Well, if we are being technical, it is really Amarillo by late afternoon. That's how far we got today. It was a 6 hour drive and we made it into Texas. Good enough.
Not much to report along the way today. Each day that we drive, we start our journey listening to Zak Brown's greatest hits. It's a nice way to begin. We then played the game of going thru each of the satellite stations. We tried our best to listen to the hip hop count down, but it was too ridiculous to keep on. The 50s and 60s stations are consistently the best. There are also a few comedy channels that help pass the time.
We were sent thru the farm lands due to construction on the highway, so we decided just to stop. We got a free hotel with the gift certificate from Rapid City. Free is as cheap as it gets! Tomorrow will be our last leg home, so stay tuned.
Thursday, July 19, 2018
Day # 28- Rocky Mountain High
Today was our explore Colorado Springs day. That started with a surprise pop in to see a friend who had moved there a few years ago. It was just a quick hug at her work, but I am happy we made the stop.
We made our way to Pike's Peak and paid the million dollars to drive ourselves up. My stupid moment came when I asked the 12 year old "park ranger" when I was supposed to put my car in Mountain mode. He said he had never heard of that. I said well, there is a mode that says M. He told me that meant manual. I felt like a fool
But then again, how could I just switch an automatic car to manual? There is nothing to shift. I stand by it meaning mountain.
Round and round we went up the mountain while watching the temp drop from the 90s to the 50s. All of a sudden, some worker is waving us over into a parking lot. Are we at the top? No. Still a ways to go. We get out, put on jackets, and try to find out what is going on. Apparently, this is a parking area and we now wait for a shuttle to take up to the peak. We paid to drive ourselves, so why this shuttle? We were told it was sleeting at the peak, yet our safety was not the concern. Actually, construction was being done up there and the equipment took up too much parking, so now, 80 year old women are driving people up in an oversized van. No thanks!! We chose to drive ourselves, we paid to drive ourselves, and we are not getting into an oversized van to drive thru the sleet to the top. We, mostly Loren, but we were MAD. No one told us this when we paid per person, even though we were in one vehicle, to drive to the top. Not to a parking lot 3/4 the way up.
We turned around and headed back down as it started raining. We did not want to be dangling off the side of the mountain in the rain. It was just a very disappointing experience.
Our next stop was Garden of the God's. This area is actually free. You read that correctly. Something was free. Because of this, it was also very crowded. We climbed on the rocks for awhile until the rain from the mountains caught up to us.
Deciding it was too late to continue on our journey, we found a Hotwire room and moved into our new home for the nite. A&W was close by, so we had a yummy dinner that we couldn't get at home.
The end of our travels is near. Tomorrow we start on the way home, so stay tuned.
We made our way to Pike's Peak and paid the million dollars to drive ourselves up. My stupid moment came when I asked the 12 year old "park ranger" when I was supposed to put my car in Mountain mode. He said he had never heard of that. I said well, there is a mode that says M. He told me that meant manual. I felt like a fool
But then again, how could I just switch an automatic car to manual? There is nothing to shift. I stand by it meaning mountain.
Round and round we went up the mountain while watching the temp drop from the 90s to the 50s. All of a sudden, some worker is waving us over into a parking lot. Are we at the top? No. Still a ways to go. We get out, put on jackets, and try to find out what is going on. Apparently, this is a parking area and we now wait for a shuttle to take up to the peak. We paid to drive ourselves, so why this shuttle? We were told it was sleeting at the peak, yet our safety was not the concern. Actually, construction was being done up there and the equipment took up too much parking, so now, 80 year old women are driving people up in an oversized van. No thanks!! We chose to drive ourselves, we paid to drive ourselves, and we are not getting into an oversized van to drive thru the sleet to the top. We, mostly Loren, but we were MAD. No one told us this when we paid per person, even though we were in one vehicle, to drive to the top. Not to a parking lot 3/4 the way up.
We turned around and headed back down as it started raining. We did not want to be dangling off the side of the mountain in the rain. It was just a very disappointing experience.
Our next stop was Garden of the God's. This area is actually free. You read that correctly. Something was free. Because of this, it was also very crowded. We climbed on the rocks for awhile until the rain from the mountains caught up to us.
Deciding it was too late to continue on our journey, we found a Hotwire room and moved into our new home for the nite. A&W was close by, so we had a yummy dinner that we couldn't get at home.
The end of our travels is near. Tomorrow we start on the way home, so stay tuned.
Tuesday, July 17, 2018
Day #27- That's Amore
Today is our 2 yr wedding anniversary. It seems a whole lot longer than that. We have now known one another for almost 8 years. It's funny that it seems we have been married for a long time yet I can't believe it has already been 8 years being friends.
It turns out that Cheyenne, WY is minutes from Colorado. We could have driven one more exit and we would have been in another state. We drove first to Denver. There is an outdoor mall in the middle of down town, so we did some shopping. This area was on a list for places that could not be missed while in Denver. We really liked the city and this block (or more) of shops and restaurants.
We decided to treat ourselves to a more expensive hotel for our anniversary. We ended up with a suite. We could honestly move in here and have plenty of room. Last year the only "nice" place for dinner in Long Beach Cali where we were visiting was Outback. We continued that tradition. I ordered a Victoria's filet. They were out. How is it possible for a steak place to be outta filet?!? Craziness!
We had a relaxed and fun day for our anniversary. Tomorrow we will pick an activity for Colorado Springs so stay tuned!
It turns out that Cheyenne, WY is minutes from Colorado. We could have driven one more exit and we would have been in another state. We drove first to Denver. There is an outdoor mall in the middle of down town, so we did some shopping. This area was on a list for places that could not be missed while in Denver. We really liked the city and this block (or more) of shops and restaurants.
We decided to treat ourselves to a more expensive hotel for our anniversary. We ended up with a suite. We could honestly move in here and have plenty of room. Last year the only "nice" place for dinner in Long Beach Cali where we were visiting was Outback. We continued that tradition. I ordered a Victoria's filet. They were out. How is it possible for a steak place to be outta filet?!? Craziness!
We had a relaxed and fun day for our anniversary. Tomorrow we will pick an activity for Colorado Springs so stay tuned!
