Category Archives: Biking

Biking

May 8, 2014 Manchester and Fort Bragg, California

­Our three day stay at Manchester was quiet and relaxing. We spent some time working on the blog because it takes time for Bill to sort through all the pictures and decide which ones to include in each posting. He then edits them and all this takes time. I usually do most of the writing of the blog posts and rely on his pictures to refresh my memory. In Manchester our cell phone and internet reception was very poor so we were not able to do much planning or research for future travels.

Manchester, with a population of 462, was similar to Bodega Bay in that it also did not have any franchise restaurants or large stores. We did stop in at the local small country market which did include a tiny Ace Hardware in the back corner.

We spent our last afternoon in Manchester doing some geocaching and continued to find beautiful panoramic views and the Point Arena Lighthouse. IMG_0289

 

 

 

 

 

After Manchester our next stop was thirty-five miles north to Fort Bragg. As you can tell we try not to travel far on move days and we are taking our time heading north to give Mother Nature plenty of time to warm up. Our travel day was overcast with just enough rain to keep on the windshield wipers. One thing I have noticed in our travels is so many states have cities with the same name, and Fort Bragg is another example. Fort Bragg, CA was established in the 1850’s as a military outpost to maintain order for the Mendocino Indian Reservation. Today Fort Bragg is no longer a military fort and has a population of around 7,000. One exciting thing about reaching Fort Bragg was there was a Safeway where I did some much needed grocery shopping. Not since our last days in Mexico has the pantry and freezer been so empty!

We dry camped at MacKerricher State Park which is a beautiful park but we had no cell phone service or satellite TV due to heavy tree cover. We quickly set up camp and grab the umbrellas and rain jackets and headed down to the beach to a small cove where the ranger told us some seals had recently given birth. We were expecting to see many seals and we were a little disappointed to see just a few mother seals and pups on the rocks. IMG_0307 IMG_0309 IMG_0310 IMG_0314 IMG_0317 IMG_0321Since the weather

was cold and windy with showers, we didn’t stay long. I am always in awe of the great shots like these that Bill gets. The camera makes it look like we were much closer to the seals than we really were. The rangers warn people not to go near the seals because they are easily frightened and will desert their pups if frightened away.

The highlight of our stay in Fort Bragg was biking on the paved Ten Mile Coastal Trail. We were able to bike to the trail from our campsite and ride along the coast.

IMG_0333 It isn’t often that we get to bike that close to the beautiful Pacific Ocean! IMG_0324 IMG_0325 IMG_0329This trail was formerly a railroad track which was turned into a logging road and is now a walking/biking trail.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our last day in Fort Bragg we walked on the beautiful boardwalkIMG_0339 IMG_0341 in MacKerricher

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and came upon a mother seal and her pup just as they climbed out of the water and onto a rock to rest.  IMG_0348 IMG_0352

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We left MacKerricher State Park and drove about twenty miles up the coast to a very small state park, Westport-Union Landing State Beach Park, where we dry camped about two hundred feet from the ocean atop a forty foot cliff. This is basically just a pull off the side of the road and camp where you want, and on this day there were two other campers in the park. It was very windy when we first arrived and a gorgeous day. We had spectacular views of the coastline and beach. On one side we saw the magnificent Pacific and on the other side we saw cattle grazing on the steep hillside. The park did have a campground host and he showed us some nests made by swallows. He said the swallows built this in less than two weeks and they had to do it one mouthful of mud at a time. Isn’t nature amazing!  IMG_0336 IMG_0338

December 13, 2013 Casa Grande, Arizona

We reluctantly left our desert campground in Tucson Mountain Park and headed west.  We saw more farmland, mainly corn and cotton as we traveled toward Casa Grande.  We arrived at our new home, an RV resort, far different from our previous desert home.  This resort is now filled with snowbirds, many from Canada who have come down for 6 months.  There are many activities to chose from to keep everyone busy, and we have enjoyed getting to know some of them by attending a church service and playing Mexican Train dominoes two evenings.  We realized that if we ever decide to winter in one place for several months, these kinds of resorts can keep us very busy and active.  Sunday night they had a Christmas parade with a float 1-P1030540 3-P1030547 2-P1030541and

many people 

4-IMG_20131217_173917decorated their golf carts and had them in the parade.  The Christmas spirit was contagious and we decorated our rig too!  

