US Hwy 20: Thunderstorm Hangover

Happy and I had a rough night in Waterloo, as a series of violent thunderstorms rolled over us. Fierce lightning and bone-pounding thunder were followed by heavy rain and hail. We were up most of the night, and the RV park was a mud-bowl again this morning. Strong winds were of concern to me as I hooked up my rig, but we had to get out of that place. Despite being hungover from the night's storms, we hit the road.

US Hwy 20 east of Waterloo continued as a mostly very good four-lane affair. It was a little hairy in spots where roadwork was going on, with lanes narrowing down and requiring close attention in crosswinds. The only real thing of note was the sudden appearance of large farm operations by the roadside. The farther east you go, the more developed the landscape gets. It's a simple as that.



It's also a simple truth that the farther east you go, the older things are. Immediately after crossing the Mississippi River and entering Illinois, you get a feeling that you're in an older, more established countryside. Of all the border crossings I've done, this one struck me as one of the more dramatic.



I pushed east just a few miles to the town of Galena, IL, which I've heard is quite charming. I'm parked in an older, established RV park which promises to present less of a mud problem if the thunderstorms and rain continue. As usual on this road trip, I have the place to myself.



Happy and I took a nap in the shade of our doghouse this afternoon, and I think we're both in better shape for it. I've got a bunch of chores to do tomorrow, looking forward to doing laundry, cleaning up my rig and generally catching up with myself. I plan to stay here a few days, so I should have plenty of time for some proper exploration… Stay tuned!

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