Sunday, July 15, 2018
Day # 26- Ride West Young Man...
... haven't you been told, Deadwood is full of whisky, women, and gold! I took the liberty of changing California to Deadwood for this song because it fits perfectly.
Our day started at 5:30am. We were awakened to a pounding on our door. Loren yells out, "We are still sleeping!". The pounding continues as I tell him it is a little early for house keeping. He gets up and looks thru the peep hole. As the pounding continued, Loren opens the door to several police officers. He is standing there in his underwear talking to cops. They ask him if his name is so and so. He tells them no and gives his name. Another officer looks into the room where I am sitting there shocked and asks if my name was Sharon. I said no. They again asked Loren his name. They said oops wrong room and left. They never asked for our IDs. They just believed us and left. We have no idea what or who the police were there for, but it sure was a startling way to start our day!
We checked out of our hotel where we had spent the last 3 nights and headed for our last stop in South Dakota. It had stormed badly all night and temperatures had cooled off to the 60s. It was the perfect day to go to Mt. Moriah cemetery where Wild Bill Hickcock, Calamity Jane, and Seth Bullock are all buried. The walk to Seth's grave was 1/4 mile, straight uphill. Thank goodness it was cooler today! We were not able to enjoy the experience as much as we would have liked because tour busses were dropping people off in huge groups. I find it disrespectful for people to talk loudly and run around in a cemetery. We were able to see what we wanted and escaped the obnoxious people.
We set the GPS and started towards Denver. We only made it to Cheyenne, Wyoming, but will continue on to Colorado tomorrow. We will have been married 2 years tomorrow, so I hope to find something special for us to do. Stay tuned!
Day # 25- Because Today's the Day the Teddy Bears Have Their Picnic
Most everyone has something they slept with as a kid- a blanket, a doll, a teddy bear... I had Honey (a doll) and Blankie. If Loren would allow it, I would probably still sleep with them. I have had them both my entire life and they are still a comfort.
Today we saw a much different sort of teddy bear. Those of the real variety! Much like the day that we went to the Mystery Spot, Loren was reluctant to go to what he thought was just another cheesy and costly tourist trap. The place is called Bear Town USA. It is a drive thru wild life park. I have been to this sort of attraction before and have always had a great time. When you arrive, you get a bag of treats for the animals. As you slowly drive thru with the windows down, you watch the animals roam around. The fun part is when an animal decides to come over to the car. Zebras and ostriches stick their heads in the window and eat the treats from your hands. Most of the time, the greedy little buggers steal the whole bag of snacks. I have always loved these up close experiences with the animals so I talked Loren into letting us do this wildlife drive.
At the gate of Bear Country, the rules were explained and they were VERY different from what I have experienced in the past. It was forbidden to feed the animals or drive with the windows open. We were given a map and we understood the reason for this. Instead of the zebras and ostriches of the other places, here we would encounter wolves, coyotes, bison, big horned sheep, and bears! We did see all of the animals, but the weather was unusually hot and most were asleep. An employee was stationed up in a tower over looking the park and could be heard using a speaker to tell people to roll up their windows. Soon, a truck came thru and put food out for the bears. They all came to life and suddenly the cars were surrounded by bears. I was so excited that I was literally hopping around on my seat. Bears of all sizes and shapes walked around our car and stood in the road causing us to wait until they moved.
The fun was not over when the drive was complete. There was then an outside area to walk around and see more animals. The greatest part was the area of sweet little real life teddy bears. We watched them play fight, swim, run, climb trees, and just act like naughty toddlers. We learned that the babies are weaned from their mothers after a period of time and brought to their own area. Apparently the adult male bears can be a serious danger to the little ones. Those little bears looked like they couldn't have asked for a better life. It was hard to leave the cuties, but we had to get to Deadwood for a tour. I will get to that shortly.
Our day did not start visiting bears. It started at Mt. Rushmore. We were surprised that it was only $10 to get in. Hard to believe that we had now gotten into 2 separate national parks for the same price as one Chicago parking garage. Doesn't make sense. The pay binoculars were still there, probably from 50 years ago, but we paid the 50 cents and had a close up view. The detail of these sculptures was amazing. We could clearly see that even pupils were carved into the eyes. As there is little to do other than look at the monument, we didn't stay long. We drove the few miles over to the Crazy Horse monument.
This experience went a little different than planned. For those of you who don't know about Crazy Horse, it is a sculpture in the mountain side similar to Mt. Rushmore. I drove up to the entrance gates and the man told me it would be $24. Loren had not been paying attention, but as I was handing over the money, he asked how much it was. When the man repeated that it would be $24, Loren refused to pay it. We had to turn around and go to a parking lot near the road to snap a picture. I was so very embarrassed at the time, but we started talking to other travelers who refused to pay when it could be seen from the road.
Our last stop in our very long day was for a ghost tour at the Bullock Hotel in Deadwood. We had watched shows about the place and had read a great deal about the history. There are several books in the lobby filled with comments from guests about their paranormal experiences. Once again, the tour was too crowded. The guide was also a snore. We basically just walked around the hotel and saw/learned nothing. We finally just snuck away from the group and left. It was a total waste of time, but I truly blame the guide.
Tomorrow we will go to the Mt
Moriah cemetery to visit Wild Bill Hickcock, Calamity Jane, and Seth Bullock. We plan to then head on to Colorado, so stay tuned!
Today we saw a much different sort of teddy bear. Those of the real variety! Much like the day that we went to the Mystery Spot, Loren was reluctant to go to what he thought was just another cheesy and costly tourist trap. The place is called Bear Town USA. It is a drive thru wild life park. I have been to this sort of attraction before and have always had a great time. When you arrive, you get a bag of treats for the animals. As you slowly drive thru with the windows down, you watch the animals roam around. The fun part is when an animal decides to come over to the car. Zebras and ostriches stick their heads in the window and eat the treats from your hands. Most of the time, the greedy little buggers steal the whole bag of snacks. I have always loved these up close experiences with the animals so I talked Loren into letting us do this wildlife drive.
