Thursday morning I had work I had to get done before we could take off for home. So, of course, the internet wouldn't work in our hotel. I tried running it off my phone but still couldn't get sites to load. I finally called downstairs and somebody came up to help me. She couldn't figure it out either. I think my iMac threw her too. I finally gave up and went to their business center and tried to do it on an exceptionally fucked up old Dell that had every kind of spammy extension on the browser. Adding to that I'm pretty inept on PC's. I wanted to start cleaning it up and changing settings but then I figured that's probably how it got to this state so I left it alone and got as much done as I could before dumping it on my colleague to finish.
Then we were off (my breakfast recaps will have to be in a separate post).
Seebree, Kentucky
I'm mad at myself that I didn't go into Bell's Drugs. It looks like it's sort of a gift shop these days. Why the hell didn't I go in? Sigh.
We got to St. Francisville, Illinois and at first, I thought perhaps this was Cannonball Bridge and I was so relieved that I didn't have to go over it.
Then I looked more carefully and realized that this was a different bridge. We wandered the town a bit and then came across the Cannonball bridge and the little building where you pay the $1.50 toll. We hemmed and hawed but then saw all sorts of cars coming and going so we paid our $1.50 and, with great trepidation, set forth. See, I'm scared of bridges. Yes, bridges and snakes and thunderstorms…all kinds of things. However, my beloved Kathleen Jones is from St. Francisville and I wanted to prove to her that I could do this! I still don't totally understand how it works. You can't see all the way across it and is OH SO MUCH a one-lane bridge.…so how do you know if someone is coming toward you? Kathleen? Can you explain? We crept ahead in the wake of a truck in front of us. I made it over the first part of the bridge and thought I did ok. Then we hit the main part of the bridge. I was trying to video it but sheer terror made me stop. I couldn't have made a noise if my life depended on it.
I am NEVER doing that again. Ernie said, "We don't have to go back that way, do we?" and I assured him that no, we were headed on to Vincennes.
Whew.
We drove on in the rain, stopping only to admire the Archer House in Marshall.
And then we were home. Exhausted and happy to be home. I'm not sure why I was quite so exhausted. Ernie's got a good reason but not sure I do. I guess the timing was good, it might not have happened if it had all been this week. Now I'm about to head over to Facebook to officially cancel the Eric/Peter/Thomm concert. This may be the last wander for a little while.
Onward though…because there's no going back.
Love to all.
I will gladly reimburse your bridge fare as it has gone up considerably over the years. The thing you do before heading onto the bridge is turn on your lights. Then anyone on the opposite side knows not to advance onto the bridge. I am sorry to see that the wooden bridge has no access. You could have had the full St. Francisville experience. I suppose the old ferry crossing would be under water at this time of year as well.
Did you see any sights in Vincennes? The Old Cathedral, The George Rogers Clark Memorial, or the William Henry Harrison House?
Oh, it was worth every penny! We have been to Vincennes in the past. We've not been IN either the cathedral or house but have wandered around. I think the Memorial is so beautiful.
Oh, and thanks for the tip re: headlights (not that I'm repeating the experience)!
There is one thing you would hate worse. A narrow single-lane road through the mountains with a severe drop on the side. I had that in Colorado outside (uphill) of Aspen on my bike trip in the ’70s. You CANNOT see anyone coming around the bend, even with lights on in the daytime.
I'm not going to even THINK about that. Shudder.