[Judy Patsch]

Here is the word from the SPIRIT OF PEORIA office regarding the 5 day/4night Peoria/St. Louis/ Peoria(Florence) trip July 24 -28:

COST IS $785 per person , $985 single occupancy - that's for the whole trip, all inclusive!

Day 1 - Peoria to Meredosia, overnight in Jacksonville
Day 2 - Meredosia to Grafton, overnight at Pere Marquette Lodge
Day 3 - Grafton to St. Louis - arrive 2 PM tour Union Station, overnight at Pear Tree Inn
Day 4 - tour Arch or whatever, depart 11:15 for Grafton, overnight at Pere Marquette Lodge
Day 5 - Grafton to Florence, bus back to Peoria

31 of us Rambling River Rats made the 3 day trip last year, and 11 of us did the makeshift return trip. The SoP people have incorporated that into their trip this year. For a look at our pictures and reviews, please see: SPIRIT OF PEORIA trip report and pix
The great thing about this trip is that you see the entire stretch of the Illinois River from Peoria to Grafton, and the whole Mississippi stretch from Grafton to St. Louis - we leave the boat for the evening and return to the boat in the same spot in the morning - no middle of the night cruising or deadheading the boat ahead downriver. The Illinois is a beautiful and interesting river.

I will be emailing former RRR participants with more details, and if you haven't been on either our SoP or TWILIGHT trips, please join us this year. The Rambling River Rats are a loosely organized? group - no membership dues, travel agent commissions, blood oaths, just a group of people who love to travel the river.

What I need now is for anyone interested in this trip to email me so I can gauge the interest level. I have 30 spots reserved for us now. Please email me at wzc8491@aol.com to either tell me of your interest or to get more info.

If you're ready to book already, phone 800 676-8988 and tell them you're part of the Rambling River Rats. A $50 deposit per person now will hold the spot for you, with the balance due 35 days prior to departure.
Let's get ready to RRRRRRRRRRamble!!!