Sounds like a good date for me ... on or about the 10th of August. An overnighter sounds pretty good, too. Anyone have a preference on where?

Why not everyone interested list 1 to 3 places you'd like to consider and then the end of next week we could all "vote" on which we'd like to try. Places in Illinois that come to mind include, Galena in the northwest corner of the state ... neat place; home of US Grant of Civil War fame; Starved Rock in central Illinois along the Illinois River (about an hour northeast of Peoria on I-39). Beautiful scenery; great lodge; nice place to visit. Springfield, the state capitol. A new Lincoln museum that I haven't been to but that I"ve heard is FANTASTIC. Lots to see there. Plus, of course, other Lincoln sites nearby; the capitol and other things like that. Finally, maybe Peoria. Riverboat rides; gambling casino, great zoo, nice shopping, lots of restaurants and hotels in the area. A good zoo, a nice planetarium and a great nature park west of the city. There, that's my four suggestions. Anyone else?