Friday

October 21st, 2016

This years 2016 Loopers at Joe Wheelers Resort, Rogersville, AL.

"right side, up front"

This is Miss Bailey and she has a newly repaired mast. At a cost of $2800.00 "ouch" ......it looks pretty good though.  Who thought you could de-mast a trawler...

watch those bridges......

Last evening AGLCA had a Blind Dinghy Race "In Reverse"

If you've ever drove a inflatable keel type dinghy, you know they don't steer worth a darn...  they slide which ever way they want.  We were seconds out of 3rd place out of a group of nine couples...  Drove it out to the bouy and back in just over 3.32 minutes... One couple was in the 11 minute range, going around and around in circles (14 circles)....we only performed one 360 degree turn before straightening out and heading around the course.

Wednesday evening a group of us went to a good Mexican Restaurant in Rogersville!

Brian and Dorothy drove here from Milwaukee to get lots of information prior to starting their loop in a couple years.  Joell, Dorothy, Brian and Mike are all members of the South Shore Yacht Club in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.... the Harbor of Hospitality!

Dorothy and Mikee

Brian and Joell

Monday

October 17th, 2016

Day one of the AGLCA Rendezvous is finally here

and their packing in the boats...

Hardly any room for fenders...

Today starts with registration, an exhibit area, ships store, introduction to loopers in progress (us), followed by a wine & beer reception and dinner.

Tomorrow, the lectures begin, covering areas such as crossing the Gulf of Mexico, Florida Keys, Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway and others.

Squeeze'em in...

Two unusual boats are here with this rounded bow....

They are Kady Krogen boats...

Below is an example of How Not to do the Loop!

This is a boat in the Milwaukee Harbor that hit the break wall at night last weekend.

They'll be waiting a long time for the tide to come in!

Sunday

October 16th, 2016

Full Moon at Joe Wheeler

Elwood always looses his rawhide chew stick between the couch and ottoman.

We had several boats come in on Saturday which almost filled the slips in front of the Resort.  Many more coming today, the day before everything starts.  

Friday

October 14, 2016

We're entering the final weekend before the 4 day America's Great Loop Cruisers' Association AGLCA Rendezvous.  There's a nice schedule set up for all levels of loopers.  It also includes a fun night at a local farm hosting a polo match, a kayak race and a dinghy race.  Rumor has it the dinghy captain must wear a blind fold and the admiral must give directions.   We will see.  

To pass the time we have been walking quite a bit.  This state park has wonderful hiking trails.  We have also been working on the boat and yesterday we went for a long dinghy ride.

Mike at full throttle

Scenery is beautiful to view from the dinghy level.

We followed our friends, Terri and Jim, around for a while.

Terri took our picture, so we're all together.

Elwood enjoys it on any size boat.  

A neighbors boat all decked out for the Holiday

We were able to take the dinghy pretty close to the lock.

Mike spent some time putting fiberglass on the anchor hatch.  One area needed reinforcing, because it was starting to crack from stepping in that area.  Looks to be in good shape now. 

Done and reattached over the anchor hatch...

Thursday

October 13th, 2016

Elwood meeting the neighbors dogs...

On another boat just across from us, there's a black German Shepard and I think by the way he stares at Elwood, he thinks Elwood's a rabbit....not good!

A year round marina resident gave us a light to use to keep those carp from banging on our boat during the night.

And it works...Joell and I had a nice quiet nights sleep, but once the sun comes up their back at it.

West Marine Folding Bikes

Just a note on the two folding bicycles we purchased from West Marine... (brand new Feb. 2016) After two flats I removed the tube and tire to find the heads of the spokes inside the rim all chewed up, like a power tool was used on them.... after grinding them down with a dremel tool to remove the sharp edges and purchasing a new liner and tube I thought all my troubles were over....

The next day while riding into Rogersville, a mile from Joe Wheeler Park, I noticed a shifting problem, stopped, made a minor adjustment and starting riding again... something just didn't feel right and after disembarking from the bike again I found that all but one of the ball bearings had fallen out of the rear wheel axle..  Anyway, once we get to Mobile, Al and a West Marine store, both of these bikes are going back...

Wednesday

October 12th, 2016

"Building Our Wings"

crosses their wake

We met loopers,  John and Sharon, along with their two dogs in Joliet, Il.

John asked if he could get a picture with his one dog, Jake, along with our dog Elwood...  because the Blue's Brothers movie began at the prison there in Joliet. 

We traveled on and off with Building Our Wings since meeting them in Joliet.  

Sharon loved Elwood so much, we thought she was going to rub Elwoods hair off every time she saw him!

see their blog at:

http://buildingourwings.com

Saturday

October 8th, 2016

The Giving Plate

Joell and I received "The Giving Plate" last evening.

It's been passed to eleven loopers so far and we've felt honored to be included!

When we pass it on to the next couple, we'll add them onto the list.

We're figuring out what to place on the tray next!

Deciding who to give it to is easy....