100 miles to go and now, the rain

We're now on the final road, US 27, and less than 100 miles to go. This is just the second rain we've driven through in 18 days, the other being Sunday in Indianapolis. Most of the Midwest and South has been inundated all month-- we've just been lucky to miss the storms. Even here, the fields (peanut?)Are basically under water. Maybe it's a good thing--all that fresh water flowing down the Appalachicola and Mississippi Rivers to push back the millions of gallons of oil and toxics in the Gulf. Maybe.
Even though we'll be home in about 90 minutes, I still have dozens of pictures to post. And some great tales to tell.
We have to clean up our rental as one tenant moves out today and another in Thurs--plus I'm back to work Thursday as well, so it may take a few days to get it all on line. But what fun we've had for 18 days, 3700 miles, 12 states, and many hours with good friends we have not seen in far too long.
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Rounding third

We're rounding third and heading for home, with Cincy Reds now leading Philly 4-0. Night weather once again awesome, ballpark beautiful, locally crafted beer very tasty. The guy next to us just caught a ball--it's his birthday so that is cool. Anyway, we got behind on our chronicles--days off the Internet grid--but we're heading for home tomorrow. 660 miles to go!
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Wolf River Wisconsin

Picture from last post--couldn't send pic and post
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2000 miles and counting

We've not quite reached the northern most apogee of our trek, but hit 2000 miles today. We just had lunch on the Wolf River, north of OshKosh. Minor storm last night, but today is sunny, breezy, 80 degrees---could not ask for better! I'm looking for the wildlife refuge where our St. Marks' whooping cranes go in the summer. If you've never seen them, go to www.operationmigration.org to be amazed. We did see a large flock of pelicans, which seemed weird, this far inland. Better than being oiled in the Gulf........
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Milwaukee Brewers

It looks like our losing home streak is coming to an end as the Brewers are about to beat the Twins in another interleague game. Lots of Twin fans here too. Severe weather may have held off. Florida State was not as fortunate as they lost badly today at CWS. 1 and 2 and barbeque. We say.
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Downtown Chicago

We're sitting in a coffee shop right along Columbus Drive, and there are 2 folks playing golf in the downtown street. Right now. Golf. Traffic is just whizzing by and the balls are bouncing along the street--must be some kind of putting challenge--like how to hit the manhole before a car hits you! Attracting a crowd, too.
A severe storm knocked out a bunch of windows in high rises downtown on Friday, so this morning a bunch of work crews are out replacing the glass.

Chicago--visit to Grandma and Grandpa's house and a wedding

Before the wedding Saturday afternoon, we drove up to Grandma and Grandpa Janson's house. The new owners were sitting on the front porch, and were glad to see us, as they had wondered about the house's history. The house still looked the same, except the basement had been completely redone into an office and a huge entertainment room. They still used radiator heat. The neighborhood was in good shape, and the house next door was actually redone. All-in-all, a nice visit.
Then we drove down Milwaukee Ave to their cemetary at Union Ridge. The drive back to Hyde Park to the wedding was monstrous, took over an hour to go 19 miles. The lake was packed with beachgoers enjoying 90 degree Saturday, and Soldier's Field was expecting 80,000 to see The Eagles and Dixie Chicks that afternoon. We passed Obama's house in Hyde Park on our way to the chapel of University of Chicago--it is huge.
The chapel was gothic, perfect for a summer wedding in red, white and black. The pictures do not do it justice as I was in a hurry. Then the reception was on the huge ship docked at the Chicago Yacht Club, until the wee hours of the morning.

Chicago Cubs vs. LA Angels

Friday morning, we arrive in downtown Chicago, at the fabulous Fairmont hotel, about 1 block from Lake Michigan. We left the car at the hotel, $51 per day for the car alone, thank you very much. That's the view from our 32nd floor window towards Lake Michigan. Took the subway to the sold-out game, along with thousands of Cubs faithful, and not a few Angel fans, since this was LA's very first appearance in Wrigley Field. In spite of 9th inning heroics, the Cubbies lost by 1, 7-6. We did not see any Cub mascot at the game, so had our picture taken with the statue of Harry Carey, which was close enough. There was a severe thunderstorm warning, with the storm expected to hit the field by 4:00, which was the bottom of the ninth inning as the Cubs were making gains on a 7-3 deficit. We made it to the covered area of the train landing just as it began to pour! By the time we got downtown, it was raining and blowing, stormwater drains were overwhelmed---but we had no choice but to sprint the 10 blocks back to the hotel. That was our exercise for the day!
Friday night, we were invited to the wedding rehearsal dinner on the 80th floor of the Aon center in downtown Chicago--the storm had passed and the view was spectacular.