Monday we drove to Casa Grande Ruins, from which the city got its name.  The Casa Grande Ruins National Monument 01-20131216_135535 02-20131216_140131has the remains of a prehistoric Hohokam farming village where the Hohokam people lived from 1300-1400 AD.  The main building called Casa Grande, was four stories high, 60 feet long, contains nearly 3,000 tons of caliche mud, and is the largest known structure of the Ancestral People of the Sonoran Desert.  06-IMG_20131216_145937 05-IMG_20131217_203551 04-20131216_142703 03-20131216_142037 08-IMG_20131217_203823 07-IMG_20131217_203451 09-20131216_143046

 

model of the Casa Grande

model of the Casa Grande

The Hohokam people are referred to as the “First Masters of the American Desert”.  Shortly after the time of Christ, these people became the first farmers of the American Southwest.  They were influenced by the great Mexican civilizations to the south and using stone age tools and the strength of their backs, they dug hundreds of miles of canals across the desert.  One interesting thing was that the holes in the upper walls aligns with the sun and moon, indicating that the people would study the positions of celestial objects and use that for planting, harvesting and celebrations.   At one time the village was surrounded by a 7 foot wall.  13-IMG_20131216_143025 12-IMG_20131216_142341 11-IMG_20131216_142136Time, weather, and vandalism has harmed the structure and the park service put a roof over the big structure to try to prevent the destruction from weather.  No one knows what happened to the Hohokam people, but among various theories are that floods destroyed the canals they built for water and then a drought forced them to move.

A Jesuit missionary discovered the ruins in 1694 and between then and 1889, visitors vandalized the area. In 1889 Congress took action to protect the ruins and wooden beams and steel rods were put in to reinforce the walls.  In 1892 it was designated as a natural preserve and in 1932 the roof was added to protect the structure from weather.

On one of our days in Casa Grande we drove thirty minutes to Chandler, Arizona to ride on the Paseo bike trail, a wonderful paved trail that runs along a golf course and through neighborhoods.  It was a great day for biking! 1-P1030554 2-P10305563-P1030553

We enjoyed our time in Casa Grande, and like Tucson, think it would be a nice place to return to someday.

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October 6, 2013 Cape Girardeau, Missouri

Our next stop was supposed to be St Louis.  With the government shutdown, the Gateway Arch and Lewis and Clark museums were closed.  Since those were our two main reasons for going to St Louis, we decided to skip the city and continue south.  Disappointing! We had planned to go to Trail of Tears State Park after St Louis, so we continued there. 02-P1020976 Once again the park was almost deserted.  The campground at this park was much smaller, but had full hookup sites which is always a treat!  The sites were closer together than those in most state parks, but ours overlooked the Mississippi River which was nice.  We enjoyed watching barges going up and down the river while we were there.  The only drawback to this campground is it was located right next to a train track, which was not at all surprising since this has happened more often than not through our travels in Wisconsin and Illinois.  What is it with this area of the country?  We had not encountered this many campgrounds near train tracks during our previous travels in the south, especially not in state parks.  I am still trying to find a way to sleep through trains, but I don’t think it is going to happen!

This park is a memorial to Cherokee Indians that lost their lives in the forced relocation during the winter of 1838-1839.  The park is located where nine of the 13 groups of Cherokee Indians crossed the Mississippi River.  As they traveled 800 miles west to Indian Territory, of the more than 16,000 forced to leave their lands against their will, it is estimated that over 4,000 Cherokees lost their lives on the trail, including dozens in or near the park’s grounds.  Trail of Tears State Park is a certified site on the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail.

Our first full day here we rode into Cape Girardeau to run some errands.  We noticed what appeared to be trucks and equipment set up for some kind of filming.  We found out that they are filming part of the movie, “Gone Girl”, starring Ben Affleck, in this little Missouri town!  On the way back out of town we happened to notice a series of murals along a flood wall on the Mississippi River and decided to take a look.  We were so surprised at the beautiful murals depicting the history of the area, followed by a Missouri Hall of Fame wall.  The wall of murals, called “Mississippi River Tales”, covers almost 18,000 square feet and is 1,100 feet long.

First of the murals on history of Cape Girardeau, Missouri.  The Hawthorne plant with brilliant blossoms and bright red berries became the Missouri state flower.  The Carolina parakeet, once prevalent in the river valley, vanished by 1900.  The last member of this species died in 1918 at the Cincinnati zoo.

First of the murals on history of Cape Girardeau, Missouri. The Hawthorne plant with brilliant blossoms and bright red berries became the Missouri state flower. The Carolina parakeet, once prevalent in the river valley, vanished by 1900. The last member of this species died in 1918 at the Cincinnati zoo.

Between 900 and 1200 AD many Native Americans lived in the Mississippi Valley.  They lived in harmony with nature and trained red tailed hawks to hunt.  In this mural they greet the morning sun as it rises over the great river.

