Nomad Life - Day 161

Last night I realized that I'd likely be transitioning to the Eastern Time Zone today so I decided to try to get my circadian rhythm in sync.  With that thought in mind, I woke up at 0500 (alarm needed) and started teleworking immediately.  After my first meeting of the day, I took a break for breakfast in the lobby of the Super 8 (Davenport).  With the morning meal completed, I went back to work and didn't stop again until I had finished all my hours (1300).  Just before turning off my computer, I made lunch in my room and, after finishing the meal, I loaded up my car.  Outside, it was 29 F and sunny - another clear, blue day!  Next, I departed the hotel and got on I-80, which I followed to I-74.  After continuing (south) through Bettendorf, I crossed the Mississippi River on a beautiful new bridge and entered the city of Moline (Illinois).  With the Mississippi behind me, I truly began to feel like I was back on the East Coast...  Before departing the Quad Cities, I stopped to visit the Deere-Wiman House in Moline (1325).  Even though I couldn't go inside the building (it required prior arrangements for a tour), I walked around the grounds.  Next, I moved my car (a few blocks) so I could explore, a nearby green space called Velie Park.  I was hoping to get a good view from the plateau there but found too many trees blocking the view.  There was, however, a nice monument to the Spanish American War.  I also encountered a nice old man who wanted to talk - at first, I believe he thought I was local and commented on the 30+ degree day.  When I told him I was just visiting, he started extolling the virtues of Moline and described how the Viking River Cruise ships docked at the waterfront below to give tourists a view of this "important area".  It was nice to meet such a passionate ambassador!  After getting my fill of the crisp air (1345), I left Moline at and got back on I-74 (still headed south).  When I reached I-280, I followed that Interstate to the east.  As I mentioned, the temps had risen well into the 30s - I started wishing I wasn't driving... Before long, I reached the merge with I-80 and continued east until I reached Bureau County.  With a long drive ahead of me, I didn't plan any stops; but then I saw a big sign for Ronald Reagan Birthplace and exited the Interstate.  I've long wanted to see that landmark but have always been in a hurry when I passed nearby.  So, I followed the prominent signage north on IL-40, west on I-92 and north on I-172 until I reached the town of Tampico (1500).  In the center of the little hamlet (I think the population was about 800), I found plaques, statues, banners and monuments that celebrated the 40th President.  After wandering around on the Main Street (no coat required), I eventually found the "birth apartment" - it had a sign and seemed to be (or have been) the second floor of bank building.  After that, I backtracked towards I-80 (by a reverse reverse route), stopping briefly at the Hennepin Canal and Tow Path (Bridge 56) to get in some more steps.  By the time I reached the Interstate again, I realized my sightseeing had ended up being about a 45 mile round trip detour from the exit.  Don't regret the decision, though!  Continuing east again, I passed the time on the lonely prairie by listening to SiriusXM and audiobooks.  Even though I passed through the area close to Dixon, which was apparently the boyhood home of Ronald Reagan, I didn't stop.  Maybe next time!  I drove through Peru (La Salle County) at 1555 and Morris (Grundy County) at 1615.  During this phase of the drive, I started to see a lot more snow on the ground and the traffic began increasing.  It was quite clear that I was getting into the Chicago Metro area and this realization was amplified by annoyed construction zones with speed enforced by camera (55 mph for a while, then 45 mph).  Hoping to avoid a ticket, I stayed under the limits, even though everyone else was blowing by me.  Once I reached Joliet (1640), I got a warning from Google Maps about a traffic jam ahead.  Unwisely, I the apps advice and departed the Interstate to follow a convoluted trail of side streets.  The time of arrival really didn't change but it was slow going (lots of lights and traffic).  At one point, I ended up on a road with a (stalled ?) train that wasn't moving from the road.  Without delay, I balked at the route and tried another way - Google then took me through a maze of streets until I crossed into Indiana.  I should note that I never got any TMPS warning lights at all today - maybe that's a good sign?  Anyway, I stopped for dinner at Taco Bell in Muncie and also recycled old tech and an ink cartridge at Staples in the same parking lot (done with both tasks by 1750).  By then, I was only a stone's throw away from I-80.  When I got on the highway again, though, I found myself in a traffic jam immediately.  Dang...  Fortunately, the slow down (caused by cops/car in far left lane) didn't last long; within a mile, the speeds opened up a good bit.  Soon after clearing the slow down, I switched to I-94 and it got dark.  At around the same time, I realized I'd found the "real Winter", with lots of snow piled along the side of the Interstate.  Strangely, it reminded me of my four years in Michiana and didn't seem so bad.  Other than snow along the edge of the road, the surface seemed normal and the speed of the traffic seemed unaffected.  Temps were in the mid 20s by this point but, I think, they might have had some melting during the daytime.  Near the town of Springfield, I got off the Interstate and took US-20, which I followed for about 30 miles to the east before switching to IN-2.  I had to stop at several traffic lights along the way but the road remained a four lane until I reached the west side of South Bend / Mishawaka.  I don't recall being on the "new US-31" before (sort of a beltway) but I enjoyed the drive around the Northwest side of the city on that road and ended up intercepting Business US-31 (the old US-33/31 Highway near the Notre Dame Campus) from the north.  Somewhere during this time, I realized I'd reentered the Eastern Time Zone for the first time since mid September...  I arrived at hotel in South Bend (Baymont) at the "new" 2015, checked into my room and got organized.  Hoping to catch up on my steps (since I'd only walked about 1.5 miles for the day by that point), I went looking for the Fitness Center.  It turned out to be very limited (broken equipment) but, starting at 2045, I walked on the one functioning treadmill for almost three miles in one hour.  Afterwards, I checked out the Pool area (closed for renovations).  This place was definitely not as good as my last Baymont!  I spent the rest of the evening reading, catching up on Duolingo and getting tired.  My bed time was at the "new" 2315 and I quickly fell asleep.  It feels good to be back in South Bend!

