The last stretch of our 64 day RV trip took us back to where we began, southern Illinois. We were about to spend two weeks in a place that had come to feel like a second home in years past. Since we first became RV owners in 2011, Rend Lake and the Army Corps of Engineers campgrounds there had become a refuge of relaxation. There are four COE campgrounds and most have a few full hook up sites with nice lake views. You just have to book them quickly when the six month reservation window opens up on Recreation. gov. I keep a list of those campsites handy so that I can be ready when it is time.
Speaking of planning, we always did and do plan our travel extensively. Instead of feeling constrained, I feel free when I know where we are going. Looking forward to each location is as much a part of the enjoyment for me as the actual time spent there. This time, we had the pleasure of visiting with friends who snagged a site in the next loop over. Their dog, Tibby, had already become Kismet’s playmate and they had a really good time together. In the photo below, Kismet is sporting her Cardinal baseball shirt. Unfortunately, the Cardinals postseason run was way too short.
The shoreline of Rend Lake extends 162 miles and was created when the Corps dammed the Big Muddy River. Approval for the lake was given in 1962 but it was not completely filled until 1973.
There are always lots of egrets and Great Blue herons to be found on the lake. But the best part of fall are the migrating white pelicans. They stop over at the lake in huge flocks and are simply spectacular. Rend Lake has been designated as an important Bird area in Illinois for good reason.
The nearby town of Benton is the county seat and is the home of several excellent restaurants. Jack Russell Seafood is outstanding and the Seasonings Bistro was really top notch. They have several bottles of wine on their wine list that cost over $100 (we didn’t chose them and were very careful to pick the reasonably priced one instead). I am a little puzzled as this type of restaurant is uncommon in small town middle America. But Benton is full of lawyers and there are a lot of active oil wells in the area so perhaps that is the source? Does anyone know?
My next newsletter will feature the Benton Jail museum which was quite interesting. After Rend lake, we stayed at one final campground, Washington County Lake that is near a small distillery and a very special brewery, so look for those in the coming weeks.