Mid- Western Days Road Trip

This year the family vacation was driving to Chicago. Rather than fly or barrel there in the fastest time we could we opted for 3-4 hour driving days and hanging out along the way.

Windmills of my mind

These are the wind generators near St. Adolphe (still in Manitoba)

 Our first stop was Fargo ND where our room was spacious and well appointed (within the parameters of the decor was setting out)

A Decent Room

Boy Loves Jacuzzi

Our son wants a whirlpool bath for home

The next day we hit Minneapolis. You'd think a Crowne Plaza would be nicer so there are no shots.

View from the Crown Plaza Minny

 No trip to Minneapolis is complete without a trip to hell.

'All hope abandon ye who enter here'

Then off to the Wisconsin Dells, part nature park part Niagara Falls (the wax museum part)

Witches Gultch

In respect to the nature park aspect of the area, we are very close to the world famous "Driftless" area. Renown for it's trout streams. We went in search of one of the streams called Witches Gulch. Beautiful cliffs and gin clear water but to explore further down stream where it might have gotten bigger and trout-i-er there was a $3 charge per person to walk. On top of that to get a State fishing license you needed to give your SIN. Now maybe if I was doing it at a gov't office I might but not to 2 yahoos at the local bait shop. So I abandoned my trout stream endeavours and settled for the Motel's pool and some downtown Dells action.

The next day we got up early and went for a duck ride!

Wisconsin Duck Ride.

So the Ducks are amphibious WWII landing craft. The driver took us through the forest, onto lakes, rivers, beaches then back onto land. Surprisingly fun.

OK now off to Chicago. The 1st hotel was the Marriott near the airport. We are there because of a music conference I was attending. We got a poolside suite and despite mediocre reviews the place was nice with a 5 star restaurant.

Indoor/Outdoor pool

That Friday Night we went on a moonlight cruise

The Storm Moves in

Nature's Fireworks

Why don't I look Happy?

We got off the water and back to our hotel before the rain hit. But when it did it made the pool overflow up to our patio and knocked out the power. So the hotel and conference became a makeshift of glow sticks, generators, cold food and shipped in coffee!

View for the Chicago Westin River North

After the Conference we moved to the Westin River North. Another top notch Hotel only this one had too many people who needed a tip. A bit tonier than this boy is used to. But we were so close to so many things of interest.

Harry Carary's

 We are that night at the world famous Rosebud Trattoria. It lived up to it's billing except the 1st glass of wine (that we sent back) had obviously died in the bottle.

Generic odd shaped building against sky shot

This was on the way to the Navy Pier. Where some of us rode the world's 2nd biggest (16 stories) Ferris wheel

Getting on the big slow circle thing

On the big slow circle thing

They had a show there called "The Cirque De Shanghai" Obviously a name taken from the tax funded Canadian Version.

On the ropes

On the Ladder

Juggling the cube

Motor bike in the air

4 Motor bikes in a cage

Mom and tired boy

The next day we hit the Shedd Aquarium. The place is full of things that kept their name from inception so no the aquarium is not in a shed it is still named after the original founder.

That afternoon (the only time they allow kids) we hit the Jazz Showcase!

World Renowned Me entering

The Slouches that have played there already (what no DJ's??)

Neal Alger on guitar.

Of course there was another fabulous dinner with fabulous service.

The beautiful Wife

Next we Hit the Hanncock Tower there were a bunch of stats about how tall it was compared to other buildings and towers world wide but I did remeber it was 94 floors and had the fastest elevator in North America.

Above the Clouds

For a treat (and at Charles' insistence) we took a handsome cab as far as it would take us towards our hotel

The Next Day we hit the Field Museum. (Again not in a field but started by a guy with that last name)Only saw a bit of it in half a day and none of the pictures turn out to my liking.

That afternoon we hit the Art Institute of Chicago but proved too much for a 10 year old and his Mom. I could have spent a day in there and never want ted to leave. The religious medieval stuff was worth it alone.

So we walked down the street and cooled off at Millenium Park

Of course right around the corner was a place made just for me.

 I got out of there for under $200 but the damage could have been worse. The real deal there was the used records but I couldn't imagine how they would get home safely.

And of course one has to try the Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza!

Someone wasn't impressed

I could have more.

After all that we headed home and it was more a chore than a vaction but all good things must come to an end.

On a side note we used a GPS system on our journey and I must say it gets you in as much trouble as it gets you out of. On the highway with plenty of time to tell you stuff it works fine. In a big city where things come up faster it will getting seriously messed up.