Arrival at Joe Wheeler State Park

10/10    We arrived at Joe Wheeler State Park marina at about noon just in time for the rain that had been coming all morning. We took our time and the showers had passed before we docked Last Mango. We checked in with the marina and another shower had come and gone. Last Mango was all wet and we decided to give her a much needed bath since she was wet already. Our timing had been great since yesterday, making the Wilson Lock to leaving our anchorage in Six Mile Creek to timing the Joe Wheeler Lock. I have to admit that both Karen and I are happy to be in one place (Joe Wheeler State Park Marina) for several days. No early mornings hoping to get through locks before nightfall, no hoping water levels permit us anchoring and no anchor alarms in the middle of the night.


Prime rib dinner buffet at the Wheeler State Park Lodge for $17.95. Can’t beat it. It was Mark from Blue Willows 63rd birthday today and several of us enjoyed his company at dinner. Then Karen and I had an after dinner walk and back to the boat for a good nights sleep. I watched the news and found that the local CBS news channel spends 12 minutes reporting high school football games during their 10 pm broadcast. Cool !

Bass Boats dwarfed by the Wilson Lock.





Bass boats leaving the Wilson Lock


Racing by Last Mango as we prepare to enter the Wilson Lock
We're in the Lock ready to go up 94 feet to Wilson Lake.











































10/11 Good night sleep and off for a jog in the morning. Running past deer who looked at me as though I was just another wild animal. The running here is a bit more challenging because of the hills. However the scenery makes up for the added difficulty. 

Karen cut my hair, a quick shower afterwards and then off the Rodgersville for a some shopping, mostly grocery shopping. The Chamber of Commerce provided a driver and van for our transportation. Can’t beat it! The town was nice and fairly large for the area but nothing like what we’re normally used too.

We came back from shopping, put the groceries away and listened to Iowa beat Indiana. I actually took a nap. Afterwards the Wheeler Yacht Club threw a football and chili party on their dock. They treated us Loopers as though we were long lost friends. I can’t say enough good things about the members of the club, their wives and the food. Numerous types of food and deserts aplenty. Unfortunately for our hosts Auburn lost to Mississippi State but Alabama beat Arkansas.

Watching SEC football.

Karen Proudly wears her Iowa gear but looks bored.

















Interesting fact, there are Leopard Gar all over the marina. Many of the locals light up the water below their boats to attract the Gar. Apparently the Gar scare away the Drum. The Drum attach their mouths to the boats and then beat their tails against the hulls of the boats to knock off the algae which they then eat. Karen and I noticed the noises the Drum make while rowing the dinghy back to our boat. At least thats what we thought we were hearing. We’ll see what we hear tonight.

Retired Fire Chief from suburb of Cleveland on the left.

Leopard Gar swarm around the lights above the water.

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