Monday, April 26, 2010
Sunday, April 25, 2010
College daze & FIGHT PIT!!!
Leaving Lincoln behind, Kate had a treat in store for us all as we got to relive her college days at the University of Illinois in Champaign. The campus was lively as we headed to one of Kate's old haunts - a little Chinese restaurant on Green Street. The steaming plates of food were soon devoured and the fortune cookies were cracked open. Chris's fortune seemed right on as it read "When in doubt of your path, be guided by your instincts".Kate gave us an impromptu tour of the campus, showing us the bookstore, union and quad. With that, we packed back into the car for our final destination.
The car was turned north with me in the driver's seat, Lish in shotgun directing and the narcoleptic trio in back. As the rain finally broke we pulled into another titan of old - The Joliet Iron Works Historic Site. Once the second largest iron works in the country, a path now leads visitors through the ruins of the once bustling factory. Everyone's inner child was let loose as we explored the countless pits, collapsing walls and general awesomeness that remained. As we read the descriptions of the many jobs of the iron workers it was quickly decided the only one we were interested in was factory president - preferably in an office in downtown Chicago.
The ruins did provide an excellent backdrop for the photo shoot for our newly created industrial band "The Blast Furnaces". Look for our first album once we figure out what industrial music exactly is.
The highlight of the ruins were the discovery of the perfect location for our post-apocalyptic "Fight Pit". Sadly in our excitement no one remembered to take a picture, so your imagination will have to fill in the blanks.
As the rain once again started up, I handed the keys to Beets as we finally started the last leg home. Look for a wrap up and all of our photos from our trip later tonight!
Release the Cracken
"They've had a good run so far," said Zeus squinting his eyes with disdain at a crew who have remained relatively unscathed for over 500 miles, "But they will soon know my full wrath."
----
Traveling east and south east from Burlington, IA on the big roads we started to encounter some trouble. Outside the car, birds were struggling to make any headway flying against the wind, clouds grew darker, and scattered showers belted the remaining cars on the road.
Inside the car Lish was praying, Ben had wet himself, and I stared blankly into the teeth of inclement weather that would undoubtedly send me to the asylum -- all while Chris calmly took a nap on Kate's shoulder. What a trooper that Wilson.
And that was all BEFORE the tornado warning from the National Weather Service, which put us just a couple miles from the leading edge of the scrap-your-belongings-and-get-in-the-basement region. Concerned and shaken we however remained resilient, focusing not on survival, but the paramount issue -- hunger.
Arriving in Springfield, we found shelter inside Betsy & Bernie's Pizza, dining on salads, garlic bread, and some excellent sourdough-crust pizza. There was much rejoicing.
Our next stop, amid continued but scattered showers, was the Route 66 drive-in theater showing Clash of the Titans. Arriving at the entrance, a large puddle was set in our path by the Gods, but after enduring a driving rain and a wicked detour to end all detours Ben was not to be denied this time. He stepped from the car and walked on water, effectively taming the rapids so the car could safely pass.
For the movie, the rain slowed just enough to see some over-the-top special effects, rushed story lines, and poor quality development. The star of the show, The Cracken, was murdered before his prime and really before we got a chance to see his inner struggle or understand his motives for destruction.
Finalizing a day that seemed like three, we passed our last few waking hours playing Sheepshead to determine who would be sleeping on the floor. Ben said his motivational tapes soothed him to sleep while lying on the wet-dog carpet.
In the morning, we visited another titan known as Abraham Lincoln, laid to rest in a beautiful cemetery on the south side of Springfield. An otherwise somber venue was quite lively, littered with boy scouts of all ages. Thanks Lincoln, and thank you Illinois for giving us a few curve balls.
Onward.
----
Traveling east and south east from Burlington, IA on the big roads we started to encounter some trouble. Outside the car, birds were struggling to make any headway flying against the wind, clouds grew darker, and scattered showers belted the remaining cars on the road.
