09/06 - 09/09 - Mississippi River 2018 Gathering

texasair · From 06 Sep 2018 to 09 Sep 2018 (included)

The 9th Annual Mississippi River Gathering will be held as usual the weekend following Labor Day, September 6-9th. This year we are returning to Alton, Illinois, on the Mississippi River just north of St. Louis.

If you have not visited the Alton Marina, you must do so just to see what a first class marina is all about. Sharon and I have stopped at many very nice marinas and and in a lowly 22’ C-Dory sometimes get the Rodney Dangerfield treatment (no respect). But at Alton we get the royal treatment every time. Swimming pool, 2 hot tubs, covered slips, and rest rooms and showers so nicely appointed and clean your mother-in-law would be pleased.
For the gathering, the marina gives us the use of the bar-b-que grills and the pavilion.
There is a very nice casino in walking distance of the marina.
The boat ramp is on site with plenty of parking for trucks and trailers.
There is also RV parking allowed on site (no hookups).
C-Brats and Wanna-bees are welcome.

The core group of Mississippi River Gathering regulars have a huge knowledge of running the major rivers and cruising the major lakes of North American and there will be many interesting stories told and much wisdom shared.

Launch at Minneapolis and have a great 2-3 week cruise down river to meet us in Alton, or meet up with the group in Alton and continue down the the big river to New Orleans or down the Tenn-Tom to Mobile.
Consider a cruise along the Illinois or Missouri rivers before or after the gathering. South of the Mel Price Lock you can beach your C-Dory at the confluence of the 2 greatest rivers in North America, the Mississippi and the Missouri just as Lewis and Clark did in 1804.

Several years ago we launched in Pittsburgh, PA and came down the Ohio River to the gathering in Alton, We were then able to catch the Amtrak from the train station near the marina in Alton back to Pittsburgh to retrieve out truck and trailer.

Plan to come early and stay late to see the sights and do some river cruising on the Mississippi, Illinois, and Missouri rivers.

Although the schedule is flexible, folks usually start arriving on Thursday and most depart on Sunday.

We usually go with the flow on activities. In past years we have toured the Mel Price super lock and Mississippi River museum south of Alton and boated down through the chain of rocks canal to the gateway arch in St Louis. If the river levels cooperate we may have another hot dog and ice cream sand bar picnic. In the past both Mark Twain and Elvis have made appearances at the Gathering.

Ken is currently working on some special activities and will fill us in in the coming weeks.

Hope to see you there,

Tex and Sharon on Bixby's Cub

Ken and Pat on Pelican

Added to Calendar
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-TyBoo

colbysmith · Posted: Mon Apr 09, 2018 2:26 pm Post subject:

Rosanne and I are planning to be there with Midnight Flyer. However, we'll be leaving early Sunday morning, as I'm joining up with "Pounder" and several others cruising the Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers on Monday after the gathering. (Got about 400 miles to make on Sunday!) Also, Rosanne has to come back home (Madison, WI area) to get back to work, while I continue on to the Grandville Area of TN to launch with the group there. While we are planning on her flying from STL back to MSN on my retirement benefits from the airlines, if anyone is heading back through the Madison area and could take a rider, please let us know. Looking forward to another fun C-Brat gathering! Colby

P.s. Noticed an event signup is needed! I assume that will happen shortly? Wink

thataway · Posted: Mon Apr 09, 2018 3:33 pm Post subject:

We are planing on being there, and also will be on the Cumberland / Tennessee River cruise. (The Hurricane Gods willing).

C. A. Derivas · Posted: Thu Apr 12, 2018 10:27 am Post subject:

We plan to attend, health and wx gods willing.

k-p pelican · Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2018 3:43 pm Post subject:

Hi fellow C-Brats

As tex indicated, we have some more info to share.

Alton Marina is located at mile 202.9 LBD on the mighty Mississippi River. N 38 53.035, W 90 10.592.

You can make reservations at (618) 462-9860. Cost is $1.30 per foot. Be sure to identify yourself as part of the C-Dory group so we are all docked in the same area.

Here are some of the things we have planned so far:

Thursday, Sep .6th: Mostly a meet and greet day with old and new C-Brats. At around 5.00 pm we will depart the marina for Alton's most famous restaurant, Fast Eddies Ban Air. (great food including their .29 cent shrimp , and their reputation as the world's largest neighborhood bar -889 places to sit)

Friday, Sept. 7th: 8.00 AM, coffee, juices and pastries in the pavilion area. At around 10.00 AM we will depart by C-Dory for Grafton, Illinois, mile 218.6 on the Mississippi and mile 0 on the Illinois River. Transportation has been arranged to take us to the top of the bluff to Aries Winery for lunch. After lunch you will be on your own to do the tourist thing in Grafton. At 5:00 PM we will have a BBQ at the Alton Marina. If weather or water conditions are not favorable, we will drive to Grafton.

Saturday, Sept. 8th: 8:00 AM, We will have coffee, juice and pastries at the pavilion area. We may be able to picnic on a sand bar if weather and water conditions are good or we may schedule a tour of some local attraction. Alton has much to offer.

In any event, we are really looking forward to seeing our C-Brat friends and making new friends.

