Thursday, 26 May
Journey from Kansas City to Savoy, IL
We had good weather during most of the four-hour trip to Savoy, IL, but it was windy. When we hit Springfield, IL, we encountered a big thunderstorm with heavy rainfall and 40 mph wind gusts. Lisa skillfully drove us through the storm, but moments like these made us thankful for our Hensley Hitch, which kept our trailer from swaying.
We filled up with gas in Decatur, IL, before arriving at our daughter’s and son-in-law’s home around 1530. We then parked the trailer on the street beside their house and hooked it up to 120 volts to keep the refrigerator cold.
We then enjoyed the rest of the evening around a firepit visiting with them.
Friday, 27 May
Oakland, IL
Around 1030, we took off to Casey, IL, a small town with big things. We put Google Maps on avoid the highway and headed south.
About 40 minutes into our drive through flat farmland with their crops just starting to appear, we found a historical marker while driving through Oakland, IL. When we turned into the town, we could not find the marker, but we found an old town square with a large WWI memorial, so we decided to stop and walk around. We always like town squares in midwestern towns with monuments and surrounding historical buildings. Though most of the buildings and the 1919 memorial statue to the town’s fallen heroes were run down, we could still feel the history here. We also found a couple of other monuments scattered through the square dedicated to veterans from different wars, a cute water fountain shaped like a lion’s head, and an old log cabin home. As we were leaving town, we finally found the historical marker outside an area called Pioneer Village. There, we found a couple of old buildings, an old jail cage, and the home of Hiram Rutherford, an abolitionist involved in the only case where Abraham Lincoln defended a slaveholder. Though you had to make an appointment to visit the inside of the home, an information kiosk outside told the story of the Matson Slave Case.
In October 1847, Robert Matson brought several enslaved people from Kentucky to work on his farm in Illinois. When threatened with the children being sold, the slaves fled Matson’s farm and sought the protection of local abolitionists Gideon M. Ashmore and Hiram Rutherford. Lincoln represented Matson, arguing that although a free state, Illinois reserved protections for slave ownership as long as the slaves were in transit. Lincoln lost this case, and the slaves were freed.
Casey, IL – Small Town of Big Things
It was pouring down rain when we got to Casey and stayed that way most of the time while we were there, but we didn’t let it slow down our fun. As we first entered the city, we drove past a large “token” outside a bank but had to stop to take pictures of the giant pair of antlers. We then continued into the downtown area, where most large items were located.
We had planned to eat lunch before walking around, but we got so excited that we immediately jumped out of the truck as soon as we parked. We parked next to a tall metal cactus that looked out of place, and it did not appear to be listed on its Big Things brochure. We then started walking around and found the following things:
- A 32-foot-long “yard” stick.
- The World’s Largest Wind Chimes, where we pulled a rope to make the 54-foot chimes sway and sing.
- The 82-foot-long World’s Largest Teeter Totter. Unfortunately, it only operates on Saturdays from 10 to 2.
- A giant bookworm sculpture outside the local library.
- The 56-foot World’s Largest Rocking Chair. We were sad there was no way to interact or sit on it.
- The 6-foot World’s Largest Crochet Hook in one a knitting supply store window.
- A giant No. 2 pencil
- A giant Pokeball inside a game shop that you could sit in.
- The 15-foot tall World’s Largest Barbershop Pole outside Tina’s Barber Shop.
- A birdcage with a swing inside it.
- The 32-foot World’s Largest Mailbox. It is so big that you can climb hidden steps in its post and stand inside it. They had a smaller mailbox inside that supposedly would raise a red flag on the side of the giant mailbox when a letter was mailed. I did not know about the flag or we would have tried it.
- A pair of 12-foot World’s Largest Wooden Shoes inside the Wildflour Bakery and Candy Company. Each shoe weighed approximately 2500 pounds, and 15 people could stand in one of them. Coins thrown into the clogs are donated to help supply the local food pantry. Since we had not eaten lunch, all the tempting treats were overpowering. I was especially drawn to the Peach Cobbler Cinnamon Rolls.
Instead of buying candy, we decided it was time to eat some lunch, so we went back to the truck, where we ate our packed lunch inside the cab since it was still raining outside.
After lunch, we continued our walk and found:
- A giant rocking horse that was carved from old telephone poles.
- A giant mousetrap.
- A giant golf club that was rapidly rotting apart.
- The 26-foot-tall World’s Largest Truck Key was said to be an exact copy of the artist’s keys.
- A 16-foot taco outside a Mexican restaurant.
When they had to drive to see the 60-foot World’s Largest Pitchfork outside Richard’s Farm Restaurant.
There were a couple more items in the town, but we did not either happen or maybe care to see. The downtown area was full of quaint little shops and plenty of benches to relax on. It was a fun stop despite the rain.