Nomad Life - Day 160

Like last Sunday, I didn't plan to drive anywhere today.  Bonus: I slept very well and didn't even think about getting up until 0630.  After my eyes were open, I spent time reading, doing Duolingo exercises and finishing puzzles.  At 0745, I went to breakfast in the lobby of the Super 8 (Davenport).  Sadly, there were very limited selections and the pancake machine was broken.  Eventually, the staff fixed it for me (the only guest in the dining area).  After finishing my "meal", I returned to my room and spent the rest of the morning working on finances, planning for upcoming lodging and continuing work on the digitization project.  Meanwhile, it was snowing outside so I deferred my plans for outdoor fun.  At around noon, I ate "lunch" (snacks).  When I was ready to leave the hotel (1330), I came outside to about an inch of snow and temps in the mid 20s.  I used US-61 Business (with one mistake that took me on to US-6) and US-67.  Before long, I crossed the Mississippi River on the Centennial Bridge.  It was strange to think that this was my first time on the east side of the River since September 2025!  Using IL-92, I explored the waterfront area of Rock Island (IL) and, at 1355, parked in lot by the river that was next to the Schwiebert Riverfront Park.  Not completely sure that my car was sitting in a good place, I walked around nearby and found bike trail that followed the top of the levy.  There were SO many waterfowl!  This gave me the impression that there must be a parking lot for that somewhere nearby.  Before moving my car, though, I explored historic Rock Island downtown area.  After that, I moved east "up river" and found a better place to leave my car (Botanical Gardens) before I resumed my walk on the Quad Cities Riverway.  During this part of my day, it was snowing steadily and there was a light breeze.  I backtracked to downtown Rock Island, then checked out the bridge to the Rock Island Arsenal (didn't cross) before continuing my walk upriver.  The bike path was isolated between two tall fences (one for the river and one for industrial properties) and I was itching to get off the trail by the time I reached Sylvan Island.  During this time, I was impressed by the behavior of the partially frozen Mississippi River.  There were lots of birds on the water and in the trees above and there were several small islands scattered nearby.  After checking out Sylvan Island (I even crossed a pedestrian bridge to reach it), I started looking for a way out of the green space.  I noticed a John Deere statue in the parking lot for the island and, after maneuvering through sides streets that connected lots of manufacturing and farming businesses, I finally reached a main street.  By this point, I could why this place is popular with the politicians during the Caucuses - lots of Labor, Agriculture, etc.  As I walked west on side of the road, I ended up on the edge of a major railyard.  Near the old Depot (for sale!), I found a monument to the construction of the first railroad bridge across the Mississippi River.  I reached my car (after walking four miles) at 1545 and decided to cross the River into Davenport.  The bridge I chose took me across the property of the Rock Island Arsenal but I couldn't access it (gate closed).  I parked right near the north end of the bridge to Davenport and got a great photo of the "Welcome" sign.  Nearby, I spotted the Great River Brewery and decided to go in there for some beer tasting (1600).  It wasn't too busy so I decided to order food (panini-like sandwich & Caesar salad).  