Inside the car Lish was praying, Ben had wet himself, and I stared blankly into the teeth of inclement weather that would undoubtedly send me to the asylum -- all while Chris calmly took a nap on Kate's shoulder. What a trooper that Wilson.
And that was all BEFORE the tornado warning from the National Weather Service, which put us just a couple miles from the leading edge of the scrap-your-belongings-and-get-in-the-basement region. Concerned and shaken we however remained resilient, focusing not on survival, but the paramount issue -- hunger.
Arriving in Springfield, we found shelter inside Betsy & Bernie's Pizza, dining on salads, garlic bread, and some excellent sourdough-crust pizza. There was much rejoicing.
Our next stop, amid continued but scattered showers, was the Route 66 drive-in theater showing Clash of the Titans. Arriving at the entrance, a large puddle was set in our path by the Gods, but after enduring a driving rain and a wicked detour to end all detours Ben was not to be denied this time. He stepped from the car and walked on water, effectively taming the rapids so the car could safely pass.
For the movie, the rain slowed just enough to see some over-the-top special effects, rushed story lines, and poor quality development. The star of the show, The Cracken, was murdered before his prime and really before we got a chance to see his inner struggle or understand his motives for destruction.
Finalizing a day that seemed like three, we passed our last few waking hours playing Sheepshead to determine who would be sleeping on the floor. Ben said his motivational tapes soothed him to sleep while lying on the wet-dog carpet.
In the morning, we visited another titan known as Abraham Lincoln, laid to rest in a beautiful cemetery on the south side of Springfield. An otherwise somber venue was quite lively, littered with boy scouts of all ages. Thanks Lincoln, and thank you Illinois for giving us a few curve balls.
Onward.
Ben walks on water...
Twister, the Sequel
Lincoln Gravesite
Saturday, April 24, 2010
A Cave, You Say? But Ben didn't bring his headlamp!
We entered the city of Burlington, IA with no idea what our next stop would be. Spread along the west bank of the Mississippi, the neat red brick buildings of Burlington hugged the hills and valleys of the landscape and topped a bluff overlooking the river. As we moved slowly through the city, we once again found ourselves on quite residential streets nearing the top of the bluff. On the lefthand side our destination suddenly came into view.
Beets said, "Hold on to your hats!" but we were already sliding down the bluff.
Our destination? Snake Alley, one of the world's crookedest streets. Like the cable car in Dubuque, it was designed to bypace a long journey up the bluff, only by car. Now it carries the traffic of Burlington, an annual bike race, an art fair, and hundreds of tourists like us.
Thrilling as it was, the journey down the bluff lasted only a few minutes. We weren't surprised to learn that this stop was a two-parter. Our second destination proved to be both the most challenging and dirtiest stop, yet! Leaving Burlington behind we drove north to Starr's Cave Park and Preserve. We were going to explore Starr's cave.
Only one problem - Beets wasn't sure there was a cave. The Starr's Cave Park and Preserve website had no information on caves in the park, but based on the name , there had to be one, right? He took a chance and it paid off. A few minutes muddy, muddy walk from the parking lot we came to a huge iron bridge. It's one purpose, to carry travelers across the park's Flint Creek and straight into a cliff face - Starr's Cave.
Overhead, hawks circled. Below us, the fast Flink Creek rushed on its way out to the Mississippi. At the end of the bridge, we faced an iron gate, the entrance to Starr's Cave.
Home to bats, moss, bugs, and the erstwhile bandit, the cave was close to 7 feet tall at the entrance, with a steepled ceiling and a fairly even floor. Cautiously, we entered. With Ben in the lead and me at the back, we moved in single file deeper into the bluff. Almost immediately the cave ceiling lowered and the ground became uneven. 10 feet in. 20 feet in. Using a flashlight, Ben was able to navigate the dips and puddles, although we almost lost him when the cave floor dropped away into a deep crevice on one side.
