Quiet end to a busy week.

We ran for cover last Saturday as the winds were predicted to rise....better tied to a dock than in the open sea on Sunday. That hunch proved right as the winds whipped up in the area producing whitecaps in the marina and misty gusts around the boats.....some boat and marina damage.

The area was hit pretty hard. We cancelled Sunday Brunch as the power went out to the Marina. (As it turned out the power did not come back on for over 2 days) We headed to Paducah for breakfast and to pick up a rental car. Two Semi's had been blown off the road, power lines down, lots of downed trees....no breakfast today! At the airport we learned that there had been a 90 mph wind gust.

We left for home and chased Hurricane Ike all the way to Chicago where the main freeway was closed due to flooding. Interstate 80/94 was barricaded in the city and we went downtown to pick up the Skyway. Eastbound was okay but the westbound had a 12 mile backup.

Monday was working on our list of things to pick up and over to our daughter Sara's to see the twins. I loaded the camper on my truck for our son Matt to use in a couple of weeks. He is coming down to Land Between the Lakes for a Vacation. Dinner with the kids and a night in our camper. Early rise and a drive to Detroit to drop off their new truck. Then on down to Cincinnati to drop off their truck and pick up an old beater to keep us company on the Loop. Two hours out we receive a call that the truck had been totalled in an accident...no stoplights in Cincy due to Ike! Anyway we secured an alternate drive and spent the night in Louisville.

After the whirlwind tour of the midwest, we've slowed down and done our chores on the boat. Last night we had our first official Looper party with the other boats here in the GTB marina.

We head out to anchorage tomorrow. There are about 30 boats or more caught upriver due to Ike and they should be breaking free soon to arrive in the area.