Arcola, IL
We then headed to Arcola. The Walk Through Time Museum, which featured Raggedy Ann and her creator, Johnny Gruelle, was closed, but it had a cute park with a Raggedy Ann park bench and monument. We then visited the world’s only Hippie Memorial, which wasn’t much more than a large wall of welded and painted metal junk. This folk art monument was created by a local railroad worker, Bob Moomaw, as a personal ode to hippies, which he credits with allowing everyday Americans to be free in their thoughts and actions. The dedication speech was posted on a sign next to it to help try to explain its purpose.
We then drove through the cute downtown area with painted broom sculptures hanging everywhere. We learned later that the town is the self-proclaimed Broom Corn Capital of the World and that Broomcorn is not a type of corn that you eat but rather a type of sorghum plant that grows swishy tassels at the very top, which broom makers use to make brooms.
Tolono, IL
As we continued back to Savoy, we passed through the town of Tolono. We stopped at a historical marker dedicated to Lincoln’s farewell address to the people of Illinois, given before he had headed off to Washington. “I am leaving you on an errand of national importance, attended, as you know, with considerable difficulties. As some poets have expressed, let us believe, ‘Behind the cloud, the sun is still shining.’ I bid you an affectionate farewell.” The next time he would return to Illinois, he would be in a coffin.
We returned to Savoy around 1600 hours and started packing for our canoe trip the next day. We then spent the rest of the evening with family.
Saturday, May 28
Kickapoo Adventures
The next day, we headed out around 0830 to Kickapoo Adventures to go canoeing. Located in Kickapoo State Recreation Area, this canoe livery facilitates canoe trips on the Vermillion River’s Middle Fork, designated a National Scenic Waterway. We had decided to take the Lower Section on Saturday and the Upper Section the following day.
We got to the livery about 30 minutes early and checked in, and then we were transported in a crowded 13-passenger van to our launch point around 1000. The weather was in the mid-70s with sunny skies. The river was beautiful, with high sandy cliffs and lots of trees. The water was not too cold, but it was murky. The current was nice and kept the canoe moving with minimal paddling, and the river height was around 1.7 feet, which was considered good, and we could miss all the shallow spots. There were few obstacles, so it was a nice leisurely float with only a few moments of challenge. We saw lots of turtles and cliff swallows along the route, but the highlight for me was that we saw an eagle and its large nest. The water was too murky to see any fish. We found a nice gravel bar for lunch with lots of tadpoles and little frogs to catch. Though it was Memorial Day weekend, the river was not very crowded, and we were easily able to stay away from most other canoe groups
Big Thorn Farm and Brewery
After the canoe trip, we headed to Big Thorn Farm and Brewery. This brewery boasts an outdoor, off-grid experience. They achieved that vibe with me based on the distance we drove through the remote countryside to get there. They also only provided portable restrooms with an outdoor handwashing station for bathrooms.
The brewery was built to run completely off solar panels. They grow many of their beer ingredients at the farm, including blackberries, gooseberries, rhubarb, grapes, chocolate mint, apple mint, sage, thyme, ginger, lemon balm, anise hyssop, rosehips, almonds, pears, cherries, blackcurrants, and they are adding more. They also use the wood at the farm to age their beer. The Tree Bar was the centerpiece, a bar and serving station nestled into the tree line, which was raised about six feet from the ground. They also have a “Greenhouse Bar” for inclement weather, which was empty today. Their food truck provided sandwiches, burgers, and some rice bowl entrees.
We ordered some food at the food truck and then some beers at the tree house before sitting at one of the picnic tables scattered about the open field. The food and the beer were excellent. There were about 40 or so people there. They had the usual corn hole game but a large sandbox full of busy children. Another highlight was the pigs that they kept penned up nearby. You could not get close to them, but watching them was fun. Fortunately, their smell did not drift into the table area.
Sidney Dairy Barn
After enjoying some food, a couple of beers, and a corn hole game, we headed home but stopped at the Sidney Dairy Barn for some homemade ice cream. I had a strawberry shake, while the rest of the group had some tornados and a cone.
We were exhausted and stuffed when we got home, so we made it an early evening.
Sunday, May 29
Kickapoo Adventures
We headed out again in the morning to canoe the upper section of the Middle Fork of the Vermillion River. This section was a little shorter but it had more bends and tree obstacles. There were plenty of slow stretches to just relax though.
Grocery Shopping
When we got back, we cleaned up our equipment and set it out to dry while we ran to the grocery store to pack for the next leg of our trip.
Firepit in Backyard
Another son joined us that evening, and we enjoyed the evening around a fire pit in the backyard, talking about life with occasional political discussions that sometimes exposed the differences in world views among the generations.
Monday, May 30
We enjoyed a leisurely morning with the family before taking off in the early afternoon toward Indianapolis.