The Great Road Trip Part I - Illinois

Yes, it HAS been about three months, but we are a busy group once the school year starts. Everyone has settled into our routine nicely. Evan is enjoying 7th grade and the decrease in homework from last year. Finn has a long-term substitute since his 4th grade teacher broke her wrist over the summer and has had three surgeries on it. Owen is a big time 2nd grader and is writing up a storm but can't spell to save his life! I am still doing the school volunteer thing and running the household while Craig enjoys a new position at work. He's also coaching both Finn and Owen's soccer teams.

Anyhooo... here is the first installment of our vacation. We did a super long leg the first day and drove all the way to Danville, IL, home of Dick Van Dyke. Spent the night at a hotel next to a gigantic cornfield and headed to Kickapoo State Park early the next morning, and yes, the park was chosen for its name which lent itself to a wealth of boy humor. It turned out to be a great park. We tubed down a very low Vermillion River and still had a fabulous time. We saw miniature frogs, muscatine clams as big as Craig's hand and a lot of geese. Then we made a beeline for New Salem where Abraham Lincoln lived during his late teens/early twenties. It was a reconstructed settlement much like Williamsburg, VA. Very cool to see, but it was so hot we were dragging toward the end.

The next day we were in Joliet, IL, Craig's hometown. I will say it had changed remarkably for the better since the last time we were there in the early '90s. We drove around and saw all the important landmarks including:

the statue of Louis Joliet in front of the downtown library

the Des Plaines River and a huge barge

as well as the quarry where Craig used to swim, Joliet Catholic High (now senior assisted living apartments), the Brandon Locks, elementary and middle schools, the McCarter homestead and his grandparents' house in nearby Rockdale.

Our next stop was Chicago, Chicago, that toddlin' town where we enjoyed two full days. We went up into the Sears Tower, went to the Field Museum, Millenium Park, and Grant Park. We saw old friends of ours at dinner: Dave Maher and his sons, Danny and Mac, Dave Kempes, and Chris James. It was fantastic weather until a torrential rainstorm soaked us on the way to Dave Maher's apartment building. We were going that way to swim in his pool and see the fireworks over lake Michigan. At the Field Museum we saw and learned so much. Finn and Craig particularly enjoyed the gem and mineral collection. Evan liked the dioramas in the mammal area and Owen and I enjoyed the gift shop the most. It was a great stay and we could have done so much more there, so I guess we will just have to return one day.

Owen reflecting off of "The Bean" which is a sculpture in Millenium Park resembling none other than a ginormous silver kidney bean. These pictures were taken pre-downpour.

The view of the El and the Sears Tower from our hotel room

Main lobby of the Field Museum featuring "Sue" the dinosaur

That's it for now. Next stop - Baraboo, WI to visit The Circus Museum!!!