Ken & Pat (Pelican)
Tex & Sharon (Bixby's Cub)

Gunslinger1 · Posted: Mon May 21, 2018 7:12 am Post subject: Wanna-bee

Hi......I am a wanna bee what is the best day/time to show up and vist with owners and experienced C-Brats?

Looking forward to it,

Best,
Tim

k-p pelican · Posted: Tue May 22, 2018 5:35 pm Post subject:

Hi Tim,

The best time to see the C-Brats and the boats would probably be either Thursday or Saturday. Since the marina is locked down you need help to get to us. When you arrive at the marina call Pat Frey at (815) 303-2154. She will come and get you and introduce you to the C-Brats.

Ken & Pat (Pelican)

gulfcoast john · Posted: Tue May 22, 2018 7:54 pm Post subject:

Hi Tex and all!
We plan on being there en route back from a Lake Huron, Georgian Bay Small Craft Inside Passage and Trent Severn (1-way, eastward) Adventure!

We'll also crash yet another Ranger/Cutwater Gathering Aug 17-19 at Orillia on Lake Simcoe, just to see if we'll be chased by another angry mob waving flaming torches and pitchforks again. (Last time we got a 'free' fish nailed to our hotel door, so it was well worth it). If a Ranger 27 with a 300HP Yamaha outboard had existed when were buying in 2013, we might have one now. Or maybe not, we still favor the sparse 'utilitarian' hose-it down interior over luxe cherry wood furniture in a boat. And there's hardly a square inch of hidden areas I haven't seen with my own eyes and some spinal flexibility. But most importantly, I can't imagine anyone who's driven a TC255 in uncomfortable conditions would ever, ever go back to any monohull.

Happy Boating!
John

Gunslinger1 · Posted: Tue Jun 19, 2018 12:19 pm Post subject:

colbysmith · Posted: Mon Jul 02, 2018 11:40 am Post subject:

As it gets closer, my wife and I are looking at possibilities for her to get back home after the gathering, as I will be heading over to join a group doing the Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers. For now my plans are to drop her off at the STL airport Sunday morning. But if anyone coming to the gathering is heading back through Madison, WI, following the gathering, and wouldn't mind Rosanne riding with them, and dropping her off in Stoughton (just south of Madison, 7 miles off the interstate), we'd really appreciate arranging that now. Thanks. Colby

gulfcoast john · Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2018 8:41 pm Post subject:

Hi Again Tex and all!
Slight change in plans from my May 22 post, we'll be doing the Trent-Severn, Georgian Bay and 30,000 islands tour by car rather than by boat (renting cabins on the water etc) to check it out prior to trailering (next summer?). We only had a couple weeks between returning from the Most Excellent Chesapeake Adventure, the Trent-Severn Adventure, and the Mid-Miss Adventure, so I gave myself a drivers break since Eileen can pilot the Genesis 5.0 just as well as I can. And into any McDonalds, as well. Then follow The Leaders into the Tenn etc rivers cruise. If there is another hurricane, we don't care, we're renters, and we can move anywhere with 30 days notice and one U-Haul truck and one trailer.
See ya soon!
John and Eileen

JOHN C

Susan here. John saw your post about doing the area by car/cabin and just thought we'd let you know we are going to be there on the Mighty Wench late July thru most of August. Planning to put in at Penetanguishene, Ontario (near Midland - closet great put in and inexpensive parking north of Tornonto) and cruise up thru the well channelled islands area up toward Killarney. Will continue to Little Current and the North Channel. Would be fun to meet up and/or travel with you if you want to reconsider trailering up there this year. Anyone else interested welcome to pop in.

Not sure if able to make Meet in the Middle yet (family conflict).
Susan and John, Mighty Wench (Rosborough)

JOHN C · Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2018 8:05 am Post subject: Fun to see folkd

Forgot to say we hope to make it to the Misssippi gathering and see new friends we met at the gathering in Florida this past spring!
Colby, want to hear first hand how you liked the Pacific Northwest!

JOHN C · Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2018 8:06 am Post subject: Fun to see folkd

Forgot to say we hope to make it to the Mississippi gathering and see new friends we met at the gathering in Florida this past spring!
Colby, want to hear first hand how you liked the Pacific Northwest!

colbysmith · Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2018 1:21 pm Post subject:

The Friday Harbor gathering was great to meet others and enjoy the area. With Rosanne still with me, we also enjoyed cruising around the Gulf Islands, my favorite of all places, Conover Cove and Telegraph Harbor. Montique was nice as well. After Rosanne flew back home, as I trailered to Campbell River for Desolation Sound and Telegraph Cove for the Broughtons, it was kind of lonely. Still early in the season so not many others around. The scenery was very nice in Desolation, but then we have a lot of beautiful scenery here in such places as Isle Royale and the Apostle Islands on Lake Superior, without the salt. Mr. Green

As for the Broughtons, some beautiful waterfalls up the Tobin River, and Telegraph Cove itself was enjoyable. I would have liked to seen a few more small communities, but suspect that will happen next summer when I get to the Alaska end of the Inside Passage.

Back on the Mississippi, is anyone planning on any cruising before or after? At this time, I'm with the group doing the Tennesee and Cumberland Rivers right after the gathering, but still waiting for Rosanne to get her work schedule and I may have to make some changes. Colby