At the gate of Bear Country, the rules were explained and they were VERY different from what I have experienced in the past. It was forbidden to feed the animals or drive with the windows open. We were given a map and we understood the reason for this. Instead of the zebras and ostriches of the other places, here we would encounter wolves, coyotes, bison, big horned sheep, and bears! We did see all of the animals, but the weather was unusually hot and most were asleep. An employee was stationed up in a tower over looking the park and could be heard using a speaker to tell people to roll up their windows. Soon, a truck came thru and put food out for the bears. They all came to life and suddenly the cars were surrounded by bears. I was so excited that I was literally hopping around on my seat. Bears of all sizes and shapes walked around our car and stood in the road causing us to wait until they moved.
The fun was not over when the drive was complete. There was then an outside area to walk around and see more animals. The greatest part was the area of sweet little real life teddy bears. We watched them play fight, swim, run, climb trees, and just act like naughty toddlers. We learned that the babies are weaned from their mothers after a period of time and brought to their own area. Apparently the adult male bears can be a serious danger to the little ones. Those little bears looked like they couldn't have asked for a better life. It was hard to leave the cuties, but we had to get to Deadwood for a tour. I will get to that shortly.
Our day did not start visiting bears. It started at Mt. Rushmore. We were surprised that it was only $10 to get in. Hard to believe that we had now gotten into 2 separate national parks for the same price as one Chicago parking garage. Doesn't make sense. The pay binoculars were still there, probably from 50 years ago, but we paid the 50 cents and had a close up view. The detail of these sculptures was amazing. We could clearly see that even pupils were carved into the eyes. As there is little to do other than look at the monument, we didn't stay long. We drove the few miles over to the Crazy Horse monument.
This experience went a little different than planned. For those of you who don't know about Crazy Horse, it is a sculpture in the mountain side similar to Mt. Rushmore. I drove up to the entrance gates and the man told me it would be $24. Loren had not been paying attention, but as I was handing over the money, he asked how much it was. When the man repeated that it would be $24, Loren refused to pay it. We had to turn around and go to a parking lot near the road to snap a picture. I was so very embarrassed at the time, but we started talking to other travelers who refused to pay when it could be seen from the road.
Our last stop in our very long day was for a ghost tour at the Bullock Hotel in Deadwood. We had watched shows about the place and had read a great deal about the history. There are several books in the lobby filled with comments from guests about their paranormal experiences. Once again, the tour was too crowded. The guide was also a snore. We basically just walked around the hotel and saw/learned nothing. We finally just snuck away from the group and left. It was a total waste of time, but I truly blame the guide.
Tomorrow we will go to the Mt
Moriah cemetery to visit Wild Bill Hickcock, Calamity Jane, and Seth Bullock. We plan to then head on to Colorado, so stay tuned!
Friday, July 13, 2018
Day # 24- Killed in a Bar When He Was Only Three
Only my Madre will understand today's song lyric title. If she remembers, that is. When I was very little, I had a record player. I played one record over and over-Davy, Davy Crockett, king of the wild frontier. One line of the song says, "Killed in a bar, when he was only three". Everytime I played the song, I was confused. First, why was a 3 year old in a bar? Second, how could he have done all of these brave things if he was killed at 3? Well, it turns out, those were not the words. The song actually says, "Killed him a bear when he was only three". Makes much better sense. My lingering question is how did I even know what a bar was when I was young enough to be concerned with Davy Crockett being killed in one?
Now that I have rambled, I will connect that memory with today. The main destination for this entire trip was Deadwood, SD. We finally made it there today.
There was only a 15 min time difference between driving through the Black Hills and taking the highway, so of course we wanted the scenic drive. We stopped at a trail and did some hiking. The trails were marked by level of difficulty. As we had not planned to hike today, we thought it best to stay on the beginner trail. We saw signs to watch out for rattlesnakes and poison ivy. Surprisingly, we encountered neither. This is shocking since we tend to do everything the hard way.
The drive through the hills to Deadwood was beautiful. We saw signs telling us to lookout for big horn sheep. We didn't see any.
We love the TV show of Deadwood and could talk for hours about the history of the town. With Tombstone as our only reference for what an old Western town should look like, we were pretty disappointed to see mostly modern buildings. The entirety of the town burned to the ground on two occasions, but I would have thought the buildings would have still been built to look like it did in the late 1800's.
That said, the visit was not a total fail
We were able to go to the Saloon #10 where Wild Bill Hickcock was shot. We sat at the bar and had a beer only served in that bar from an 1800s recipe. It tasted what I imagine moonshine tasted like. Below the current bar was the original bar. We took a tour from a very knowledgeable guide and were able to sit in the very spot where Wild Bill was shot from behind. The"dead man's hand" of cards lay on the table. The tour also showed a tiny room where one of the 'ladies of the night' would have worked and stayed. The guide told us to notice signs as we walked through town. If a shop name had a color in it, then it used to be a brothel. Apparently they were known by their colored doors. We saw a shop called The Purple Place (or something like that) and knew it was once a brothel. We also learned that brothels still existed in Deadwood until the 1980s!!
We bought our first souvenir today for someone other than baby Abigail. We got something for her, of course, but we also got something for Mom. She asked for a dream catcher. She wanted an authentic one, not a made in China catcher. We scoured the shops and finally found one.
There was just so much to see and so much walking that we were pooped. Tomorrow we plan to go to Mt. Rushmore and then back to Deadwood to the cemetery and a paranormal tour at the Bullock hotel. So, as usual, stay tuned!
Now that I have rambled, I will connect that memory with today. The main destination for this entire trip was Deadwood, SD. We finally made it there today.
There was only a 15 min time difference between driving through the Black Hills and taking the highway, so of course we wanted the scenic drive. We stopped at a trail and did some hiking. The trails were marked by level of difficulty. As we had not planned to hike today, we thought it best to stay on the beginner trail. We saw signs to watch out for rattlesnakes and poison ivy. Surprisingly, we encountered neither. This is shocking since we tend to do everything the hard way.
The drive through the hills to Deadwood was beautiful. We saw signs telling us to lookout for big horn sheep. We didn't see any.
