When I was growing up in Rock Island, the western edge of my world was Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and the eastern edge was Lasalle-Peru, about 90 miles away. I knew Interstate 80 east to Chicago, of course, but we didn't stop at any of those towns. We visited Lasalle-Peru quite often, for jump quizzes at the Nazarene Church and music contests at Lasalle High School, for orchestra concerts and drama club events at Illinois Valley Community College; and several times a year, usually on Saturdays in the summer, we visited Starved Rock State Park.
It's named after a sandstone butte where the Illiniwek (after who Illinois is named) were besieged by the Ottawa and Potawatomie tribes until they starved to death. The story is probably apocryphal, but there is archaeological evidence of human habitation since the Pleistocene Era. There was a little museum, a trolley, and a lot of hiking trails down the canyon and to see the waterfalls.
On the way home, we drove into Lasalle for ice cream or hamburgers, and passed a "haunted house," four stories, dark and spooky, with rotundas and staring windows. Once I saw a naked man staring out the window.
See:
The Naked Man in the Haunted HouseI haven't been there for over 30 years, so I thought it would be interesting to check on the beefcake at the edge of the world.
Lasalle-Peru High School still has the Cavaliers, with wrestling and swimming.
Their main rival is St. Bede Academy, a Catholic prep school in Peru. It was male only until 1973.
St. Bede's star wrestler looks a little chunky, but I guess that's an advantage in matwork.
Illinois Valley Community College does not offer intercollegiate swimming or wrestling, but you can join an intramural team.
If you search on "Illinois Valley Community College Bodybuilding," you get the "Jeremiah 29:11 The Anywhere Office Bodybuilding Helping other’s create healthy lifestyles," with a guy named Mark who is going to continue his baseball career.
I don't know what any of that means, but Jeremiah 29:11 says: "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
Nice to be sure.
You also get an ad for "Dynamite bodybuilding an fitness by J.W. Fitness Guru an personal trainer." He asks "Who is ready to make changes to their physique to this degree? Who is sick and tired of being sick and tired of living and unhealthy lifestyle? I will give you guaranteed success and Supply you with the knowledge and wisdom of a Champion✔👌 Free consultations available right now"
The eastern edge of the universe seems to be populated mostly by bodybuilding shills.
I think I'll stick to the YMCA.