Recovered, he continued deeper into the cave, with the rest of the group following behind. Unfortunately, the shrinking cave walls proved too much for this intrepid reporter. At the back of the line, I chickened out and went back. Waiting at the gate, I could hear the others' voices fade, the sound of their shuffling steps descending further into the dark.
And they were never seen again.
Just kidding. But they went pretty deep. Hard to say for sure, but probably close to 100 feet into the cave. A really unique and unusual experience. Alicia said that by the end they were waddling along and stopped when they would have had to crawl to go further. Good job, guys!
Muddy, but happy everyone returned safely. Back in the car, we moved ahead toward Ben's destination and our last stop of the night. Crossing the Mississippi for the second time this trip, it began to pour. Through the rain we could see a giant Abraham Lincoln sign, "Illinois Welcomes You."
Hopefully, Illinois will also welcome us with better weather at our next destination.
Beets said, "Hold on to your hats!" but we were already sliding down the bluff.
Our destination? Snake Alley, one of the world's crookedest streets. Like the cable car in Dubuque, it was designed to bypace a long journey up the bluff, only by car. Now it carries the traffic of Burlington, an annual bike race, an art fair, and hundreds of tourists like us.
Thrilling as it was, the journey down the bluff lasted only a few minutes. We weren't surprised to learn that this stop was a two-parter. Our second destination proved to be both the most challenging and dirtiest stop, yet! Leaving Burlington behind we drove north to Starr's Cave Park and Preserve. We were going to explore Starr's cave.
Only one problem - Beets wasn't sure there was a cave. The Starr's Cave Park and Preserve website had no information on caves in the park, but based on the name , there had to be one, right? He took a chance and it paid off. A few minutes muddy, muddy walk from the parking lot we came to a huge iron bridge. It's one purpose, to carry travelers across the park's Flint Creek and straight into a cliff face - Starr's Cave.
Overhead, hawks circled. Below us, the fast Flink Creek rushed on its way out to the Mississippi. At the end of the bridge, we faced an iron gate, the entrance to Starr's Cave.
Home to bats, moss, bugs, and the erstwhile bandit, the cave was close to 7 feet tall at the entrance, with a steepled ceiling and a fairly even floor. Cautiously, we entered. With Ben in the lead and me at the back, we moved in single file deeper into the bluff. Almost immediately the cave ceiling lowered and the ground became uneven. 10 feet in. 20 feet in. Using a flashlight, Ben was able to navigate the dips and puddles, although we almost lost him when the cave floor dropped away into a deep crevice on one side.
Recovered, he continued deeper into the cave, with the rest of the group following behind. Unfortunately, the shrinking cave walls proved too much for this intrepid reporter. At the back of the line, I chickened out and went back. Waiting at the gate, I could hear the others' voices fade, the sound of their shuffling steps descending further into the dark.
And they were never seen again.
Just kidding. But they went pretty deep. Hard to say for sure, but probably close to 100 feet into the cave. A really unique and unusual experience. Alicia said that by the end they were waddling along and stopped when they would have had to crawl to go further. Good job, guys!
Muddy, but happy everyone returned safely. Back in the car, we moved ahead toward Ben's destination and our last stop of the night. Crossing the Mississippi for the second time this trip, it began to pour. Through the rain we could see a giant Abraham Lincoln sign, "Illinois Welcomes You."
Hopefully, Illinois will also welcome us with better weather at our next destination.
World's Largest Truck Stop? Herbert Hoover Museum? Tough decision...
Making our way out of LeClaire and the Buffalo Bill Museum, we ended up on I-80 going around the Quad Cities. With no one but Kate knowing our exact destination, the rest of us breathed a sigh of relief as we drove past the World's Largest Truck Stop, and everyone (except maybe Chris) breathed an even longer sigh of relief when we failed to stop at the Herbert Hoover birthplace museum.