Between 900 and 1200 AD many Native Americans lived in the Mississippi Valley. They lived in harmony with nature and trained red tailed hawks to hunt. In this mural they greet the morning sun as it rises over the great river.

De Soto on the left was the first explorer to encounter Native Americans.  Marquette and Joliet led the first French expedition down the Mississippi.  Near the mouth of the Arkansas River, the Native Americans warned them if they went farther south they would encounter heat, fierce people, and great beasts.  They turned back to the safety of the French settlements on the Great Lakes and the St Lawrence.

De Soto on the left was the first explorer to encounter Native Americans. Marquette and Joliet led the first French expedition down the Mississippi. Near the mouth of the Arkansas River, the Native Americans warned them if they went farther south they would encounter heat, fierce people, and great beasts. They turned back to the safety of the French settlements on the Great Lakes and the St Lawrence.

Lewis and Clark introducing themselves to the people of Missouri.

Lewis and Clark introducing themselves to the people of Missouri.

The Louisiana Purchase.  Napoleon renounces Louisiana in his bath, causing his servant to faint into the arms of his brother.  At 1803 in New Orleans the French colors were lowered and the U.S. flag was raised.  A French soldier sheds a tear.  In March, 1804, Upper Louisiana was formally transferred to the United States at St. Louis.

The Louisiana Purchase. Napoleon renounces Louisiana in his bath, causing his servant to faint into the arms of his brother. At 1803 in New Orleans the French colors were lowered and the U.S. flag was raised. A French soldier sheds a tear. In March, 1804, Upper Louisiana was formally transferred to the United States at St. Louis.

In 1830 Congress passed the Indian Removal Act which led to the forced removal of eastern tribes to Indian territory west of the Mississippi, which later became the state of Oklahoma.  Residents of Cape Girardeau were reported to have provided baskets of food for the Cherokees.

In 1830 Congress passed the Indian Removal Act which led to the forced removal of eastern tribes to Indian territory west of the Mississippi, which later became the state of Oklahoma. Residents of Cape Girardeau were reported to have provided baskets of food for the Cherokees.

View of the Mississippi River from one of the forts that encircled Cape Girardeau during the Civil War.

View of the Mississippi River from one of the forts that encircled Cape Girardeau during the Civil War.

During the Battle of Cape Girardeau, Confederate forces attacked the town.  A Confederate cannon ball pierced the roof of a residence and Ike, the family slave, extinguished the flames and saved the house.

During the Battle of Cape Girardeau, Confederate forces attacked the town. A Confederate cannon ball pierced the roof of a residence and Ike, the family slave, extinguished the flames and saved the house.

Coming of the Railroad

Coming of the Railroad

The Big Freeze.  In the early 20th century the Mississippi River was a wider and slower river than today.  Because it was slower, it was more inclined to freeze.

The Big Freeze. In the early 20th century the Mississippi River was a wider and slower river than today. Because it was slower, it was more inclined to freeze.

For most of the 19th century and first third of the 20th, steamboats were vital to the economic livelihood of the area.

For most of the 19th century and first third of the 20th, steamboats were vital to the economic livelihood of the area.

The Big Flood of 1927...remains the flood by which all Mississippi floods are measured.  The devastation resulted in a coordinated system of levees and walls from Cape Girardeau to the Gulf of Mexico.  This changed the nature of the Mississippi Rive and the course of history.

The Big Flood of 1927…remains the flood by which all Mississippi floods are measured. The devastation resulted in a coordinated system of levees and walls from Cape Girardeau to the Gulf of Mexico. This changed the nature of the Mississippi Rive and the course of history.

Famous people from Missouri, starting with Mark Twain

Famous people from Missouri, starting with Mark Twain

Calamity Jane, Frank and Jesse James, Ginger Rogers, Betty Grable, Jean Harlow, Vincent Price, Redd Foxx, John Huston

Calamity Jane, Frank and Jesse James, Ginger Rogers, Betty Grable, Jean Harlow, Vincent Price, Redd Foxx, John Huston

Joe Garagiola, Walter Cronkite, George Washington Carver

Joe Garagiola, Walter Cronkite, George Washington Carver

Dale Carnegie, Joseph Pulitzer

Dale Carnegie, Joseph Pulitzer

Harry Truman, of course!

Harry Truman, of course!

While we were there we took a stroll along the Mississippi River, enjoying the river views.

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The Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge. He was an eight-term congressman.

17-P1020914 When we returned to the park we decided to explore a little before returning to our campsite.  We traveled paved roads over extremely tall ridges to suddenly reach an overlook with the most amazing view of the Mississippi River.