We love the TV show of Deadwood and could talk for hours about the history of the town. With Tombstone as our only reference for what an old Western town should look like, we were pretty disappointed to see mostly modern buildings. The entirety of the town burned to the ground on two occasions, but I would have thought the buildings would have still been built to look like it did in the late 1800's.
That said, the visit was not a total fail
We were able to go to the Saloon #10 where Wild Bill Hickcock was shot. We sat at the bar and had a beer only served in that bar from an 1800s recipe. It tasted what I imagine moonshine tasted like. Below the current bar was the original bar. We took a tour from a very knowledgeable guide and were able to sit in the very spot where Wild Bill was shot from behind. The"dead man's hand" of cards lay on the table. The tour also showed a tiny room where one of the 'ladies of the night' would have worked and stayed. The guide told us to notice signs as we walked through town. If a shop name had a color in it, then it used to be a brothel. Apparently they were known by their colored doors. We saw a shop called The Purple Place (or something like that) and knew it was once a brothel. We also learned that brothels still existed in Deadwood until the 1980s!!
We bought our first souvenir today for someone other than baby Abigail. We got something for her, of course, but we also got something for Mom. She asked for a dream catcher. She wanted an authentic one, not a made in China catcher. We scoured the shops and finally found one.
There was just so much to see and so much walking that we were pooped. Tomorrow we plan to go to Mt. Rushmore and then back to Deadwood to the cemetery and a paranormal tour at the Bullock hotel. So, as usual, stay tuned!
Day # 23- Oh Give Me a Home...
...where the buffalo roam! We are here in South Dakota. We started the day at Sioux Falls. I, unfortunately, do not have any knowledge of the story behind these falls, but we took our breakfast and ate with a great view.
From the beginning of this adventure, I have been saying that the Badlands are one of the places I wanted to stop. Well...that almost didn't happen. It was Loren's turn to drive while I took a nap. I woke up when he pulled into a gas station for a fill up. I walked in and this gas station also happened to be the Badlands gift shop. My friendly readers, you are glad you were not there. I was hopping mad that we had missed one of the main places I had wanted to go. I was mad at myself for sleeping, I was mad at Loren for not stopping, I was mad at my phone for dying and not alerting us to where we were. I was just plain mad. Mom used to say that if I woke up crabby, she would send me back to bed until I woke up happy. I don't think that would have helped me this time.
Fortunately, it turned out that we had stopped at the exact place where the Badlands National Park starts. I think it was divine intervention because I was ready to strangle my copilot. We ate a bison dog- yes, I actually tried a bison dog instead of an all beef hotdog and then we set off the 3 miles down the road to the park.
We had to pay a $20 entrance fee, but unlike the $30 to park in Chicago, this money went to the parks. If you have not seen the Badlands, they are hard to describe. They are cliffs made of layers of sandstone and stretch out among the prairies. We fully expected to see someone fall to their doom as we watched stupid kids and adults climbing out on ledges.
The road through the park is a loop that takes you back to the highway. We did not see any buffalo, but we did stop with several other cars to watch some big horn sheep eating and butting horns.
It turned out to be a perfect time. We decided to have Rapid City be our Basecamp for the next few days as we see the sights of the Black Hills. So, stay tuned!
From the beginning of this adventure, I have been saying that the Badlands are one of the places I wanted to stop. Well...that almost didn't happen. It was Loren's turn to drive while I took a nap. I woke up when he pulled into a gas station for a fill up. I walked in and this gas station also happened to be the Badlands gift shop. My friendly readers, you are glad you were not there. I was hopping mad that we had missed one of the main places I had wanted to go. I was mad at myself for sleeping, I was mad at Loren for not stopping, I was mad at my phone for dying and not alerting us to where we were. I was just plain mad. Mom used to say that if I woke up crabby, she would send me back to bed until I woke up happy. I don't think that would have helped me this time.
Fortunately, it turned out that we had stopped at the exact place where the Badlands National Park starts. I think it was divine intervention because I was ready to strangle my copilot. We ate a bison dog- yes, I actually tried a bison dog instead of an all beef hotdog and then we set off the 3 miles down the road to the park.
We had to pay a $20 entrance fee, but unlike the $30 to park in Chicago, this money went to the parks. If you have not seen the Badlands, they are hard to describe. They are cliffs made of layers of sandstone and stretch out among the prairies. We fully expected to see someone fall to their doom as we watched stupid kids and adults climbing out on ledges.
The road through the park is a loop that takes you back to the highway. We did not see any buffalo, but we did stop with several other cars to watch some big horn sheep eating and butting horns.
It turned out to be a perfect time. We decided to have Rapid City be our Basecamp for the next few days as we see the sights of the Black Hills. So, stay tuned!
Wednesday, July 11, 2018
Day # 22- The Farmer in the Dell
Well, not really the same kind of Dell, but the song just seemed fitting. Today was spent enjoying the Wisconsin Dells. Many people probably have not even heard of the Dells. I knew a limited amount about the area thanks to Happy Days and That 70's Show which both take place in Wisconsin.
To help in explaining the area: Wisconsin Dells, a city in southern Wisconsin, lies on the Wisconsin River in a region of glacier-carved sandstone formations. Its numerous theme parks and entertainment centers include Noah's Ark Water Park, and Mt. Olympus Water and Theme Park. Mirror Lake State Park, a forested reserve…
What we saw were massive waterparks, theme parks, boat tours, and shops. As we had more driving to do today, we decided to go to the downtown Dells for a little shopping. We were also able to look at the Dells from a Riverwalk along the water.
We found an old fashioned picture studio and decided, in honor of our visit yesterday to the town once ran by Al Capone, to dress up like gangsters and take some fun pictures. We had a blast wearing clothes from the prohibition era and taking pictures. We have never had any professional photos taken of us and these turned out great!! We had 2 of our favorites framed and got a few others in smaller prints. I still may call them and order the CD of all our photos.
We made it tonight to Sioux Falls, South Dakota. There is a falls park here that I would like to visit tomorrow before our last day of driving to Deadwood. It may seem like it is taking us forever, but we love the freedom to stop and do whatever we want.
We had so much fun dressing as gangsters today, we just may find a place to take some wild west pictures next- so stay tuned!