The nice lady bartender was a wealth of information and she pointed out that the Quad Cities was the only place where the Mississippi flows West to East, has the longest "Roller Dam" and (as I'd seen in town) boasted the first bridge across the Mississippi River.  After finishing up my drinks and dinner, I (re)crossed the river to Rock Island again.  On the way (1730), I stopped briefly at Fort Armstrong (built in 1816) - there were nice views there of the bridges along the river (they were lit up for the night, even though it wasn't dark yet).  I arrived at my goal, St. Pius X Catholic Church, at 1745 and was one of the first parishioners in the building.  When Mass began (1800), there still weren't many people.  The priest appeared to be from somewhere in Eastern Europe and he gave a good Homily.  The service was over by 1845 and I exited the church to find it was snowing much harder than it had been earlier.  Carefully, I drove back to Davenport using surface streets and the Centennial Bridge.  Before long, I was backtracking on Business US-61.  By this point, my gas tank was nearly empty so I stopped for (cheap) gas at Stop N Go before heading back to my hotel room (arrived at 1910).  I spent the rest of the evening relaxing and watching movies and finally went to bed at 2215.  Glad I got a better feel for the Quad Cities today!

Summer Vacation Trip - Day 1

I got up early to make sure we were completely packed and ready for our trip.  Mollie slept in and I had to wake her up just before 0900.  She was VERY grumpy about being forced to get up early.  She ate breakfast (grits) and said she was ready to go.  However, I discovered that she hadn’t actually packed her bags completely and was apparently going to leave things behind that we’d discussed bringing.  Fortunately, we were able to get everything together in time for our departure by the time Brenna arrived to take us to the airport (1000).  We got through check-in and TSA relatively quickly and set up in the boarding area without much difficulty.  Mollie and I discussed our itinerary a lot and we each did some reading.  Before boarding our first flight, Mollie got herself some lunch (sandwich).  We departed from Reagan National on time (1245) and arrived at O’Hare on schedule (1345 local).  We had almost two hours before the next flight and I did a bunch of walking in the O’Hare terminal and picked up lunch for myself (1420) while Mollie Skyped with Brenna.  We took off on the next flight at about 1600 and enjoyed free DirectTV on the plane.  Mollie enjoyed several great views of scenery below and watched movies.  We didn’t talk a lot but were both in pretty good spirits.  We arrived in Las Vegas late (1800 local) and had to do a lot of walking and shuttling to get to our rental car.  We did have a new experience of FiveStar service (i.e., pick your own car) with Hertz and selected a Nissan Rogue that Mollie nicknamed “Sherpa”.  We were on I-15 (headed north) by 1900; Mollie enjoyed seeing all the amazing scenery on the Vegas Strip and the pretty mountains in the distance.  It was very hot but there wasn’t a lot of humidity.  We checked into the Air Force Inn at Nellis quickly and then went to eat dinner (Del Taco for “Taco Tuesday”) at 1915. Mollie had trouble with her order and ate one of my tacos as a result.  This led to some giddy ribbing on my part...  Mollie’s assessment of the place was “meh”.  We were both pretty exhausted after our long day of traveling but Mollie insisted on watching a TV show (2100) in our room, despite the three hour time difference.  As a result, we went to bed at 2230.