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Historical plaque at the overlook

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Historical plaque at the overlook……Lewis and Clark and their group explored and camped in this area….so much history!

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View of the Mississippi River from the overlook 200 feet above

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From this overlook, our campground is about half a mile down river on the right

When we were at the Mississippi River earlier in the day at Cape Girardeau, Bill had really hoped to see a barge on the river but we didn’t see one.  To our joy, at the overlook, we saw a barge chugging down the river, filled with coal.  The filming of a movie, interesting murals, and then the overlook with the view.  All totally unexpected.  One of the things that makes this lifestyle so much fun!

We learned the visitor’s center at the park is closed Sunday thru Wednesday during October.  Another disappointment since we arrived on a Sunday and would be leaving early Thursday morning.  The visitors center had some Indian census, exhibits on the Cherokee Indians and Trail of Tears that we really wanted to see. 03-P1020977 Our wonderful campground hosts made arrangements for the visitors center to be opened just for us and we were able to spend over an hour touring the exhibits.  The campground hosts, a husband and wife, have been full time RVers for 7 years and have spent those 7 years traveling around the country volunteering at different national and state parks.  They were so nice and it was such a joy to meet and talk with them! 04-P1020965 01-P1020961 08-P1020969

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11-P1020972 10-P1020971 05-P1020966   04-P1020978 07-P1020968 06-P1020967 06-P1020980 Within the park boundaries is the Bushyhead Memorial which is a tribute to Nancy Bushyhead Walker HIldebrand (Princess Otahki), and all the other Cherokees who died on the Trail of Tears.   Legend has that Nancy died and was buried within the park’s boundaries during the western relocation.  Her husband, brother, and two children made it to the Indian Territory. 07-P1020981 05-P102097909-P1020985

Bill standing at Princess Otahki's monument

Bill standing at Princess Otahki’s monument

 

September 30, 2013 Springfield, Illinois

We have been looking forward to visiting Springfield for quite awhile because of the opportunity to see all the exhibits they have on Abraham Lincoln.  It has been obvious since we entered Illinois that they are proud of their association with our 16th President.

On the way to Springfield, as we traveled down historic Route 66, we continued to see farmers busy in the miles and miles of cornfields, preparing the fields for winter.  It is amazing to see all the cornfields in Illinois!  It certainly reinforces our knowledge that a farmer’s work is not easy, and is never done!  We love seeing all the windmills.

The windmill pictures were taken from the window of the RV.

The windmill pictures were taken from the window of the RV.

These are all windmills. not power lines.  It was hard to get a really good picture from the window going down the highway.  It was not unusual for us to see fields of windmills as far as the eye can see, other fields have none.

These are all windmills. not power lines. It was hard to get a really good picture from the window going down the highway. It was not unusual for us to see fields of windmills as far as the eye can see, other fields have none.

In our journey so far, many windmills were not spinning, which we didn't expect.  It was really cool to see them, especially if they were spinning.

In our journey so far, many windmills were not spinning, which we didn’t expect. It was really cool to see them, especially if they were spinning.

On our first night in Springfield we met an old friend of Bill’s for dinner.  Bill had not seen this friend in 32 years since the days when Bill lived in Los Angeles.  He gave Bill a CD of pictures taken from the early 80’s when a group went on backpacking adventures to several mountain peaks.  It certainly was fun seeing pictures of Bill from the early 1980’s!

The next day was mail day…..we picked up our mail at the Springfield post office.  It is always fun to get mail, now that we only get it about every 2 weeks!  Then we took a nice bike ride along the Interurban Bike Trail in Springfield, a great paved bike trail that wound through cornfields and pastures.

People in Springfield named our bike trail after Route 66 even though the official name is Interurban Bike Trail.

People in Springfield named our bike trail after Route 66 even though the official name is Interurban Bike Trail.

The beautiful Springfield bike trail through pastures and cornfields.  It was a joy to ride on....level and shady in places.  We were joined by grasshoppers and butterfly moths.

The beautiful Springfield bike trail through pastures and cornfields. It was a joy to ride on….level and shady in places. We were joined by grasshoppers and butterfly moths.

Wednesday was our day to visit all the Lincoln sites in Springfield.  Our first stop was the Lincoln Presidential Museum, which was open this day of federal government closures because it is owned by the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library Foundation.  This well done museum took us on a journey through Lincoln’s life beginning with a replica of the rustic log cabin in Indiana where he spent his boyhood years, (he was born in Kentucky), to his early adult years working as a storekeeper and his beginnings as a lawyer and young politician.  The journey continued through the 1860 election and his years in the White House, the horror of the Civil War and ending with his assassination at Ford Theater.  We saw two films in the museum theaters that told us some well known, and lesser known facts about Lincoln and his family.  There was also an exhibit on the Civil War.  The only thing we didn’t like about the museum is they restricted the use of photography except for the main exhibit hall where these pictures came from.  We saw many many things we wished we could have taken pictures of to share on the blog!

