Mike and Yonetta's Great Loop Adventure: Joliet and Ottawa

What an adventure the last couple of days! We have had free town walls with electricity, free cop rides and a very rough lock through with a giant barge! I think perhaps I should try my luck at writing a book after this adventure is over. Joliet is a nice small town and we decided to ride our bikes around town. I am not the best on these foldable bikes. You guessed it, I did not make the curb and down I went taking a direct hit to the knee. Needless to say the pain was intense and there was no way I was going to get back to the boat short of a cab or ambulance. The town cop stopped and after I refused a medical run he agreed to take us back to our boat, bikes and all. The next several hours Mike played doctor and today I have a beautifully colored stiff knee to remind me of Joliet. We then continued on to Ottawa through three more locks. We just love these giant locks! After having waited earlier for three hours on a lock we agreed to go into the next one with the barge. BAD IDEA, do not agree to this offer ever. Another boat traveling with us also came into the lock he was from Finland and asked if he could follow us for the day. I doubt that he forgets yesterday. The turbulence as the barge left was expected but he had trouble leaving the lock and this turbulence continued for some time making our boats seem like toys in the bathtub. We did survive and made it to the lovely town of Ottawa where we once again met up with Time and Tide. This town also provides a few dock wall with electricity and will even bring you back from the grocery store in a car. All is well. Today Mike changed our engine oil for the third time since our trip began (Thanks Nate for bringing the needed supplies.). We have done over 5,000 miles since March 23th. Sorry the pictures are out of place but they have a mind of their own as to where they want to go. The blog is smarter than I am.