Summer Vacation Trip - Day 17

Still flying (between Chicago and Washington DC) after midnight. We arrived at DCA around 0020. Baggage claim went quickly. When we went outside, we were hit with a lot of humidity and both commented on how we missed the dry air of the PNW. I couldn't get my Uber app to work correctly, so this delayed our departure a bit. Eventually found a taxi and got ride to my apartment (very pricy). We arrived at 0115 - home at last! Before going to sleep, I did some organizing and cleaning for a bit. We both were in bed by 0200. What an amazing trip!

Summer Vacation Trip - Day 16

I was up at 0400 and did some repacking and reading. We ate breakfast in hotel at 0600 and then did some more reading and bag consolidation. We got gas nearby at Arco at 0945. After checking out of the hotel (1030), we drove from Kent to the Marriott Seattle Airport so we could return our rental car at Hertz. The office was closed (we'd been warned) but the process went well. When I was writing down the mileage, I determined we'd driven almost 4200 miles!  It was a good little car... We caught the airport shuttle (he actually waited for us) at 1015. Got ourselves through check-in at United Gate (bag swaps, checked one) and security (dog checks and no bag emptying required). After settling in some seats (to wait), I again moved more stuff between the bags. To pass the time (and get my 10K steps), I went walking in the terminal while Mollie did practice questions for SATs. We both did some reading later. United had a good boarding process and we took off on time. We got drinks and snacks and watched scenery out the windows (Mollie liked the view). I read my book on Overdrive and Mollie started reading “Canal Boy”, a paperback book that I’d brought for myself. Mollie's phone almost died before we landed so she was on a mission to get it recharged after we landed in Chicago (1900 local). I went walking in the terminal a little and also picked up a late dinner (sandwiches). We got on the plane on time but there was a crew delay and swap, that caused us to take off about 45 minutes late. Mollie continued devouring the paperback during the delay (she read half before the lights were dimmed on the plane). The plane was almost empty and dark (we couldn't even turn on the reading lights for some reason). Flying (from Chicago) after midnight...

Summer Vacation Trip - Day 1

[I woke Mollie up at 0345 and we got ready to leave - we didn’t eat breakfast and went outside at 0415 - the taxi (Yellow Cab) was late but we made it to National Airport by 0445 and got through security and to the gate by 0530 - I checked my carry-on, thinking I’d get it back in Chicago (I didn’t) and we took off on time (0605) - the snack was Stroopwafel (Mollie loved that) - a little kid was sitting in the parent's lap next to us and Mollie liked that - after landing at 0700 (local), Mollie went (by herself) to get a snack and found me soon afterwards - we learned there would be a two hour delay when we arrived at the gate (maintenance problem) - we were in good spirits so didn’t worry and read/talked while we waited - soon, we learned that the replacement airplane was delayed due to weather - Mollie asked me to get her food so I bought early lunch (sandwiches) at Eli's Cheesecake (0720) - even after we boarded (1000 local), we had to wait another hour for fuel - eventually, we took United to SEA (free direct tv as United's way of saying "sorry for the delay") - Buddhist monks all around us - saw lots of pretty snow-capped mountains, along with Mount Rainier, on the way - arrived at 1230 (local) - got bags quickly - took airport shuttle to nearby Marriott - Mollie commented that the whole flight experience was much better than she remembered and I told her I was proud of her for being so agreeable, cooperative and flexible - we got our rental car at Hertz (1330) - drove the Nissan Versa (we decided to call it “Zippy”) from SeaTac to I-5, then WA-512 - lunch at Wendy’s (South Tacoma) at 1420 - then WA-7 to Elbe and WA-706 to Nisqually Entrance of Rainier National Park - we got a NPS stamp at Longmire Museum (around 1600) - backtracked to Elbe - used WA-7 to US-12 and then got on I-5 again - we stopped at a rest area for maps (gave money to a guy who "needed gas" - continued on I-5 to WA-504 - drove to Mount St. Helens Visitors Center (closed) and took nature walk (1.0 miles) on boardwalk with view of mountain - Mollie saw a black and yellow snake and tried out her new camera tripod - backtracked to I-5 and saw the Columbia River lumber yards; as we continued south - we got off at Woodland and found the hotel, Rodeway Inn (we had a reservation) - the gas prices so high everywhere! - in our room, we relaxed (watching TV) and repacked bags - went to bed at 2115 local (tired)]