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The Lincoln family greeted us in the atrium of the museum...the only area of the museum we were allowed to take pictures.

The Lincoln family greeted us in the atrium of the museum…the only area of the museum we were allowed to take pictures.

Replica of the White House in the museum....through those doors were rooms detailing Lincoln's presidency...everything in the museum was very well done.

Replica of the White House in the museum….through those doors were rooms detailing Lincoln’s presidency…everything in the museum was very well done.

Replica of Indiana log home where Lincoln spent his young years...through the door of the cabin were rooms detailing his early years, pre presidency

Replica of Indiana log home where Lincoln spent his young years…through the door of the cabin were rooms detailing his early years, pre presidency

We briefly stopped by the Lincoln Presidential Library which is a “working” research library.  Historical documents there are kept under lock and key except when they are taken out and displayed at the museum.

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Next we proceeded to the Lincoln Home National Historic Site, which since it is maintained by the federal government, was closed today.  The area is a 4 block historic area that has been returned to its mid 19th century appearance.  In this area is the only house Lincoln owned, built in 1839 and bought by Lincoln in 1844.  It has been restored to look the way it did in the 1860’s.   The Lincoln family lived here for 17 years, and it was in the parlor of this house that representatives of the Republican National Convention in May, 1860, asked Lincoln to be the party’s presidential nominee.  Under normal circumstances there is a ranger available to give tours of the house, but not this day!  There is a self guided walking tour of the area, so we were still able to get into the area and take pictures.  The visitor’s center was closed and no ranger tour.

The only home Lincoln and his family owned.  We were not able to go inside because of the government shutdown.  The home was located in a historic 4 block area.

The only home Lincoln and his family owned. We were not able to go inside because of the government shutdown. The home was located in a historic 4 block area.

In another area of the city was Lincoln’s Tomb which was also open because it is a state historic site.  It is the location where Lincoln, his wife Mary, and three of their four children are buried.  The granite tomb was dedicated in1874 and is 117 feet tall.  Around the top of the tomb are statues portraying the infantry, cavalry, artillery, and navy.  The names of the 37 states were inscribed on shields with other state’s names added as they were created.  Metal from civil war cannons were used for the statues on the tomb.

Lincoln tomb

Lincoln tomb

It appears many people have been rubbing his nose

It appears many people have been rubbing his nose

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Lincoln's buried beneath this marker about 10 feet below the concrete

Lincoln’s buried beneath this marker about 10 feet below the concrete

Mrs. Lincoln is entombed behind this wall.

Mrs. Lincoln is entombed behind this wall.

On the grounds of the historic site are memorials also to Illinois veterans of the World War II, Korean and Vietnam wars.

Finally we also drove by the Illinois state capitol, built from 1868-1888 and at 405 feet at the top of the flagpole is one of the tallest building in central Illinois, and is taller than the U.S. Capitol in D.C.

Illinois state capitol

Illinois state capitol

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Lincoln in front of the capitol building

Lincoln in front of the capitol building

Stephen Douglas in front of the capitol building

Stephen Douglas in front of the capitol building

Our next stop was supposed to be a campground owned by the Army Corps of Engineers at Carlyle Lake, Illinois.  Due to the government shutdown the campground has been closed.  We are now re-planning our next stop.

September 28, 2013 East Peoria, IL

This was planned as a short 2 night stay on our way to Springfield.  We also chose this area because of the promise of some bike trails.  We found our camping choices somewhat limited here, but chose the Spindler Marina and Campground.  Unlike the state and county parks we have become accustomed to, this park was crowded with tight campsites.  Also unlike previous parks, there appears to be many campers who live here on a permanent or semi-permanent basis.

We found a bike trail on Sunday and went for a nice ride.  The weather was perfect.  Peoria did not have any of the interesting and unexpected surprises that we found in Ottoawa.  They may have been there, but we were not there long enough to uncover them.