More St. Louis Thursday

We enjoyed a gourmet breakfast during a morning thunderstorm in St. Louis, then headed down to the Arch and other sites downtown. We went to the top of the Arch, which was thrilling and a bit terrifying, after watching the documentary on how the Arch was contructed 45 years ago.
We tried to go to the Zoo, but Forest Park was so crowded, we figured we had a 2 mile walk just to get there from available parking, so we had to skip the zoo this time. The River was overflowing its banks after a series of storms northward, but we did walk across much of it on a bike/ped path made from the old highway, saved from the wrecking ball a few years ago. One major landmark we drove past quite by accident, was the world's largest Amoco sign--pretty cool.
No baseball today, as we headed into Illinois. We did stop for dinner at an historic restaurant in Litchfield, owned by 3 generations of the same family. We also drove by Lincoln Land Community College, a team that comes to Florida in the spring to play baseball--and one that Mark got the win against last year!

Green energy in Coal Country?

Driving along Illinois countryside, we saw an interesting juxtaposition. First there was an historic marker noting the gravesite of Mother Jones, who was famous for standing up for union coal miners during a bloody strike, and was subsequently buried in a union coal miner cemetery, as a show of solidarity and respect. A few miles down the road, a county had installed one wind turbine, out in a field, atop a hill that was actually a man-made hill called a coal "gob", or a pile of waste from a coal mine. Renewable energy, silently spinning atop coal waste, near the site of an epic battle between union workers and the mines.
Then further down the road, a massive installation of wind turbines, 185 of them, in an Illinois field, brand-new, 300 mega-watts, right alongside corn and soybean fields. Thesse things went on for a few miles, and there were more across the highway that weren't even on line yet. I think the news release said it was the largest in the MidWest, certainly the largest this year, and was done by a Spanish firm called Iberdrola. It was stunning to see them. I have read that some wildlife conservationists fear that these large wind farms can kill of otherwise affect migrating birds, but the turbines don't really move that fast. And I wonder what happens during tornado season--like the 61 that just hit Minnesota. Sorry my photos aren't that good, but this farm went on for a mile or so.

St. Louis

I'm a couple of days behind with updates--we had no Internet access for a few days. Our hotel in Chicago is very luxe, but wanted $19.95 to connect to Internet. Parking was $51 per day as it was!
Anyway, St. Louis saw an end to our winning baseball streak. Cards lose, but not before a controversial call where Albert Pujols hit a homer onto the outfield wall, ONE SECTION OVER FROM US! The ball bounced back onto the field and after review, was called an double. Cards lose by 1 run, so it coulda made a difference in the outcome. I could tell it was going to hit and bounce somewhere, so I was waiting for the ricochet to catch it and did not see it hit the top of the wall. The fans down there said it was a home run, but alas. We almost did not get the picture of the mascot, FREDBIRD, as he was running away from a large group of parents and kids who wanted his picture. Ken spotted him and we chased him into a corner and got a shot.
We stayed in Lafayette Park, a beautiful historic district, in a bed-and-breakfast. The other couple staying there was headed to Belgium for a 3 year assignment with NATO Command.
We walked downtown to the game, yes it was 105 degrees! It was about 2 miles, and the walk back was challenging. We got to stop at a micro-brewery, Square One, voted best bar in St. Louis, where they not only had crafted beers, but cask ales and even distilled spirits made right there.

Route 66 stuff

Wednesday 6/16, we travelled along Route 66 into St. Louis. We first stopped off at a huge pedestrian bridge over train tracks--purported to be one of the longest such bridges in the country. Connected a once-toney neighborhood with the shopping district, now a pretty walking street with art stores, fun junk, and several "art alleys" and gardens.