After a quick pit stop in Iowa City, we ventured down some country roads that seemed to get progressively smaller. With only minor trepidation as we passed the "Dead End" sign and the "Highway Closed" sign, we found ourselves at our next destination: Coralville Lake. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers constructed a dam there in the mid-20th century, creating a large reservoir. During the great flood in 1993, the dam overflowed, and the service road was flooded and destroyed. This turned out to have an unexpected upside: it revealed the Devonian Fossil Gorge, full of fossilized fish and shells. We spent some time exploring the fossil bed. The dam itself survived the flood intact, and we marvelled at how high the river must have been in 1993 to spill over the dam - there were full grown trees in the shadow of the dam that would have been completely submerged by the flooding.
Coralville Lake also had a nice picnic area where we stopped for a lunch of cold cuts, fruit, and granola bars. There wasn't time to play a round on their disc golf course, but as we headed off to Beets's destination, we watched a player lose his disc deep in the woods.
After a quick pit stop in Iowa City, we ventured down some country roads that seemed to get progressively smaller. With only minor trepidation as we passed the "Dead End" sign and the "Highway Closed" sign, we found ourselves at our next destination: Coralville Lake. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers constructed a dam there in the mid-20th century, creating a large reservoir. During the great flood in 1993, the dam overflowed, and the service road was flooded and destroyed. This turned out to have an unexpected upside: it revealed the Devonian Fossil Gorge, full of fossilized fish and shells. We spent some time exploring the fossil bed. The dam itself survived the flood intact, and we marvelled at how high the river must have been in 1993 to spill over the dam - there were full grown trees in the shadow of the dam that would have been completely submerged by the flooding.
Coralville Lake also had a nice picnic area where we stopped for a lunch of cold cuts, fruit, and granola bars. There wasn't time to play a round on their disc golf course, but as we headed off to Beets's destination, we watched a player lose his disc deep in the woods.
Not Silence of the Lambs Buffalo Bill
Resuming the second part of Chris's leg, we continued to head south along the Mississippi River, everyone slowly waking up and having absolutely no idea where we were headed. Approaching our exit, some of the passengers caught view of the brown historical sign which said, "Buffalo Bill Museum," and became excited.
The unassuming museum along a quaint street, right on the Mississippi River, was also surrounded by a few cannon statues aimed at Illinois, for what reason, we do not know. We were welcomed by a jolly lady and an old gentleman who sat quietly in the corner, later introduced to us as a past mayor of Leclaire "who was mayor for a long, long while." Although titled the "Buffalo Bill Museum," it was filled with many other more interesting memorabilia, significant of Leclaire, IA. To get our Buffalo Bill fill, we watched an 8-minute black and white film showcasing his life and some of the showmanship which made him famous.
Although proud of being the birthplace of Buffalo Bill, Leclaire, IA is home to many other fascinating features. The group immediately flocked to the giant cross section of the trunk of the Green Tree, the largest Rock Elm on record. In its heyday his massive tree served many river workers as shelter for the night after closing the town tavern, giving the giant Elm its nickname "The Green Tree Hotel." At a whopping 225 years old, this monumental tree died from Dutch Elm disease and was cut down in 1964.
The director of the museum (of only four months) then chimed in and proceeded to tell us how Robert E. Lee chilled in Leclaire for a while, living on the second level of a sunken ship in the Mississippi River, to map out the river rapids and the locations of the rocks. The resulting map eventually led to Leclaire river captains being the only ones to guide riverboats on the Mississippi River from Leclaire to Davenport for a hefty $10 in gold. Leclaire is also home to the person who invented the seat belt, FYI. And finally, the director of the museum took us on a tour of the Lone Star Riverboat, the largest and oldest wood riverboat to run along the Mississippi River, retiring at 98 years old, and now an official historical land mark. We took turns pretending to drive the boat in the captains nest and ringing the bells and gong.