To help in explaining the area: Wisconsin Dells, a city in southern Wisconsin, lies on the Wisconsin River in a region of glacier-carved sandstone formations. Its numerous theme parks and entertainment centers include Noah's Ark Water Park, and Mt. Olympus Water and Theme Park. Mirror Lake State Park, a forested reserve…
What we saw were massive waterparks, theme parks, boat tours, and shops. As we had more driving to do today, we decided to go to the downtown Dells for a little shopping. We were also able to look at the Dells from a Riverwalk along the water.
We found an old fashioned picture studio and decided, in honor of our visit yesterday to the town once ran by Al Capone, to dress up like gangsters and take some fun pictures. We had a blast wearing clothes from the prohibition era and taking pictures. We have never had any professional photos taken of us and these turned out great!! We had 2 of our favorites framed and got a few others in smaller prints. I still may call them and order the CD of all our photos.
We made it tonight to Sioux Falls, South Dakota. There is a falls park here that I would like to visit tomorrow before our last day of driving to Deadwood. It may seem like it is taking us forever, but we love the freedom to stop and do whatever we want.
We had so much fun dressing as gangsters today, we just may find a place to take some wild west pictures next- so stay tuned!
Day # 21- My Kind of Town...
...Chicago is! Our adventure of the day was to explore Chicago. Since we had limited time, I chose Navy Pier for our place to focus on.
Before I tell about today, I just need to give a little background information on Chicago. For people who blindly follow the news or who ignorantly believe what they hear without researching on their own- Chicago appears to be a rough place. Much like people's unfounded fears of Detroit, Chicago gets a bad rep. In both Detroit and Chicago, there are areas of violence. I don't dispute that. Where I have the problem is when people have not experienced the great beauty of both cities.
I did a little digging about Chicago before we headed into the city. Did you realize that 75% of all of the violence is black on black attacks? Did you know that these acts of violence occur in poverty stricken areas? Gang members do not hang around tourist areas and prey on visitors. The same can be said for Detroit. Both cities have sporting venues, cultural events, and museums downtown. Both cities have wealth as well as poverty. A smart visitor to ANY city city should be aware of the their surroundings, but not live in fear. If you don't go driving through neighborhoods that are potentially dangerous, you should be fine. People also have to remember that every city, including Austin, have areas that are best to steer clear of. Few things make me more angry than listening to derogatory statements about these two wonderful cities with so much to offer. Ok, stepping down off my soapbox to continue on with our day.
I love big cities- London, NYC, San Fran...and Chicago did not disappoint. As we drove into the city, I actually had goosebumps. On one side of the road was a magnificent skyline while on the other, the lake was blue and filled with boats.
We made our way to Navy Pier and tried to find parking. We chanced upon a parking garage and pulled in. Surprise to us- parking was $30!! That was hard to swallow, but we have paid almost that much for sporting events and concerts.
Navy Pier is like a carnival boardwalk and shopping mall all in one. On the bottom floor, shops and restaurants could be found. On the top was the real fun. There was a giant ferris wheel, merry-go-round, a swing ride, and more. There was also an indoor garden with plants and fountains.
Since we had already paid $30 to park, we decided against the rides, as they were each around $20. We did sneak into the line for the ferris wheel, had our picture taken, and then ducked out of line. The picture was taken in front of a green screen and when printed, it shows us in front of various Chicago backdrops.
We had lunch at Jimmy Buffet's Cheeseburger in Paradise. The food and music were great! We then shopped for our magnets, which we collect from every place we go while on vacation, and tshirts for ourselves.
Tired from our fun day, we decided we would drive to the Wisconsin Dells for our next stop. Should be another fun day and new adventures- so stay tuned!
Before I tell about today, I just need to give a little background information on Chicago. For people who blindly follow the news or who ignorantly believe what they hear without researching on their own- Chicago appears to be a rough place. Much like people's unfounded fears of Detroit, Chicago gets a bad rep. In both Detroit and Chicago, there are areas of violence. I don't dispute that. Where I have the problem is when people have not experienced the great beauty of both cities.
I did a little digging about Chicago before we headed into the city. Did you realize that 75% of all of the violence is black on black attacks? Did you know that these acts of violence occur in poverty stricken areas? Gang members do not hang around tourist areas and prey on visitors. The same can be said for Detroit. Both cities have sporting venues, cultural events, and museums downtown. Both cities have wealth as well as poverty. A smart visitor to ANY city city should be aware of the their surroundings, but not live in fear. If you don't go driving through neighborhoods that are potentially dangerous, you should be fine. People also have to remember that every city, including Austin, have areas that are best to steer clear of. Few things make me more angry than listening to derogatory statements about these two wonderful cities with so much to offer. Ok, stepping down off my soapbox to continue on with our day.
I love big cities- London, NYC, San Fran...and Chicago did not disappoint. As we drove into the city, I actually had goosebumps. On one side of the road was a magnificent skyline while on the other, the lake was blue and filled with boats.
We made our way to Navy Pier and tried to find parking. We chanced upon a parking garage and pulled in. Surprise to us- parking was $30!! That was hard to swallow, but we have paid almost that much for sporting events and concerts.
Navy Pier is like a carnival boardwalk and shopping mall all in one. On the bottom floor, shops and restaurants could be found. On the top was the real fun. There was a giant ferris wheel, merry-go-round, a swing ride, and more. There was also an indoor garden with plants and fountains.
Since we had already paid $30 to park, we decided against the rides, as they were each around $20. We did sneak into the line for the ferris wheel, had our picture taken, and then ducked out of line. The picture was taken in front of a green screen and when printed, it shows us in front of various Chicago backdrops.
We had lunch at Jimmy Buffet's Cheeseburger in Paradise. The food and music were great! We then shopped for our magnets, which we collect from every place we go while on vacation, and tshirts for ourselves.
Tired from our fun day, we decided we would drive to the Wisconsin Dells for our next stop. Should be another fun day and new adventures- so stay tuned!
Monday, July 9, 2018
Day # 20- Never Say Goodbye
First of all, I am having a hard time believing that we have been gone for 20 days. I guess it is because we have been in Michigan for so long where as last year we traveled thru many states. We still have a whole part 2 of our vacation to go.