 

September 18, 2013 Zion, Illinois

We moved to Illinois Beach State Park in Zion, Illinois.  We have a nice level site with electricity but no water or sewer on site.  From our windows we have a nice view of Lake Michigan.  There are very few campers here so we practically have the campground to ourselves.  We heard they will fill up again on the weekend.  Our first night here we had two pretty severe thunderstorms that lasted all night and into the morning hours.  At one point we saw a big flash of light and we lost power.  The next morning Bill went out to inspect the electrical box and found the fuse had blown but the surge protector had protected the RV from electrical damage.  With a flip of the switch he was able to get the power back on.  We spent the day pretty much inside doing paperwork and chores since the weather was still threatening rain.  Later in the day the skies cleared enough that we rode our bikes on a bike trail along the lakeshore.  The wind had been gusty all through the night and day, and Lake Michigan looked angry with waves that made it appear to be more ocean than lake.

On Friday we drove to Waukegan and had lunch with Bill’s Aunt Emily.  Friday evening we had a lovely dinner and visit with Aunt Emily’s son, Gary and his family.  It was so good to see Gary and Carla and their son and grandsons.  Thanks Gary for preparing a delicious meal!

Saturday we rode the Metra into Chicago.

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Bill had been there before, but it was my first visit.  We were able to purchase a weekend pass for unlimited riding on the Metra for only $7.00. There was so much to choose from and we had only planned on spending two days in the city. We also purchased a 2 day pass for the Chicago Trolly and Double Decker bus which turned out to be a great decision since it was a great way to see all the city sites and got us to our chosen destinations without a lot of walking.  Most of the time we rode on top of the double decker open bus, and Chicago lived up to its name as a cold and windy city!  Among the many sites we saw while riding around the city included Millennium Park with “The Bean”, the Art Institute of Chicago, Buckingham Fountain, Michigan Avenue’s Magnificent Mile, and Soldier Field, home of the Chicago Bears.

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33 foot artwork in Millennium Park, locally called “The Bean”, made of mirrored material so it reflects

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The reflections from The Bean were fascinating!

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Self portrait of Bill reflected in The Bean

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Famous for fabulous shopping

 

Our first stop was The Field Museum which was established in 1893 and ranks among the world’s foremost museums in natural science.  It houses over 25 million artifacts and specimens.  We saw the Hall of Gems, a fabulous exhibit on Ancient Egypt which was one of my favorite things there, a wonderful exhibit on Native American cultures, especially those of the Pacific, Northwest Coast and Arctic regions; a Hall of the Ancient Americas which included 13,000 years of human history focusing on the Incas and Aztecs.  There was also a Hall of Conservation called “Restoring Earth” and a DNA Discovery Center.  Bill’s favorite by far was the dinosaur exhibit, featuring Sue, the largest and most comprehensive T Rex ever discovered.  That evening we caught the Metra back to the station closest to our campground.  We were pretty exhausted but looking forward to returning the next day to Chicago.

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The Field Museum

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Real mummies

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From the Conservation exhibit hall

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A dinosaur named Sue….found in South Dakota….actually the age and sex is unknown, she is named Sue after the person who found her

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Hello, Sue!

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Sunday morning we once again caught the Metra in to Chicago with our first stop being Willis Tower, formerly known as Sears Tower with its famous SkyDeck.  After going through security and waiting in line, we took the elevator up to the 103rd floor where we had a 180 degree view of 4 states and 50 miles.  The highlight of our visit was walking out on The Ledge, a 1.5 inch thick glass enclosed cube extending more than 4 feet, where you could look straight down.    It was like standing on air.  We are not afraid of heights, but we agreed it was a little hard to take that first step out into what appeared to be nothing but air 103 floors up.  A part of our brain told us it was safe and okay, we our eyes also was sending messages to our brain not to do it.  It was amazing!

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Gorgeous 180 degree views of Chicago…we were fortunate to have such a clear day

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Bill’s foot on the glass ledge, where you could look straight down 103 floors to the sidewalk

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Took more nerve than we expected

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A side view of the cube, or ledge

 

We caught the trolley outside the tower to head to the next destination.  On the way the tour bus took us on the south side of Chicago through the Hyde Park and Kenwood areas.  President Obama’s home is in Kenwood.  We also went by the home of Muhammed Ali.

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Sidewalk in front of the residence of President Obama, barricaded off and protected at all times by Secret Service

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Not possible to get a clear view of the house

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Home of Muhammed Ali

 

The tour bus let us out at our next stop, The Museum of Science and Technology, the largest science center in the Western Hemisphere, which includes more than 35,000 artifacts over 14 acres of displays and exhibits.  We saw 80 at 80, which showcased 80 amazing artifacts from the museum’s 80 years of existence.  The highlight of the museum for us was taking an onboard tour of a real U-505 submarine, the only German submarine captured in World War 2.  Unfortunately the museum closes early on Sundays so our visit was shorter than we had hoped and expected.