After a fascinating and very educational visit to the Buffalo Bill Museum, we stopped in a local coffee shop for some caffeine before hitting the road again. The owner of the stop, strongly resembling Doc from Back to the Future or Garfunkel, talked up Kate and Chris about his beloved town. Leaving Leclaire, IA with Kate navigating to her destination, all we know is that it will be outdoors. Hoping the rain holds off for the next couple of hours, we start jamming to Chris's iPod and are on our way.
The unassuming museum along a quaint street, right on the Mississippi River, was also surrounded by a few cannon statues aimed at Illinois, for what reason, we do not know. We were welcomed by a jolly lady and an old gentleman who sat quietly in the corner, later introduced to us as a past mayor of Leclaire "who was mayor for a long, long while." Although titled the "Buffalo Bill Museum," it was filled with many other more interesting memorabilia, significant of Leclaire, IA. To get our Buffalo Bill fill, we watched an 8-minute black and white film showcasing his life and some of the showmanship which made him famous.
Although proud of being the birthplace of Buffalo Bill, Leclaire, IA is home to many other fascinating features. The group immediately flocked to the giant cross section of the trunk of the Green Tree, the largest Rock Elm on record. In its heyday his massive tree served many river workers as shelter for the night after closing the town tavern, giving the giant Elm its nickname "The Green Tree Hotel." At a whopping 225 years old, this monumental tree died from Dutch Elm disease and was cut down in 1964.
The director of the museum (of only four months) then chimed in and proceeded to tell us how Robert E. Lee chilled in Leclaire for a while, living on the second level of a sunken ship in the Mississippi River, to map out the river rapids and the locations of the rocks. The resulting map eventually led to Leclaire river captains being the only ones to guide riverboats on the Mississippi River from Leclaire to Davenport for a hefty $10 in gold. Leclaire is also home to the person who invented the seat belt, FYI. And finally, the director of the museum took us on a tour of the Lone Star Riverboat, the largest and oldest wood riverboat to run along the Mississippi River, retiring at 98 years old, and now an official historical land mark. We took turns pretending to drive the boat in the captains nest and ringing the bells and gong.
After a fascinating and very educational visit to the Buffalo Bill Museum, we stopped in a local coffee shop for some caffeine before hitting the road again. The owner of the stop, strongly resembling Doc from Back to the Future or Garfunkel, talked up Kate and Chris about his beloved town. Leaving Leclaire, IA with Kate navigating to her destination, all we know is that it will be outdoors. Hoping the rain holds off for the next couple of hours, we start jamming to Chris's iPod and are on our way.
Friday, April 23, 2010
Two Hotels & a Funeral Home
Settling on the Winsther we were delighted to have the honor of staying in the John Deere Corportate Suite - at least if the corporate suite would have nothing but homemade John Deere paraphernalia including:
- Bedspread
- Bed skirt
- Curtains
- Table
- Calendar
- 2 styles of chairs
- Clock
- Wall paper
- Lamp Shade
- 4 corporate headquarter prints
- 2 John Deere "Art" Pieces
- And headboard
The bible however was plain old Gideon.
Moving on to dinner we walked over to TC's Point After. After hearing REM for two blocks, we realized the entire main street was wired for sound - a nice addition. TC's was a quality choice and thanks to Adam's recommendation I enjoyed my first Iowa Chop - an overgrown pork chop.
Heading back to the hotel we realized that we have the perfect number for a game of Sheepshead and Chris and I have now taught the group - it looks like it will be a late night!
Thanks for following us and make sure to check us out tomorrow as we continue to Chris's destination...
Going Up...
With the brewery slowly disappearing in the rear view mirror, the we headed west through the hills of western Wisconsin under the direction of Lish.
As the rain and the curves in the road steadily increased, the anticipation of the next stop slowly grew. Would we be heading into the northern woods or to the plains of Iowa? We would soon find out.