We left Jen's today, which is always hard for me. Leaving Michigan at all is something I have to do quickly. A fast hug and an "I love you" are all I can handle. I always make fun of mom and my aunt Judy for their tears when leaving one another, but my tears are there. Just don't show them.
Our departure did not go as smoothly as planned. We stopped about a block from Jen's house to top off the tank and to air the tires. We grabbed a drink and set off again. About a block down the road I notice the drink just pouring out the side of Loren's cup. I jerk the car to the curb and scream at him to get out. I don't even think he knew what was going on. He sat in the grass with his finger over the hole in his cup trying to save his drink while I dug around in the back for a Yeti cup to put it in. The first one I grabbed had apparently not been washed out and I flung old coffee all over myself in the rush to get him a cup. So now we had coffee and Coke to clean up in the car and on ourselves. Sounds about right for something we would do.
We made it as far as Chicago today. We could have made it further, but there are a few sights I want to see here before we head on tomorrow. Who knows what we can actually fit in before needing to hit the road, so stay tuned!
We left Jen's today, which is always hard for me. Leaving Michigan at all is something I have to do quickly. A fast hug and an "I love you" are all I can handle. I always make fun of mom and my aunt Judy for their tears when leaving one another, but my tears are there. Just don't show them.
Our departure did not go as smoothly as planned. We stopped about a block from Jen's house to top off the tank and to air the tires. We grabbed a drink and set off again. About a block down the road I notice the drink just pouring out the side of Loren's cup. I jerk the car to the curb and scream at him to get out. I don't even think he knew what was going on. He sat in the grass with his finger over the hole in his cup trying to save his drink while I dug around in the back for a Yeti cup to put it in. The first one I grabbed had apparently not been washed out and I flung old coffee all over myself in the rush to get him a cup. So now we had coffee and Coke to clean up in the car and on ourselves. Sounds about right for something we would do.
We made it as far as Chicago today. We could have made it further, but there are a few sights I want to see here before we head on tomorrow. Who knows what we can actually fit in before needing to hit the road, so stay tuned!
Day # 19- Eat It, Just Eat It
Some Weird Al lyrics for our title today. While I have zero complaints about it, it seems that the majority of what we do here at Jen's is swim and eat and drink. She is the #1 hostess. She knows exactly what we love to eat and drink and has an abundance of both for us. We always start each evening with cocktail hour, complete with a million appetizer options. Then we switch to our wine and dinner. I have never felt so full in my life.
We had another day of just swimming and relaxing. There has not been much to report of this part of the trip as we are just enjoying the sun and our time here. The random adventures will come when we head out west. Jen and I did take a pool break to go get pedicures. That's always fun.
Tomorrow we start the second half of our vacation. We are headed to Deadwood, so stay tuned!!
We had another day of just swimming and relaxing. There has not been much to report of this part of the trip as we are just enjoying the sun and our time here. The random adventures will come when we head out west. Jen and I did take a pool break to go get pedicures. That's always fun.
Tomorrow we start the second half of our vacation. We are headed to Deadwood, so stay tuned!!
Saturday, July 7, 2018
Day # 18- Make New Friends But Keep the Old
Swim little fishies, swim! That was the theme of our day. We had one not so good moment while we were being fishies. Loren has been wearing a snorkle mask and floating around. Yesterday, he dove to the bottom with it on and it suctioned itself to his face and hurt his eye. He had to take out his contacts and wear his glasses. He tried to put the mask on over his glasses today and snapped the strap right off the mask. Oops! Jen said Bob would be very upset, so I got on Amazon and ordered a new one. Thank goodness for Amazon. It should be here by Tuesday.
Anne and Kevin and Sage came over today. We had a great time swimming and catching up. Most people change over the years and grow up some. Not Annie! She is still the fun loving goof that she has always been. We pick up like we have never been apart. Jen ordered pizza for dinner and we just continued our day out by the pool.
After everyone left, Jen and I took a night swim and then got into the hot tub. The air outside is much cooler than in the pool.
Tomorrow is our last day in Michigan, so stay tuned.
Anne and Kevin and Sage came over today. We had a great time swimming and catching up. Most people change over the years and grow up some. Not Annie! She is still the fun loving goof that she has always been. We pick up like we have never been apart. Jen ordered pizza for dinner and we just continued our day out by the pool.
After everyone left, Jen and I took a night swim and then got into the hot tub. The air outside is much cooler than in the pool.
Tomorrow is our last day in Michigan, so stay tuned.
Day #17 - It's Five o'clock Somewhere
Today was zoo day!! Well... technically, it was a zoo day for me. Everyone planned to go, but when the time came to leave, no one wanted to go. So, I took myself to the zoo. I actually had a lot of fun! I got a characture of myself and just roamed around. The zoo is literally 2 blocks from Jen's, so it's not like I went far.
When I got back, it was dinner time. We had sliders from the grill. Jen made us a board of beers like we used to get at the Bastone Brewery. Before dinner we had killed a bottle of wine. Needless to say, I don't drink much, so the combination of wine, beer, and being out in the sun- I was DONE. The last thing I remember is being woken up in my chair and sent to bed.
Anne and family are supposed to come tomorrow, so stay tuned!
When I got back, it was dinner time. We had sliders from the grill. Jen made us a board of beers like we used to get at the Bastone Brewery. Before dinner we had killed a bottle of wine. Needless to say, I don't drink much, so the combination of wine, beer, and being out in the sun- I was DONE. The last thing I remember is being woken up in my chair and sent to bed.
Anne and family are supposed to come tomorrow, so stay tuned!
Thursday, July 5, 2018
Day #16- Like a Fish in the Sea
I am sure I sound like a little old man constantly giving the weather report, but it is once again HOT here. It was 97°.
I was hurting very badly last night, so I could not sleep. I was up at 5:30am. I didnt want to wake the whole house with prowling around, so I made coffee and sat pool side to drink it. The solitude at that early hour just feels peaceful.
