Between Oregon and Mount Carroll (home of the Raven's Grin Inn), there is a whole lot of nothing. We had printed out directions from the RGI website (http://www.hauntedravensgrin.com), based on landmarks, as Sarah and Melly got hopelessly lost in cornfields the last time. We also had Sarah's GPS with us. The Garmin was optimistic about its route, so we decided to stick to the theme of the day (grand adventure!) and give it a chance to get us there.

We spent about 40 minutes traversing cornfields in mostly pitch black areas. At times, the Garmin would direct us that a turn was 200 feet away and we couldn't even see the road it was telling us to turn on! But the roads would always appear at the last second. It was a bit surreal. The stars were beautiful overhead, with no area light to block them out. It was fantastic.

Eventually (at about 8pm) we made it to Mount Carroll and stopped at a gas station to use the bathroom, since we didn't know if there would be one available to the public at RGI. Sarah announced that this area looked familiar to her. We made a couple more turns and she points and says 'there it is!'
I look and I see...nothing.
"Where?"
"Right there!" she says, and points once more at...nothing.

Finally I am able to make out a faint dark blue light in the darkness. "That blue light?" I ask. She confirms. It doesn't appear that there is any road to get TO the blue light, but she has me turn anyway, and all of a sudden there we are! The huge old house looms out of the darkness at us. The parking lot has a decent number of cars, so we sort of make our own space next to one of them and get out.
( come in, come in, to the Raven's GrinCollapse )

If you're ever anywhere NEAR Mount Carroll, IL...this is a must-do event. Really and truly. If you've even be thinking about going, don't wait. You won't be disappointed.

Sarah and Melly, maybe we need to start looking for large properties in that area...and start my haunted bed and breakfast out there. It would be a great tie-in and we could give each other cross-business. ;)


This post stars myself, saribeth, and wravenmadd, with special appearances by poogiesombrero, the_psychonaut and ojdorson!

My full gallery of photos is here: http://ilwitchgrrl.smugmug.com/gallery/6150557_qmNfe//387310846_quzbK

I am looking forward to adding more pictures after Sarah and Melly have time to get theirs uploaded!
Melly and Sarah, please also feel free to comment with any remembrances I may have forgotten from this part of the trip. :)