But first, the "womenfolk" of Mineral Point drew our attention. If you were the wife of a hungry miner looking for lunch how would you let him know when it was ready? Smoke signals? Dinner Bell? An elaborate system of pulleys and ropes? Nope, the women of Mineral Point used a much easier system - which also lended it's name to their neighborhood -Shake Rag. To signal their husbands they would simply shake rags to call their husbands home.
After this short side trip we continued to head west. As the Mississippi drew near we all now knew that our next destination would be in Iowa.
Slowly we weaved our way up the hills of Dubuque, our next stop was still a mystery to all but Lish. As we entered an eerie neighborhood the concern grew. "Who is getting shot?!?" quipped Beets, as we pulled up to a small house well over a century old.
As the travelers piled out of the car, it finally became clear where our next local was:
Built in 1882, The Fenelon Place Elevator was the brainchild of J.K Graves, a former mayor and state senator of Dubuque who lived on the top of the hill, but worked on the bottom. With the completion of the elevator Mr. Graves' commute went from a 30 minute buggy ride to a 3 minute elevator trip.
As the world's steepest, shortest scenic railway, it has carried over 8.5 million passengers over the past 127 years and has also appeared in such theatrical thrillers as F.I.S.T.
After each paying our $2, we all loaded in to the elevator. After a slow descent we spilled out in to downtown Dubuque.
As we wandered the streets, everyone was very impressed with the numerous coffee shops and boutiques that lined the streets. Although tempted by an elementary school's production of the Ugly Duckling at the Grand Opera House, we knew our time was running short in this fair city.
We quickly made our way back to the elevator and Lish pulled the cord to signal the operator we were ready to make our ascent.
As we all squeezed back into the car, we all agreed we were 2 for 2. As we head south under the direction of Chris, we hope to make it 3 for 3!
The Glorious New Glarus
Expectations couldn’t have been higher for the first leg of the trip, but with Butz navigating there was some trepidation. We didn’t know what would happen, where we were going, and with Ben riding shotgun, phone apps at his finger tips, and Beets, hung over and rocking the back sweat, it was sure to be a case of blind leading the blind. Much to our amazement the car making great time tracking out past Miller Park, the Petit Center and suburbs on I-94 West. Ben delivered a great mix of tunes, contemporary and old school classics, that kept the conversation flowing.
As we looped around Madison on the beltline, our possible destinations were somewhat limitless, but with a departure from Mad-town south on the Seminole Highway, a few Sconies in the car had an inkling of our first destination.
Passing through the small town of Paoli and traveling south, Ben said to take a right at a T intersection, marked with a small sign labeled “New Glarus,” the car erupted in cheers.
At the far end of town and atop a hill of biblical proportions sat the New Glarus Brewery, a beacon for a beer-swilling culture and these travelers eager to fall off the wagon. Inside the very new, very clean facility we sipped sweet cranberry beer and gawked at how damn clean the brewery was kept - a complete contrast to Lakefront Brewery we’ve been accustomed to.
Along the tour we saw some flocculation drums, traversed halfway up a “Stairway to Heaven,” and continuously compared their industrial facility with Chris and Adam’s home brewing set up.
Beer samples in the gift shop and a couple souvenirs in hand we enjoyed a beautiful view on their outdoor patio, we felt we possibly set the bar too high with our first successful leg of the trip.
Congratulations were dolled out to our Navigator, our glasses were emptied, and as a couple rain drops fell, we set back out on the road, Lish with directions in hand.
As we looped around Madison on the beltline, our possible destinations were somewhat limitless, but with a departure from Mad-town south on the Seminole Highway, a few Sconies in the car had an inkling of our first destination.
Passing through the small town of Paoli and traveling south, Ben said to take a right at a T intersection, marked with a small sign labeled “New Glarus,” the car erupted in cheers.