When the rest of the house got up, we put on our swim suits and swam for a few hours. Just like the lake, I prefer to be on the water, not in it. My reasons for not liking pools is my fear of someone going to the bathroom in it. As Jen is OCD about most everything, I assumed her pool was safe from contaminates. I got off my floaties and actually swam with Loren. I even swam to the bottom to retrieve something he threw in for me to fetch. Good dog.
We went to lunch today at National Coney Island. I love Detroit area Coney Islands. There is practically one on every corner. They have the best Greek salads!
Since I had no more than 3 hours of sleep last night, I layed down for a nap and didn't wake til after 7. Oops.
We had Pei Wei for dinner and then got back into the pool and played water basketball. Now we are just sitting outside enjoying the cool air. It is supposed to be 20° cooler tomorrow and the wind has already shifted. We tentatively plan on a zoo outing tomorrow, so stay tuned.
I was hurting very badly last night, so I could not sleep. I was up at 5:30am. I didnt want to wake the whole house with prowling around, so I made coffee and sat pool side to drink it. The solitude at that early hour just feels peaceful.
When the rest of the house got up, we put on our swim suits and swam for a few hours. Just like the lake, I prefer to be on the water, not in it. My reasons for not liking pools is my fear of someone going to the bathroom in it. As Jen is OCD about most everything, I assumed her pool was safe from contaminates. I got off my floaties and actually swam with Loren. I even swam to the bottom to retrieve something he threw in for me to fetch. Good dog.
We went to lunch today at National Coney Island. I love Detroit area Coney Islands. There is practically one on every corner. They have the best Greek salads!
Since I had no more than 3 hours of sleep last night, I layed down for a nap and didn't wake til after 7. Oops.
We had Pei Wei for dinner and then got back into the pool and played water basketball. Now we are just sitting outside enjoying the cool air. It is supposed to be 20° cooler tomorrow and the wind has already shifted. We tentatively plan on a zoo outing tomorrow, so stay tuned.
Wednesday, July 4, 2018
Day # 15- Under the Sea
Well, under the lake really, but today's song is fitting. I actually, not only got into the lake, but I put on snorkle gear and explored the ship wrecker off Susie's beach. That lake water is usually frigidly cold. We just put our feet in on Sunday and couldn't feel them after a few minutes. Yesterday, the water had warmed up to 72° for Loren and Jen to hop in. Temps in the water were about 75° today. What a difference a few days can make!
I was all suited up with my life jacket, noodle, sun hat, and glasses. I swam all the way out to the ship wrecker and actually put on the snorkle gear to check it out. This part was as amazing as me even getting in the water. I hate snorkeling. I feel like I can't breathe and will drown. I also hate seeing creatures below me in the water. Luckily, there were no fish and I could focus on breathing and looking at the wreck. I only had one mini thrashing panic attack when I thought I couldn't breathe and I couldn't get myself upright in the water. Truth is, I was never in any danger with all my flotation devices. I calmed down and actually enjoyed myself.
Loren took off his snorkle and dove down to more closely inspect the wreck. He found treasure. It was a red mesh bag that looked like a bankers bag full of loot. It was attached to the wreck. Loren unattached it and brought it to the surface. There was a silver necklace tied around the top of the pouch. The bag felt like it was full of sand, but who knows what treasures it really held. We all (Jen, Bob, Loren, and I) all decided we didn't want to be cursed like the Brady's were when they found the talisman in Hawaii, so we didn't open the bag and Loren dove back down to put it back in it's spot.
After dinner, we packed up and came back to Jen's. We saw tons of fire works on the drive home, which made up for all those we couldn't see earlier in the week.
It is HOT in Jen's house. I am currently laying on the floor with my face in the AC vent. Michigan houses just are not set up for the heat we've had this week!
Anne and Sage are supposed to come swim tomorrow, which will be great fun as always. So, stay tuned!
I was all suited up with my life jacket, noodle, sun hat, and glasses. I swam all the way out to the ship wrecker and actually put on the snorkle gear to check it out. This part was as amazing as me even getting in the water. I hate snorkeling. I feel like I can't breathe and will drown. I also hate seeing creatures below me in the water. Luckily, there were no fish and I could focus on breathing and looking at the wreck. I only had one mini thrashing panic attack when I thought I couldn't breathe and I couldn't get myself upright in the water. Truth is, I was never in any danger with all my flotation devices. I calmed down and actually enjoyed myself.
Loren took off his snorkle and dove down to more closely inspect the wreck. He found treasure. It was a red mesh bag that looked like a bankers bag full of loot. It was attached to the wreck. Loren unattached it and brought it to the surface. There was a silver necklace tied around the top of the pouch. The bag felt like it was full of sand, but who knows what treasures it really held. We all (Jen, Bob, Loren, and I) all decided we didn't want to be cursed like the Brady's were when they found the talisman in Hawaii, so we didn't open the bag and Loren dove back down to put it back in it's spot.
After dinner, we packed up and came back to Jen's. We saw tons of fire works on the drive home, which made up for all those we couldn't see earlier in the week.
It is HOT in Jen's house. I am currently laying on the floor with my face in the AC vent. Michigan houses just are not set up for the heat we've had this week!
Anne and Sage are supposed to come swim tomorrow, which will be great fun as always. So, stay tuned!
Tuesday, July 3, 2018
Day # 14- Ships That Pass in the Night
Today was a great day. The weather was back to what it should be. We woke up and ran to Barnes & Nobel to look for Loren's toys and to find a book Susie needed for book club. We came home, had lunch, and then went for a tour of Port Huron. We attempted the farmers market, but it only had 3 booths. We went to the ship wrecker museum and got to talk to a very knowledgeable man about the wrecks in the Great Lakes. He told us some interesting info. There is a tunnel from Port Huron to Sarnia that goes under the ground and then under the St. Clair River. Train cars still go thru the tunnel. Jen and Susie had no idea it existed. The man gave us directions and we set out to find it. Sure enough, we found the tunnel. I just wonder if border patrol agents hide out in there?
We got home and went out on the boat. We took a long ride along the shore to look at houses. We stopped in the middle of the lake so Loren and Jen could jump in. Everyone seemed surprised that Loren hopped right in that frigid water.