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My favorite astronaut

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Bill operated a telephone switchboard like this in the main office of his high school

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The specially made room to house the submarine which was floated here and lowered into this room….sub is on the right of the picture….impossible to grasp how big it really is. They had a time lapse movie showing the sub’s move from Lake Michigan into the museum.

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Forward torpedo room and also served as sleeping quarters. We were told that each bunk was rotated among three men as each got off duty, so they shared their dirt, fleas and sweat. Bunks were located throughout the ship

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Galley that prepared food for 59 men

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Radio room

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Twin diesel engines

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Rear cabin

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Enigma machine

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Front of the submarine showing a launched torpedo

 

 

 

September 15, 2013 Baraboo, Wisconsin

 

We awoke to the sound of rain, never a good thing to hear on moving day!  Luckily we were in no hurry since we had a short distance to travel that day.  By the time we were ready to leave, the rain had eased up.  We arrived at Devil’s Lake State Park in Baraboo, Wisconsin.  This is supposed to be one of the most beautiful, biggest and most popular parks in the upper Midwest.  It has 500 foot bluffs that look out over a 360 acre lake.  The hiking ranges from easy trails to those that are very difficult.

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We were somewhat disappointed in our campsite.  The majority of the sites in the park are hilly and it was difficult to level the RV.  We changed sites and still did not have a site in which we could completely level the coach.  That rarely happens to us.  We had heard about the flies in Michigan before we left Florida in June.  We had been pleasantly surprised not to find the flies or mosquitoes to be much of a problem.  That changed once we arrived here.  The flies are horrible for some reason and we have to race in and out of the door to avoid them dashing inside.

One day we took a scenic drive through the park with 15 stops and a written commentary to follow.

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It wasn’t the most scenic drive we have found in our travels so far, but we did find some ancient native mounds dating back over 1,000 years.  These were done by a group of Native Americans called the Effigy Mound Builders.  Not much is known about this group of Native Americans but it is thought they used the mounds for burial grounds, festivals and special rites.  The name Devil’s Lake originally came from Native American names which translated to Spirit Lake, Holy Lake, Mystery Lake, or Sacred Lake.  It was the Winnebago tribe that gave it the name which when translated means Devil’s Lake.

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One mound is in the distance. Not as tall as we expected and easy to miss without the signs.

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The majority of the parks we enjoy were built many years ago by a wonderful group called the CCCs…Civilian Conservation Corps.  Devil’s Lake is no exception.  From 1934 to 1941, during the Great Depression, the Civilian Conservation Corps operated a work camp for 200 young men at Devil’s Lake.  Many of the trails, roads, picnic tables, signs, etc were thanks to them.

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In honor of the young men who helped build the park

 

Interesting tidbits about Devil’s Lake include the fact that the Ringling Brothers once owned a lakehouse here and elephants bathed in Devil’s Lake.  Ulysses S Grant and Abraham Lincoln’s wife also visited Devil’s Lake.

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Tuesday we drove 15 miles to Reedsburg to ride our bikes on the 400 Wisconsin Trail, a former railroad track that has been converted to a beautiful bike trail.  The trail opened in 1993 and was named after the Chicago-Northwestern passenger train that at one time traveled the 400 miles between Chicago and Minneapolis/St Paul in 400 minutes.  As we rode along the trail we had pastures with farmland and cattle on one side and the Baraboo River on the other.  We pretty much had the trail to ourselves and found 28 geocaches.

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A view of the bike path

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A very pretty mural on the side of a building near the entrance to the bike trail which commemorates the bike trail

 

 

July 29, 2013 St Ignace, Michigan

We left Cadillac and continued to be in awe of the Michigan beauty as we arrived at St Ignace, Michigan for a 5 night stay at the Tiki RV Park.  As we passed from the lower peninsula into the upper peninsula of Michigan, we crossed the beautiful Mackinac Bridge.  We were told that the Upper and Lower peninsulas were like two separate worlds.  The people in the Upper Peninsula call themselves “Yoopers”.  We were also told that in the last 30 years the Upper peninsula felt so different from the Lower peninsula that they wanted to become their own state.

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We had heard so much about Mackinac (pronounced Mackinaw) Island we were eager to visit so that was first on our list.  We had to take a ferry over to the island which is located on Lake Huron.  We took our bikes since we heard we could bike around the island.  After a 30 minute ferry ride we arrived at the island and it seemed we went back in time.  No vehicles have been allowed on the island since 1898 so the only transportation is on foot, by bike, or horse drawn carriage.  The day we visited the main street was busy with throngs of people on foot or on bike.  It was strange to see people’s luggage being taken off the ferry and loaded onto bikes or horse drawn carriage to be taken to the hotel.  The main hotel and parts of the island were used in the filming of the movie “Somewhere in Time”.  We visited the information center for a map of the island and quickly left the center of town for a quieter part of the island.  We had to walk the bikes up a very steep hill to get to the fort which was the site of 2 battles during the War of 1812..  Once there we rode around the upper part of the island and saw a scout barracks with a statue of Gerald Ford.  These barracks are used by boy scouts and girl scouts on alternate weeks.  They have served as Mackinac Island Honor Guards since 1929 and Gerald Ford was once an Honor Guard scout.

