Destination Rockford, IA July 21, 2024

We’re surprised how well we managed our black & grey tanks for the last 5 days.  The owner told us to dump the gray at the site, Allan really didn’t want to do that, we were entitled to one clean from the park but didn’t need it.  This photo doesn’t show the angle we were at to dump, but here we are dumping. Because of the narrow road in/out our plan is I’ll go first in Bob and block the road so no one can come until we’re back on a real road.  Turns out no one was coming but there were a few leaving with us.

This guy is ahead of us, great reminder.Got the Illinois sign   

Followed quickly by   

It’s too bad we can’t send some of this flood water to Alberta & BC to combat the wild fires.

Rockford, think this is the quietest Love’s we’ve ever been toThe day has almost arrived… @ Sunny Island RV for the repair of the clothes washer.  Our appointment is at 8am on the 22 so we are overnighting in the empty lot across the street. The view from our Captain seatsStill loving my funky Crocs

July 22nd:  She’s in and being looked at.  We wondered why the ladder, turns out they had to remove not only the washer but the dryer.  The option was to remove the dryer or the toilet, dryer was easier.  The ladder was for something with the venting outside.

Bailey being looked after it’s time to explore Rockford.  Michelle, our service rep, tells us of Prairie Street Brewery downtown Rockford.  You can sit outdoors overlooking the river.  We all know, those are words Allan lives by.  Allan loved his amber, the margarita was pretty good too

Quesadilla was one of the best   

Turns out the clothes washer water pump requires replacement.  Part will take 2-3 days to arrive.  The lot across the street is OK for one night but let’s search for a campground.

In case you wonder what we look like now

We find Blackhawk Valley Resort just 9 minutes away.  We drive to it in Bob to check it out.  The roads required to get there, and mostly everywhere, are tree covered, many branches overhanging the road. Will Bailey clear them? It makes me nervous.  I’m not surprised to learn Rockford is nicknamed “The Forest City” for its heavily forested residential neighborhood.  Also much to Rockford’s chagrin, it was once known as the “Screw Capital of the World” because of the billions of screws, bolts, and fasteners its factories produced for the manufacturers of the world. Back to the campground…

We chat with Susan in the office and learn It’s a members only, Venture Out campground.  Most members only campgrounds still offer a few sites to non-members.  Susan tells us we can stay for up to 7 nights FREE if we do their “2 hour tour”.  This is like a time-share.  We’re not keen to do this, Michelle, our service rep, tells us of a State park about 20m away.  Off we go, the highway is under construction, we’re OK going but coming back it’s stopped traffic. We bail.

Allan thinks we’ll be good travelling to Blackhawk Resort, he calls and tells our story and asks about the 7 free nights.  The first rep takes our information, they will process it and call back within an hour.  We are now enjoying the above bevies when they all back.  We’re IN!  Susan was surprised we got it done so quickly, Not sure why she’d be surprised the grounds are more empty than full.   

There were 2 wicked rain storms and a tornado that passed though the area.  The one storm was the day before.  Trees are down, the roads are more like off roading.  The first site they bring us too is, why don’t they train their folks..  I wish photos would depict slopes but my don’tAllan is standing on the slope where Bailey’s front end would be.  No way we could level

This would have been the view, but not really cause this was is a back in site. 

We get another site and have to travel the entire park, the road was washed out.  Bailey did well off roading..  At our stop!

Trees down, just good they didn’t hit an RV