1000 miles and counting

Back on the Interstate after a few days of back roads. We just went through a "Diamond Interchange" getting on I44 in Springfield--some kind of traffic engineering marvel, first of its kind in America. I will have to Google it later.
We tried to find the historical marker that marked the Birthplace of Route 66 in Springfield, but the tourist info lady said they moved it and she didn't know where. So much for a piece of true Americana. Most of the original route is gone now anyway, but still. April 30, 1926, right smack in the Roaring 20's, officials proposed the first completely paved transcontinental highway--the "Mother Road"--I wonder if by 2026 we'll think of this as the beginning of the end, the end of the beginning, or just the beginning of the beginning....
Meanwhile, east bound and down....
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Springfield Cardinals (Missouri)

The second game we went to was another great AA game, this time from the Texas league. The Springfield Cardinals are in a race for the lead of the first half of the season, and we watched the home team win, combining timely homeruns, great catches, lots of fun AA-type promotions between innings, and of course $6 beers. The evening weather was perfect, cooled to 82 degrees. The fans came out to support the team on a Tuesday night, and this stadium is also right downtown and definitely kept in tiptop condition. We even got a free ticket, as Tuesdays throughout the minor leagues are buy-one-get-one free with a Kraft singles cheese wrapper, which of course we had! $11 got 2 tickets right at home plate along the first base line. We finished off the evening at the Springfield Brew Pub downtown--another apparently vibrant downtown.

Hitting a few snags along the way

No adventure can be without its unexpected moments. While we were trying to get club cards to play at the casino, Ken was rejected! His driver's license had expired quietly on his 60th birthday. Last month. Fortunately, the State of Florida allows on-line renewals, so we hit a free WIFI spot, got the renewal, and used the email confirmation to get him into the casinos.
The next day, after crossing into Arkansas, a pickup truck heading in the opposite direction lost a large piece of sheet metal or plastic or plywood that flew off and hit our car! Lucky it did not hit the windshield! Tore up the fronot bumper and broke the headlamp, though. Car still drivable, but the damage will be expensive to repair. I guess we were lucky though, it could have been disasterous.
I included some shots over the Mississippi river--the bridge was spectacular!

Tunica, Mississippi

Here's 1 of the 9 casinos in Tunica (near Memphis) and 1 of dozens along the river statewide. I can say they provide LOTS of jobs in the middle of nowhere. Whether they are a net plus or minus on the region can certainly be debated. We've done Ok with winnings, maybe about broke even. Fun place, worth the trip. Exploring Arkansas tomorrow, about 350 miles of it!
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First baseball game of the trek

I did not even post this yet! Already out of order! The game at Montgomery was the best! It was unbelievably hot--even at 7 pm, but the stadium was pretty full and quite lively. It was set in an old train station, right on the Alabama River, and trains indeed went by all game long. Beautiful place really. Reinvigorated section of urban Montgomery, with loft spaces, a brew pub with live music stage, and safe places to walk. You can see by this picture, there was a huge Regions Bank building downtown, dwarfed everything else! I am a Regions customer and I was frankly a little embarrassed by the ostentatiousness of it. "Too big to fail" and all that. Provide credit for small business, local folks and homeowners, ok? Anyway, the game was fun, the Montgomery Biscuits won in 10 innings, and everyone enjoyed the tribute to the military families, the induction ceremony for 40 new Air Force recruits, and even a 2 jet flyover from Maxwell AFB! Then at the end was a fireworks show! All for $12 tickets and $6 beer! The MLB games may not be THAT good!
For some reason, I can't get the pictures to load to this--will try it later

Elvis' Birthplace

You can't drive through central Mississippi and miss seeing the actual birthplace of the King of Rock and Roll! It's a little white house in Tupelo MS, and they have created a nice park around it, including a bunch of statues and fountains, and even the actual church where he atarted singing in 1944. It's quite hot, but what would you expect in Mississippi in June? Magnolia trees are spectacular, though.

Weather report

For those of you watching the severe weather reports in the midwest, we are not seeing any of that here so far. It is very hot, heat index over 100, but not a cloud in the sky
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We're on our way!

We have officially hit the highway, I-10 that is. Outside temp is 97 and rising. Car is loaded with water and snacks and we've got the FSU-Vanderbilt super regional baseball game on the radio. We are about 30 mins behind schedule already, but we had to go to a park on the southside of town to see Mark, who is working a professional disk golf tournament all day, shuttling the players around and making sure they have what they need to beat this heat and keep things flowing smoothly. He figures he'll work 12 hours today. But we are in good shape timewise---ETA 4:00 local time.
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Car ready to go

Oil changed, tires rotated, new serpentine belt, Navigation system all set--ready to head out---except that bird on top is not going!
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Here's one of the ones "left behind"!