Summer Vacation Trip - Day 15

Woke up later than we'd planned (0800) but were able to get on the road pretty quickly after we ate breakfast (cereal, waffles, fruit). We used I-70 east until we accidentally crossed the Mississippi  After turning around, our first stop was the Gateway Arch in St. Louis but we were unable to find a good place to park.  It was also raining so we didn't stay in the city.  Instead, we re-crossed the river on I-64 and then used I-55 to get to the Cahokia Mounds.  We arrived at about 0945 and spent several hours learning about the Native American site (movie, museum, walks around the grounds).  I was forced to do a bit more teleworking before the morning was done but it had a minimal impact.  We saw rabbits and deer while we were walking and got a great view of St. Louis from the top of Monks Mound.  At 12:30 PM, we drove (via backroads) to visit my friend, Scott, and his family in O'Fallon , IL.  We ate lunch (flank steak tacos, buffalo mac and cheese) with them and another friend, John, at Peel Pizza and Brewery. After returning to Scott's house, we visited for several hours.  After that, we said goodbye (1600) and took back roads to US-50.  Our air conditioning was still not working right and it was very hot.  We ate dinner on the way and made good time to Vincennes, IN, arriving at 1930 (time change).  I did some more teleworking in the room and Mollie called Nicky to follow up on their Summer Vacation plans.  We watched a little TV (Mollie also read) and we went to bed at 2300.

Summer Vacation Trip - Day 2

We were both awake by 0700 and we ate breakfast (oatmeal, toast, yogurt, fruit) at the hotel.  On the road by 0800 and drove from Lafayette through Chicago and Milwaukee (used I-65, I-94, US-41, I-94).  We ate lunch (leftovers, snacks) on the way.  Encountered lots of traffic and construction issues, so it was a nice feeling to get off the interstate at Windsor, WI (1145) .  We ate some ice cream there and then took back roads (WI-19, US-12 and WI-60) to get to Prairie du Chien.  We crossed the Mississippi River and drove north on IA-76.  We spent a few hours at Effigy Mounds National Monument and even took a hike there.  Mollie was glad to get the (first of many!) passport stamp for her book.  We then drove to Decorah, IA, where we got gas (1635).  Using US-52, we drove towards Minnesota; on the way, we passed the Laura Ingalls Burr Oak town site. We noticed that they were having a "Laura Day" celebration and joined in the fun for a little bit!  The event was just about to end and there was a huge thunder storm coming but we managed to get a special tour of the museum before we got back on the road.  We switched to MN-16 and joined up with I-90.  Stopped for dinner (Pizza Hut) in Blue Earth, MN (done at 1930) and then drove west towards South Dakota.  Just before crossing the border, we saw a sign for the Pipestone National Monument and I tried to find a hotel nearby.  However, everything was full and we continued to encounter the same problem when we tried places near and west of Sioux Falls, SD (because of a music festival).  Mollie found out that her grandmother (Gayle) had gone to the hospital but later learned she was resting at home.  Since we had nowhere to stay and the traffic/weather was great, we kept driving.  I must admit that I was getting tired, though.  I finally gave up at the rest area near Salem, SD.  Mollie agreed to stay there for a few hours of rest and we slept from about 2300 until 0230 (three hour limit per state law and a suspicious car pulled up near us.  I drove us to Mitchell (0315), where we got gas, and then west until we reached a rest area at Chamberlain (0430.  I went to sleep in the car again and didn't stir until the sun was up (Mollie had never woke up through the night).

