October 1, 2013.  Left Port Charles, Jeff and Judy willing to buddy boat with us go slow so we could keep up with promises of boat repairmen at Alton, Ill.  Made it there going slow, found out 6 other loopers pulling in after us.  The Looper Marina harbor guest hosts had a meeting to let us know what to expect the next 300 miles and then all 20 of us went out to eat, nice steak and salad.  The other couples were from different areas of the United States, fun group of people, having plans to get to Florida in the next month or so.  Several have met up river on the Illinois river from Chicago and if buddied up off and on down the river.   Yeh found some other loopers.