Spring Break Trip - Day 6

[up at around 0800 - ate breakfast at hotel (mmmm...) - after checking out, I tried to find an ITT office at Great Lakes (for the Field Museum or Shedd Aquarium) but had no luck - then drove south in the mist (not quite rain) on US-41 until we reached I-94 (LOTS of traffic - dang) - took the Adlai E Stevenson Expressway to the Lake and used US-41 - parked at Soldier Field (1130) - got tickets at the Field Museum (1315) because the Shedd Aquarium was too crowded (sad, actually, since that would have been fun) - when we finally reached the front of the line to get our tickets, we figured out that the machines were broken - so we settled for a tour of the main exhibits (nothing else) - that didn't disappoint, though - it had been nearly 25 years since I toured the Field Museum and I was amazed at all of the permanent exhibits - highlights included a display on the evolution of life, the Lucy skull, a lichen display and various displays of world culture (some that give the Smithsonian Museums a run for their money) - we were already pretty tired from walking when we finished our visit - I wanted to show the kids a little more of Chicago, so I convinced them to walk to the Navy Pier (visible from the Field Museum but probably about two miles away - it was a LONG walk but the kids were good sports as we made our way up the lake in improving weather - the kids were intrigued by the Chicago River and tall buildings - and Navy Pier wasn't a disappointment for the views and shopping - ate lunch (Mexican) at Twisted Lizard (1515) and visited the rest of the building for another hour or so - we started back for the car around 1630 - the weather was even better and there were lots of people along the lakefront - we watched regatta sailors practicing, ferry boats coming and going, lots of seagulls (loud!) - Erin decided that she needed a bathroom at that point, but (by then) everything with a bathroom was closed - we walked all around looking for one before we finally gave up and got in the car - we left Soldier Field at 1800 - we drove back out of the city at the height of rush hour (uggghhh) - Kelly, Sabrina and Stephanie called me from Happy Hour in DC (I had them on speaker phone and the kids were laughing for about 30 minutes afterwards) - we finally found a bathroom at a Walmart on the outskirts of Chicago (a place that seemed safe) - we continued east (avoiding toll roads) until we were back on I-94 - continued driving as it got dark, all the way through Indiana and into Michigan - stopped for gas and snacks for a late dinner - the kids started to nap as it got later and I started to wonder where we should stop for the night - got on I-196 and continued north along the coast of Lake Michigan - after reaching my limit for driving in the dark, we stopped for the night at Courtyard in South Haven (MI) at 2155 - reading and some TV before sleeping (everyone getting tired and fell asleep quickly)]