At the far end of town and atop a hill of biblical proportions sat the New Glarus Brewery, a beacon for a beer-swilling culture and these travelers eager to fall off the wagon. Inside the very new, very clean facility we sipped sweet cranberry beer and gawked at how damn clean the brewery was kept - a complete contrast to Lakefront Brewery we’ve been accustomed to.
Along the tour we saw some flocculation drums, traversed halfway up a “Stairway to Heaven,” and continuously compared their industrial facility with Chris and Adam’s home brewing set up.
Beer samples in the gift shop and a couple souvenirs in hand we enjoyed a beautiful view on their outdoor patio, we felt we possibly set the bar too high with our first successful leg of the trip.
Congratulations were dolled out to our Navigator, our glasses were emptied, and as a couple rain drops fell, we set back out on the road, Lish with directions in hand.
And So it Begins...
After a quick lunch at the MetroMarket, we have officially started our journey. In a stunning upset over Lish, Ben won the first choice and we are now headed west towards Madison - where will we stop? Nobody knows - except for Ben we hope!Lish has now started a diatribe about the animal crackers she had this morning. Stayed tuned!
Thursday, April 22, 2010
The Travelers
A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving. -Lao Tzu
Here is a little info on everyone going on the trip:
Kate
Countries Traveled:US, Canada, France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Austria, Czech Republic, Greece
Longest Road Trip: Chicago, IL to Floria (1,200 miles)
One of the more experienced travelers of the group, due to her globe-trotting job, Kate brings a wealth of knowledge to this trip. Although she may seem quiet at first - she is really just taking everything in. Her laid back approach and arcane trivia knowledge will help keep her fellow travelers entertained and relaxed!
Countries Traveled:US, Canada, France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Austria, Czech Republic, Greece
Longest Road Trip: Chicago, IL to Floria (1,200 miles)
One of the more experienced travelers of the group, due to her globe-trotting job, Kate brings a wealth of knowledge to this trip. Although she may seem quiet at first - she is really just taking everything in. Her laid back approach and arcane trivia knowledge will help keep her fellow travelers entertained and relaxed!
Beets
Countries Traveled: US, Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica
Longest Road Trip:
WI to Delaware - 2,000 miles in 72 hours
Western USA - 11,500 miles in 7 weeks
The only thing you can count on when you are with Beets is that something is going to happen and whatever that something is - it will be memorable. Beets is the rare breed who can simultaneously be jester and philosopher. Although only weeks out of surgery, expect Beets to make plenty of contributions throughout the weekend. For a peek into his more philosophical road trip side, read his recent article Around the Pond, in the inaugural issue of Mad Rook magazine.
Lish
Countries Traveled: US, Canada, Mexico, Belize, Honduras, Guatemala, British Territories, Germany, Czech Republic, Italy, France, Spain, Ireland
Longest Road Trip: Michigan - Virginia - Maine - through Canada - Michigan (2,450 miles)
Lish wins - period. Whether it is a game of Settlers of Catan or beach volleyball, the smart money is on Lish. But even though her winning percentage rivals the Yankees, she is one of the most humble and helpful people you will ever meet. If any of the destinations involves any sort of competition, expect to see Lish's name on the top of the leader board - let's just hope she is schooling some local and not her fellow travelers.
Chris
Countries Traveled: US, Canada, Mexico, Burkina faso, Mali, Ghana, Benin, Ethiopia, Sudan, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Austria, Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Monaco
Longest Road Trip: Omaha to LA - 1,600 Miles
As a veteran of the Peace Corp in Africa, Chris is by-and-far the most seasoned traveler of the group. Whether you bribing your way across borders or trying to decipher the road signs in French, Chris is the guy you want next to you. Although the travelers hope not to get into any sticky situations - if they do - Chris will inevitably have the solution.
