Before we left the Rend Lake area, a visit to Uncle Joe’s BBQ was in order. We started the trip at an iconic BBQ joint in Murphysboro and so it was only fitting. I had the brisket sandwich and it was so tender that it melts in your mouth. Uncle Joe’s sauce has a pretty wide marketing area and it is easy to find in St. Louis but the rub looked interesting and we bought it as a birthday gift for a friend.
Our final campground was Washington County Lake, an Illinois Recreation area near Nashville, Illinois. Halfway between there and Rend Lake is a brewery named after the Highway where it sits, Route 51. We have very fond memories because this is where we spent the August 2017 eclipse. If things work out, we hope to be back in April 2024 when this area once again will be home to one of the longest totalities, 4 minutes and 10 seconds. The last one was not nearly as long. It was a remarkable experience and the brewery owner told us that he still thinks about that day. It was literally there opening and people from all over the US stumbled on this place and came together to view a very rare event.
Here are a few photos from that day. We knew none of these people before hand, but just came together to share a moment.
Anyway, it was a real treat to be here and do a tasting of their unique, remarkable beer.
I brought some of the Banana Dream Pie beer home. It is really good.
Our final booze related stop was at Schomaker’s Distillery in Nashville. It is a tiny place and only open on Sunday afternoons. The crowd seemed to mostly be friends that came to hang out. We did a tasting and what stood out was the Lucky Streak Salted Caramel. It reminded me of the moonshine we tasted in Branson. We didn’t stay long but it was an appropriate last stop for this journey.
special times.
We ate at uncle Joe’s on the way home many years ago when we were camping with you at the Rend Lake