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)]

Spring Break Trip - Day 5

[breakfast at the hotel around 0830 - slow packing and frustrated kids (due to uncertain schedule for meeting up with their friend at Purdue - we finally departed at 1020 - after driving around the campus again, we finally found a parking lot - we walked around near the Student Union and asked for maps and directions there - eventually, we located the Admissions Office - after a brief wait, the Twins got to talk to a counselor - Mollie and I waited for them outside and I looked into tours of Marquette Campus (the next planned visit) - like Purdue, there were no available tours this week, though... - when the kids were done, we walked a short distance to wait for their friend, Connor, at the clock tower - when he arrived, Connor took us on a tour of the campus - he really knew a lot about the place (it is his first year) and the Twins asked him a million questions - Mollie and I tagged along, saying almost nothing - after about an hour of walking, we ate lunch at Pappy's Sweet Shop at the Union Commons (1300) - the food was great and the shakes were the highlight - we said goodbye to Connor and walked back to our car - left West Lafayette around 1330 - drove out of town on I-65 (north) - staying off toll roads, we switched to I-94 and continued west - got gas at TA near Gary (IN) at 1445 - traffic wasn't too bad, but it got worse quickly as we approached Chicago - the kids got a great look at the skyline of the Windy City (amazing weather provided amazing views) - stayed on US-41 after I-94 turned to toll roads and made pretty good time to the WI/IL border (just lights and traffic kept us from getting through quickly) - back on I-94 after reaching Wisconsin, drove into Milwaukee - Brenna guided us to a stop at the Marquette Campus (1700, with the time change) - we parked on the east side of the interstate before realizing the campus was on the west side - found a dorm building and some students directed us towards the main buildings - we had a nice walk around the rather urban campus - still, the school had everything and some areas of calm and green inside the asphault jungle... - we finished exploring at the Union around 1830 - drove south again after taking the scenic route to the Lake (and using I-794 and WI-32) - drove east on Drexel Avenue and then got on WI-38 - ate dinner at Sonic in Oak Creek (WI) at 1855 - it was a fun evening after that: Brenna's GPS kept telling me to turn east to I-94 but I just continued south on various county roads (with letter-names) - the midwest roads didn't let me down and we eventually reached IL-131, which we followed until reaching Waukegan - we stayed the night at Ramada (2030) - it was a bit rainy by that point and we were all exhausted from our road rally to visit two campuses - read and watched some TV before going to bed...]

Waukegan, IL (USA)

Up early - had a 0900 takeoff. Good to see everyone, especially one of my old bosses, Rob. Had some delays for aircraft repair, but only left about 45 minutes late. Flight down to New Orleans was pretty uneventful (except for a degraded auto-pilot). Saw some huge thunderstorms along the Florida Pan-handle, but they didn't affect us. Good turn in hot/humid Louisiana (glad to be on our way...). Flight up to Chicago area also pretty easy. Came in from west side of city and actually flew near Milwaukee before landing in Waukegan. Hadn't been here for nearly a decade... Flight home took us along Lake Erie. Significant weather near Philadelphia, so we had to descend very early. Rob (who grew up around here) gave us a little tour of the landmarks. Got back to NAS JRB Willow Grove by close to the expected arrival time. Finished all paperwork and was planning to call it a day when I ran into Kevin. He needed someone to fly with him early on Saturday, so I agreed to help. Then headed back to Navy Lodge to get "outfit" ready for tomorrow's festivities. Had leftovers for dinner (still tasty!). Watched TV and did laundry - then Bed.