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We also saw Arch Rock , a natural limestone arch that stands 146 feet above the shoreline.  We viewed it from the top of the island and then later from the lakeshore while bike riding.

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We were hungry after all that hilly biking so we rode back down into the town and had lunch at a local bed and breakfast.  They cooked lunch for us outside on a grill and then we sat on their veranda and ate our lunch and watched the people walk and bike by.  We spent the afternoon biking around the island lakeshore where it was level and much easier to bike.  We also spent time doing quite a few geocaches on the island as well.

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View of the island

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We so enjoyed this bike trail along the lakeshore!

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We appreciated the free air on main street!

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Bill along the bike trail. A nice wide bike trail with a gorgeous view!

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It was common to see buggies and horse drawn carriages on the island, mainly to give rides to tourists.

I will say we did see one ambulance on the island and I imagine they also have a fire engine or two for such emergencies.  One downside to the island was the effects on the roadways from having all those horses pulling wagons and buggies and carriages…..need I saw more?

We enjoyed our day on the island and took the ferry back to the campground with many happy memories of our time on the island.

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The next day we decided to make a quick visit to Castle Rock which was located fairly close to the campground.  We climbed many very steep steps to get to the top and were rewarded with a great view.  Not to mention meeting Paul Bunyan and his blue ox!

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On another day we drove to Sault Ste Marie, the oldest city in Michigan and the third oldest in the country. It was our first glimpse of Lake Superior, the largest lake in the world by area and the third largest in volume.  Our main reason for going there was to see the Soo Locks. We lucked out and arrived in time to see a ship enter the locks. Very interesting!

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July 24, 2013 Cadillac, Michigan

On our way to Cadillac we decided to stop in Grand Rapids, Michigan and visit the Gerald Ford Presidential Library and Museum.

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I included this plaque because I thought it was interesting that Ford was the first president to visit Japan.

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Replica of the Oval Office during Ford’s presidency.

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Ford is the only President and Vice-President to ever achieve the level of Eagle Scout. Here are some of his boy scout mementos, including his merit badge sash.

 

After spending a good part of the morning at the Ford museum, we arrived for a 5 night stay at a private campground called Camp Cadillac.  One of the highlights of our stay here was a visit to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore Park which was about an hour drive from Cadillac.  In 2011 Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore was voted the most beautiful place in America in a poll conducted by Good Morning America.  We took a self guided tour around the park and rode our bikes along a paved bike trail in the park.  What a beautiful place!

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The tiny dots are people climbing the dunes on their hands and knees!

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On another day we drove to Traverse City.  It was cold and threatening rain so we decided not to bike ride, but did visit a lighthouse and found ourselves on the 45th parallel, halfway to the North Pole!

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July 20, 2013 Holland, Michigan

We left Monroe and headed to Holland.  It was going to be hard to beat the incredible experience of the Ford Museum and Deerfield Village.  We were hoping for a break in the heat. A storm had knocked out power the evening before and when we left Monroe, the power still had not been restored at the campground.  The new morning brought continued heat and we were glad to be leaving the campground with no power.  The heavy rain during the night and lack of AC in the RV had kept us from having a restful night.

We arrived at Holland State Park, our home for the next 4 nights.  While driving into Holland we were excited to notice the paved bike path along the roadway on one side of the road and the beautiful Lake Michigan on the other side.  The Great Lakes contain nearly 20% of the world’s surface fresh water and is the largest connected freshwater system in the world.

The weather had changed and we had gusty winds which were refreshing after the stifling heat of the past several days.  We walked down to the beach and the wind was blowing so hard it had covered much of the parking areas and sidewalks.  It was hard to tell where the sidewalks ended and the beach began.  We actually had to put on jackets while out on the beach.

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The blowing sand reminded me of snow drifts.

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Holland lighthouse known as “Big Red”.

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Tranquil scene common in Holland.

One day we decided to ride the bike trail into the town of Holland from the state park….a ride of over 12 miles round trip.  We were tired, but saw some beautiful scenery.

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Bill showing off his shirt from his retirement party.

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Holland, Michigan known for windmills and tulips, as well as beautiful beaches.