Ben
Countries Traveled: US, Canada, Spain
Longest Road Trip: MKE - SD 2,260 miles in 38 hours
Always lively and engaging, Ben will be the member of the group to ensure the hours on the road are both educational and entertaining. With a vast repository of random facts, the conversation will undoubtedly never cease to be enjoyably flowing. Although he once led a carpool astray, his affinity for camaraderie will ensure the group sticks as one throughout the entire trip.
Countries Traveled: US, Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica
Longest Road Trip:
WI to Delaware - 2,000 miles in 72 hours
Western USA - 11,500 miles in 7 weeks
The only thing you can count on when you are with Beets is that something is going to happen and whatever that something is - it will be memorable. Beets is the rare breed who can simultaneously be jester and philosopher. Although only weeks out of surgery, expect Beets to make plenty of contributions throughout the weekend. For a peek into his more philosophical road trip side, read his recent article Around the Pond, in the inaugural issue of Mad Rook magazine.
Lish
Countries Traveled: US, Canada, Mexico, Belize, Honduras, Guatemala, British Territories, Germany, Czech Republic, Italy, France, Spain, Ireland
Longest Road Trip: Michigan - Virginia - Maine - through Canada - Michigan (2,450 miles)
Lish wins - period. Whether it is a game of Settlers of Catan or beach volleyball, the smart money is on Lish. But even though her winning percentage rivals the Yankees, she is one of the most humble and helpful people you will ever meet. If any of the destinations involves any sort of competition, expect to see Lish's name on the top of the leader board - let's just hope she is schooling some local and not her fellow travelers.
Chris
Countries Traveled: US, Canada, Mexico, Burkina faso, Mali, Ghana, Benin, Ethiopia, Sudan, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Austria, Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Monaco
Longest Road Trip: Omaha to LA - 1,600 Miles
As a veteran of the Peace Corp in Africa, Chris is by-and-far the most seasoned traveler of the group. Whether you bribing your way across borders or trying to decipher the road signs in French, Chris is the guy you want next to you. Although the travelers hope not to get into any sticky situations - if they do - Chris will inevitably have the solution.
Ben
Countries Traveled: US, Canada, Spain
Longest Road Trip: MKE - SD 2,260 miles in 38 hours
Always lively and engaging, Ben will be the member of the group to ensure the hours on the road are both educational and entertaining. With a vast repository of random facts, the conversation will undoubtedly never cease to be enjoyably flowing. Although he once led a carpool astray, his affinity for camaraderie will ensure the group sticks as one throughout the entire trip.
The Most Random Road Trip Ever
“If you don't know where you are going, any road will get you there.” Lewis Carroll
What started as a typical throwaway idea has to all of our amazement turned into reality. As with most ideas in Milwaukee this one started with copious amounts of drinks during a late night gathering. The discussion turned to the groups shared enjoyment of the open road and quirky destinations each has visited on the way. Who first posited the idea of taking a road trip with no set destination - just random stops found by the travelers on the road - is unfortunately lost to history, but thankful the idea actually took root.
A few weeks later the group got back together to lay out some much need ground rules for this trip. The basic rules are as follows:
The date was set for Friday, April 23 and the five travelers - Kate, Chris, Lish, Beets and Ben - hope you follow us as we update you on our unplanned travels throughout the Midwest!
A few weeks later the group got back together to lay out some much need ground rules for this trip. The basic rules are as follows:
- Destinations must be within two hours driving time (according to Google Maps) from the previous destination.
- While going to one person’s destination, the next person will be told the zip code of the upcoming destination.
- Said person will then research the next location, but will not tell any other travelers the next destination.
- This cycle will repeat itself as many times as possible throughout the weekend until we have to turn back for home.
- Every destination must have something to do, lasting between 30 to 90 minutes.
- You cannot go down the same road twice, if at all possible.
The date was set for Friday, April 23 and the five travelers - Kate, Chris, Lish, Beets and Ben - hope you follow us as we update you on our unplanned travels throughout the Midwest!
Photo posted by fatboyke (Luc) on flickr.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)