[ModelT-MsDollie]

RIVER RATS… Part 1
---Let’s go back to Central Illinois, where I was born and raised. After I met Dollie and got my first car we were free. Free to roam beyond the small city where we lived. Even when still in High School, I loved hiking, swimming, and driving around in circles.
There were several old gravel pit lakes where we used to ride our bikes to swim in clear blue spring filled water. Rare for muddy Illinois lakes and streams. Two of these small lakes beyond town were developed into pay swimming beaches. Fun at times. But why pay to go to a crowded beach when nothing except chain link fences and KEEP OUT signs were in the way at several other lakes?
--- But this is about a small river that wandered through the County. We could get to it going East, South, or south West. We usually went south. Near the river to the East was another pay gravel pit beach with camping. Spent many weekends there and a few small access areas along the “River.”
---South of town, or south and then West were two popular swimming holes with fresh springs along the River banks. Each was easy to get to because of new vehicle bridges leaving nice graded sloping areas to walk down to the River. We could park beside the roadway in the newly graded approach sections. No Parking signs and ornery cops were unheard of. This was the midwest back in the good ol days.
--- Location one was south of town. Besides the vehicle bridge for the two lane County road, there was a railroad bridge next to it, both crossed the River. This railroad bridge was an iron trestle type and there were RR switch yards not far in both directions. Short trains would be pulled either direction by a single engine and caboose many times an afternoon. Most times there were two engineers in the front engine and a few switchmen in the little red caboose.
---This swimming hole was popular for young families on weekends because of the shallow flat beach area for kids to play under and to one side of the RR trestle. Upstream and down slightly there were sweeping “S” curves with cool springs. These areas were cut deeply by the sometimes high water and swift current after rains. A fun place to dive and swim. The River was about 100’ wide in places and there were holes 25-30’ deep in the tight bends. But there were also areas only 25’ to 30’ wide with trees jutting out over the water. Many dead trees were always scattered along the banks. At times there might be places to walk across only knee deep. So then only small Jon boats and similar fishing boats were all that were on the River. Rarely were hunters or fishermen in the areas we swam.
--- During the week in warm weather teens and mostly young couples with cars would meet to party, cook out under the vehicle bridge, swim and sun themselves. Never seemed too crowded most times and we all got to know each other as friends. Even though the River was usually shallow near the RR bridge brave, or stupid, kids would jump and dive from the RR trestle.
---Okay now the scene is set. Since we were mostly teens thru maybe 30ish, we were brave beyond our wise-ness. And ya gotta remember poor farmers and poor city-slickers didn’t own swimsuits. Started out with the gals usually wearing t-shirts and short shorts. Guys wearing cut-off jeans or boxer short underwear. Didn’t take long to find out swimming in those things wasn’t practical. Besides if they didn’t fall off, for the most part tops were see-thru, or some other danged kid yanked em off!
---Over time, it was known by many as the nude swimming hole. Soon even newcomers went skinny dippin there. No one above could see because the RR bridge blocked the view from the vehicle bridge unless people wandered too far up or down stream. And people on the highway drove too fast to see anything anyway. As far as I recollect, the only hanky-panky goin on would be around the fire pit and in the River after dark. No one fooled with any gal he didn’t bring. No one got mouthy or talked dirty. Amazing when you add beer, booze, and horny kids from farms and the small towns. But, again, life was different in the olden days!
---When a train came either direction on the single set of tracks the ground shook. From the south they blew their whistle for a small entrance road to a vacation cabin area. Those neekid people who were beyond the two bridges would jump into the river or run under one of the two bridges. Worked great for a Summer or two. Then some gal either got brave or wasn’t fast enough and got caught by the guys in the engine of the Choo choo train. A new game was created! The engineer tooted the horn and the men waved. The switchmen in the caboose apparently were warned. They stood out on the back open area and yelled and waved also.
---Yep, new game! The girl or girls who got caught naked laughed and everyone teased them. After that, every time a train went over the trestle, the engineer slowed way down and everyone on board waved and hollered! This became a dare and double-dare ya thing for most of us on the riverbank. It went on for as long as I remember. Can’t believe the cops never were called. No cell phones. But, again, things were different back then. No one was hurt and everybody got a thrill.
---As for me and Dollie, I know exactly why we stopped going down there to that swimming hole. Mom’s brother, my uncle, was a RR switchman! Nuff said? Don’t think he actually saw us. But he mentioned to us what he did see a few times as he passed that trestle! That’s why we moved to the next swimming hole South-West on another County road. No train tracks there. But two small airports where new pilots practiced touch-n-go landings and old crop duster planes flew in and out. More teasin. But even those old bi-planes could only slow down for a quick peek!
-------------Stay tuned for this swimming hole story another day. As Archie Bunker said----Those were the good ole dayz.”