After dinner, we went back over to Chris and Ann's to see fireworks, which we again couldn't see. Tomorrow is the 4th of July, so I hope we can really see a fireworks show. So, stay tuned!
We got home and went out on the boat. We took a long ride along the shore to look at houses. We stopped in the middle of the lake so Loren and Jen could jump in. Everyone seemed surprised that Loren hopped right in that frigid water.
After dinner, we went back over to Chris and Ann's to see fireworks, which we again couldn't see. Tomorrow is the 4th of July, so I hope we can really see a fireworks show. So, stay tuned!
Monday, July 2, 2018
Day # 13- Catching Walleye From the Dock
We seemed to have circled back around to the Kid Rock song about Michigan for the title. Tonight we actually saw quite a few people catching walleye off the dock.
We went to Freighters for dinner. It is right under the Blue Water Bridge on the St. Clair River. The weather changed in a blink today. We were sitting sweating down by the water. We walked up to make lunch and by the time we had sandwiches made and in that period of time the wind shifted and it was normal MI weather finally!
We sat outside at the restaurant and walked down to the water for some pictures. The food was hardly edible, but the company and the beer flights madeup for it. Plus, Loren complained about the length of wait, cold food, etc. The manager took $35 off
Well, as I am writing this while I am nodding off to sleep, so I will just say goodnight. Stay tuned for our tomorrow
We went to Freighters for dinner. It is right under the Blue Water Bridge on the St. Clair River. The weather changed in a blink today. We were sitting sweating down by the water. We walked up to make lunch and by the time we had sandwiches made and in that period of time the wind shifted and it was normal MI weather finally!
We sat outside at the restaurant and walked down to the water for some pictures. The food was hardly edible, but the company and the beer flights madeup for it. Plus, Loren complained about the length of wait, cold food, etc. The manager took $35 off
Well, as I am writing this while I am nodding off to sleep, so I will just say goodnight. Stay tuned for our tomorrow
Sunday, July 1, 2018
Day # 12- Turn the Radio Up...
...for that sweet sound. I love road trips when we have the music on and are singing and dancing our way down the road. We did that today with Zac Brown greatest hits and it just made us both happy.
On our way to PH we drove through Roscommon. That is a small backwoods town that we once had kin in. My great aunt Margie lived there with her family. I felt like it was really important for us to find the cemetery and pay our respects. We found the cemetery and set out to find the family graves. We had on our ghost hunting equipment and with 100% certainty, we had a family member guiding us. At one point I was talking and explaining who I was. My device suddenly says, Nancy. Yes. Nancy is my mom and she was very close to some family there. It was just a great experience and once again confirmed what I already know- there is life out there beyond what we can see and hear.
We had a lovely dinner and visit with the aunt's, minus the awful heat. It was just miserable. We are all grown adults now, yet we sat at the "kid's table" and enjoyed our time together.
On our way to PH we drove through Roscommon. That is a small backwoods town that we once had kin in. My great aunt Margie lived there with her family. I felt like it was really important for us to find the cemetery and pay our respects. We found the cemetery and set out to find the family graves. We had on our ghost hunting equipment and with 100% certainty, we had a family member guiding us. At one point I was talking and explaining who I was. My device suddenly says, Nancy. Yes. Nancy is my mom and she was very close to some family there. It was just a great experience and once again confirmed what I already know- there is life out there beyond what we can see and hear.
We had a lovely dinner and visit with the aunt's, minus the awful heat. It was just miserable. We are all grown adults now, yet we sat at the "kid's table" and enjoyed our time together.
The heat is supposed to break tomorrow, so fingers crossed and stay tuned!
Day #11- It's Getting Hot in Here
The heat! Ugh. We come to Michigan for a respite from the weather! Well, the heat God's have turned against us. It is not just warmer than we would like. It is 97°!
Despite the heat, we decided to drive over the bridge. We went to the Mystery Spot and I actually talked Loren into letting us take the tour instead of just standing outside. I know it is a cheesy tourist trap and I know there is a reasonable explanation, but even Loren had to admit that the place is pretty darn fun. I got to stand on a steep ramp but was able to lean forward like I was flying. Loren got to sit in a chair and was unable to get up from it. It really was a fun time.
Next it was time for the casino. We got there and it turns out Billy Currington, a country singer we like, was playing there that very day. Seemed odd, a big name in country playing some remote northern Michigan casino. We may have decided to see the show, but it was an outdoor festival and it was just too hot. We played some machines and lost $13. Not too bad.
We decided since it was our last Mackinaw City night that we would hit some more stores. A few souvenirs later- mainly for AbiAnn, we went to a pizza place and got salad and pizza to take back to our room.
About 11:00pm, we headed back into town to see if anyone was open for dessert. One shop was, so we got some Taffy and ice cream. I have never had such yummy flavor! I got cherry amaretto. Delish!!
I have most of our stuff packed up and we should have an easy time loading the car and hitting the road tomorrow. We will be in Port Huron tomorrow, so stay tuned.
Despite the heat, we decided to drive over the bridge. We went to the Mystery Spot and I actually talked Loren into letting us take the tour instead of just standing outside. I know it is a cheesy tourist trap and I know there is a reasonable explanation, but even Loren had to admit that the place is pretty darn fun. I got to stand on a steep ramp but was able to lean forward like I was flying. Loren got to sit in a chair and was unable to get up from it. It really was a fun time.
Next it was time for the casino. We got there and it turns out Billy Currington, a country singer we like, was playing there that very day. Seemed odd, a big name in country playing some remote northern Michigan casino. We may have decided to see the show, but it was an outdoor festival and it was just too hot. We played some machines and lost $13. Not too bad.
We decided since it was our last Mackinaw City night that we would hit some more stores. A few souvenirs later- mainly for AbiAnn, we went to a pizza place and got salad and pizza to take back to our room.
About 11:00pm, we headed back into town to see if anyone was open for dessert. One shop was, so we got some Taffy and ice cream. I have never had such yummy flavor! I got cherry amaretto. Delish!!
I have most of our stuff packed up and we should have an easy time loading the car and hitting the road tomorrow. We will be in Port Huron tomorrow, so stay tuned.
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