Monuments and Earth Movers

Day 115  |  Peoria 

On our last day in Peoria, we took Main Street back into town and continued our walking tour. The first stop was Courthouse Square and the Civil War memorial. The detail and drama in the figures of this monument reminded me of the ones seen in Gettysburg. Also in the square is a statue of a young Abraham Lincoln commemorating his "Peoria Speech" on this location in 1854 where he drew the line against the extension of slavery. Turning onto Washington Street, we found none other than a bust of George himself, given to the people of Peoria by Virginia's own George Washington University. Contemporary art sculptures lined the street. Metal dragon flies were found alongside elk made of barbed wire, dancers constructed of shiny rods, and abstract pieces in contrasting media.

Remaining from yesterday's trip to the Riverfront Museum tour was a 3D movie on the Amazon at 11:00. We arrived a bit early and sat outside the main entrance watching multiple school buses pull up and unload elementary school students. The kids were well-behaved and fun to watch, especially the ones with the light up shoes moving around in the darkness. Most had never been to a 3D movie and didn't know what to do with the glasses. They learned quickly and were soon reaching out in front of them to "touch" the objects appearing to move towards the audience. Following the movie we walked through the Holocaust Memorial that featured six million buttons encased in 18 star-shaped glass columns, representing six million murdered Jews.

Further down Washington Street is a statue of native son Richard Pryor. Barry remembers the 1970s comedian for The Toy. I remember him for his role in The Muppet Movie as the balloon salesman that sold a bunch to Gonzo, causing him to float away. We circled the block and made our way back to the Caterpillar Visitors Center. Our tour began with a virtual ride in the bed of a massive mining truck. Exhibits showcased vintage equipment, evolution of product, the manufacturing process, and plenty of hands-on opportunities. Barry tried out the multiple levers and pedals of a D8 tractor.

We agreed that this was the nicest museum we have been to while on our Great Loop journey. The exhibits were high-quality, high-tech and interactive, and the graphic design was top-level and consistent throughout. Several simulators were available and Barry took a turn at the dual-joystick controls of a front end loader.

Every museum has a photo board and we stuck our heads in to make this visit complete. The final area was a temporary exhibit honoring 26 years of Caterpillar's sponsorship of NASCAR's Richard Childress Racing team. We returned to Crossroads to find the American Queen moored just off our bow. Its cruise down the Mississippi River was diverted and delayed because of river flooding caused by the remnants of Hurricane Gordon.

The American Queen headed south this evening and we will do the same in the morning. Downriver water levels are decreasing and returning to normal levels. As slow as we move, we should not experience any difficulty.