Chicago, IL (USA)

Woke up early (barely an hour and a half of sleep!), I checked out of my room at the Residence Inn in Eagan and made it to the airport around 0415. I am glad I got there that early!!! After returning my rental car (Enterprise) before the counter was even open (they checked it in much later, at 0600), the walk through the terminal was long again.  Even worse, the lines for the airlines and TSA were the longest I've ever seen. And remember, we are talking about 0415!!! With all the delays, I made it through to the gate about 20 minutes before boarding. A nice lady moved my seat from the way back to the front (to help with the connection). My American Airlines flight departed Minneapolis in the dark (0600) and we arrived in Chicago (O'Hare) with clear skies and great views of the city (0715). It took another 20 minutes to taxi to the gate - across the interstate again (that has always been funny to me). I guess I actually haven't been at O'Hare in 20 years either... The big news today there was that the Sears Tower was renamed the Willis Tower. While digesting this news, I was working with only a short time between connections.  There was just enough time to grab breakfast (at McDonalds) and chat with some passengers. When I boarded another American Airlines aircraft, I was feeling very glad this is the last leg of the trip! After departing Chicago at 0850, I talked to some of my fellow passengers about life in Texas and about sights to see in Fort Worth, Oklahoma and along the Rio Grande.  It was a fun discussion! We landed at DFW at around 1130 - there was lots of rain and everything was grinding very slow... With the help of some nice people I asked, I found out how to get back to my car (Terminal Link). One of them even gave me a coupon for the parking, which made my daily rate go down five dollars! Ultimately, I'm very glad that I parked in a covered lot (Hyatt Regency) and I was pleased to get out of the complex easily (1215).  I even got another parking coupon from the nice toll-booth employee! Sadly, I encountered traffic jams all the way home.  Still, it was a relief to reach Fort Worth - I took a four hour nap when I got there!!! Woke up later to do laundry and get ready for the next trip - a family adventure in New Mexico!

Daddy-Daughter Trip - Day 7

[Started in Terre Haute, IN] This morning, we went to a Continental Breakfast. When we got on the road, we switched time zones and drove over to St. Louis. We liked seeing the Arch again - and wanted to stop - but Daddy said we should keep going so we could visit Laura Ingalls Wilder's house. Seven hours after we woke up, we arrived in Mansfield, Missouri. This is the house where Laura wrote all the "Little House" books. We went in a museum next to her house and it had all of her belongings in it. The museum was all about her family and her life. After Laura died, Rose donated the house to the Foundation. We had an amazing time and saw Pa's fiddle! Later, we went on a tour of Laura and Almanzo's house - it was nice. Then we went to see the Stone House that Rose bought for them to retire in. After only a little while, though, they told her they were homesick and returned to their old house. Then we went to the gift shop and got some souvenirs. We also visited their cemetery stones in town. Then we went to Tasty Freeze and had a banana split and butterscotch sundae (the best!!). When we left Mansfield, we drove for a while in the Ozarks. They are pretty mountains. Daddy said he had a surprise and wouldn't tell us what it was! He drove us into Kansas (our first time!!) and we stopped in Independence for the night. We are staying at the Lamplighter Inn. There is a bowling alley next door, but they were closed :-( We did get to walk over to Sonic for dinner, though. What do you think the surprise is?

Albuquerque, NM (USA)

[woke up in the Wyndham Albuquerque Hotel at International Sunport (checked out at 0930) - flying with Julius - itinerary uncertain but orders said Capital (IL) - we flew back to NAS Norfolk by the end of the day and I was home in Virginia Beach soon afterwards]

Muncie, IN (USA)

Woke up early and and drove to Hartsfield Airport (used long term parking lot).  We took off on time and I was very pleased with how I'd been able to get such an early flight - more time to play!  Just like during my last recurrent simulator training trip, I arrived in St. Louis before 0800 CT. This time, I picked up my rental car at the Dollar Rent-a-Car desk (0925) and immediately got on the road (0930) so I could visit my little sister, Carolyn. Took I-70 all the way to Indianapolis and then I-69 to her home in Anderson, Indiana. The drive was OK (about four hours). Enjoyed seeing her place (first time) and she took me over to Ball State campus, where she owns a little store.  That was also cool to see! Went back to her house after we explored for a little bit. Overall, I spent about four hours with Carolyn and had dinner with her and Leo before getting back on the road. The rive back to St. Louis on I-70 was easy.  Made one stop (for gas) in Martinsville, IL (2030L) and arrived at my hotel (Marriott St. Louis Airport) by 2130. Class tomorrow...

