The day before leaving O'Connell's, on September 5th, we drove about 1.5 hours to Davenport, IA. Davenport is one of the "Quad Cites" located on the Mississippi River. We stopped at Vander Veer Botanical Park for a quick stroll of the beautifully landscaped and well-maintained grounds.
After the gardens, we found a great lunch spot at a restaurant near the river that had outside seating. We walked along the riverfront after lunch and crossed the busy highway via the skybridge that also offered a nice view of the city as well as the mighty Mississippi.
The next morning (September 6th), we left for a Harvest Host stop on our way to Indiana. Timberview Alpaca Farm in Clinton, IL turned out to be one of our favorite Harvest Hosts locations so far! The setting was quiet and peaceful; a refreshing change from the noisy and crowded campground we had just left. Our hosts, Elizabeth and Rick, were so warm and friendly and really made us feel welcome. It was a pleasure getting to know them and to learn how they raise their alpacas and use the fleece to create beautiful, woolen products. The highlight of the stay was when we were allowed to feed the alpacas. We had such a great time and really enjoyed this unique experience! The amazing sunset was the perfect ending to an awesome day.