh only 170 pounds and should fit in any boat without sinking it
Any takers ?

I may have to tie you to the deck so you don't blow off...

 

[Betik]

I weigh only 170 pounds and should fit in any boat without sinking it
Any takers ?

What kind of question is that? You come on my boat period.

 

[Amar Nanduri]

Th

So irrespective of dates, this would be my (selfish) logistics plan.
I tow from Kansas City to St. Louis, with my wife following me in her car. We drop off her car at the end point marina, all get in the truck, and I tow to the starting point - most likely Portage, IN. Splash the boat, park the truck, and get on our way.
Once we get to St. Louis, park the boat, grab my wife's car, drive to the starting point, and pick up the truck. Driving to the starting point we probably would have room for 2 passengers if that would help out.Then drive both cars back to St. Louis, load up the boat, and head home to Kansas City.
*Footnote: Should there be a passenger (@Amar Nanduri ), this would likely be a 4-day trip.

But maybe I should discuss this trip with my wife first before I start making commitments....

Anyhow, the Memorial Day weekend may be difficult. We already have a west coast trip planned for the last week of May. Also, with it being the first holiday of the boating season, it may be very difficult to get a transient slip.

Thanks for the offer @Berrie. I appreciate it. I am not sure if wife will agree to 4 days for me.

 

[Amar Nanduri]

What kind of question is that? You come on my boat period.

Thanks @Betik. I appreciate it.

 

[Amar Nanduri]

How about the Virginia sector guys ? From April 1st onwards the boating season starts here. I would happily do that part of the loop in April, early May weekends as I have plans for June - July (Abacos is on my mind).

 

[Berrie]

Th

Thanks for the offer @Berrie. I appreciate it. I am not sure if wife will agree to 4 days for me.

You could always hop onboard on the 2nd day. Still fairly close to Chicago Midway (42 miles), that's a 45 minute Uber away...

 

[Betik]

How about the Virginia sector guys ? From April 1st onwards the boating season starts here. I would happily do that part of the loop in April, early May weekends as I have plans for June - July (Abacos is on my mind).

we can figure out the details and you can join a particular leg of the trip. At the end the day it is a river, so if you get close to shore we will get on board.

I am not particularly crazy about the ICW, but once you guys figure out when you guys have dates. I will try to join.