Bemidji Trip - Day 2

Woke up around 0800 and drove the remaining miles over to St. Louis. Crossed the Mississippi and took the kids first to the Gateway Arch - we got there right when it opened. Our ride up in the little elevator cars was a memorable moment - the kids liked it! Great weather, could see a lot of Illinois and Missouri from all angles. After we were done with that experience, we drove over to Grant's Farm (scouting out helps a lot - see AUG 2003). The girls loved the animals and the tram tour. I enjoyed some beers again in the plaza at the end of the tour. After around five hours in the park - including some good pictures with baby clydesdales and great souvenirs (1335L) - we sadly departed, bound for Illinois. Got some gas in Affton, Missouri (1400L) before we crossed the Mississippi River. We got on [I-55] and headed north. I had planned to take the kids to see the grave of Abraham Lincoln, but by the time we got to Springfield, we got sidetracked in the area around his home - it has been restored to look like it did when he left in 1861 for Washington. We arrived in time to take a tour of the area, which was quiet and almost felt like a time machine... Bought some nice items (to remember our visit) at Mr. Lincoln's Souvenir Shop (1610L). We stayed until after sunset (we never did get to see the grave...). [We ate dinner...]. Our day had been fun, but our little side trips meant that the schedule was affected (I was planning to visit President Reagan's home in northern Illinois, but the time didn't seem right). Hotel availability also became a concern. At that point, I decided to continue into Iowa so that the leg to Bemidji would be shorter tomorrow. Filled up the tank in Davenport (2055L) and then found a Quality Inn in Iowa City (2145L).

Bemidji Trip - Day 1

Left early in the morning - kids in a good mood. Played the license plate game and looked for signs. Took [I-75] to I-24. Ate an early lunch (or late breakfast) at Burger King in Manchester, Tennessee (1030L). Continued north to Murfreesboro and visited the Stones River National Battlefield. It was kind of quiet and very green. The kids had lots of questions about the "Unknown" cemetery stones in the battlefield cemetery. Later drove through the "Land Between the Lakes." I have seen this from the air a few times and wanted to see it. There were live buffalo - a big herd - and lots of other wildlife. The lakes looked very inviting and there were several places where we could have stopped to have a "picnic buffet" on the side of the road. After being tempted for miles, we stopped at the Kenlake State Resort Park (near Hardin, Kentucky) for a dinner - we wanted to try some of their Southern cooking! The kids checked out the buffet and brought back some skinny looking legs of what looked like chicken. After devouring a few of them, the kids went back for more - and I saw that they had been eating frog legs! Despite this revelation, they seemed pretty proud of themselves (I was glad they weren't upset...). Before dark, we visited Fort Donaldson, site of one of US Grant's first victories on his way south to Vicksburg and immortality. Drove until dark. Luckily, we found a cheap hotel (Best Inns of Mount Vernon) in southern Illinois.

Milwaukee, WI (USA)

[(Tim drove me from Chicago to Milwaukee ?) - when I arrived at General Mitchell Airfield, I discovered that my flight student's family had brought two (huge) stuffed bears (we later named them "Raspberry" and "Blueberry") for me to give to my daughters - the mom was so grateful for me bringing her boy to visit - for our return training flights (itinerary uncertain: Fort Wayne, Indiana ?) - then back to Meridian]

South Bend, IN (USA)

[got up early and drove (with Bonnie and other folks from Hobbs) from Chicago to South Bend - visited Hammes Notre Dame Book Store - went to see Notre Dame vs. Tennessee Game - sat behind visitor's bench (three rows up on 50 yard line!) - game was good - drove back to Chicago in the evening]

Milwaukee, WI (USA)

[Training "Cross Country" flight - flew from Meridian to Milwaukee (itinerary uncertain: via Fort Wayne, Indiana ?) - after landing at General Mitchell Airfield, drove to Chicago with my flight student's family arrived at Tim's house - met Bonnie (and friends) at McCormick and Schmick's]