Chicago-the End of one Adventure and the start of another

I really like Chicago....in the summer, I might add. Probably not in winter. We had perfect weather which makes it nice. We left yesterday and are southwest down the Illinois River 50 miles inland, and it is 20 degrees warmer in the daytime than on Lake Michigan. It is 10 degrees warmer for the overnight low. Yikes, are we getting close to that 105 degrees of Texas? I think we better slow down, and let fall catch us.

Shelley and I had 5 days in Chicago and enjoyed it all. We got a chance to see my old friend Lauren Hogan, his wife Joyce, and son Brett. That was really fun to see them all and catch up. Lauren and I were roommates in law school and for several years afterward in Wichita, but life took him to Chicago. Snap forward 24 years, he and Joyce have two children, Brett (24) and Sammie (21), plus his folks now live in Chicago. It was really a great time seeing them.

I cannot say enough how much we enjoyed walking the waterfront of Chicago with its 15 mile long bike and walking path along the lakeshore. We went to the Field Museum of Natural History, which is world renowed. Shelley set a land speed record for touring it. We also saw the Shedd Aquarium, the Planetarium, top of the Willis (Sears) Tower, and took the architechual tour of downtown by boat. The latter was very interesting and anyone who visits Chicago, should not miss it. You travel by tour boat up and down the river through all of downtown, with a docent giving you the history and background of Chicago's buildings. Many of the greatest companies in this country started here and built edifices to their legacy. Fascinating.

Our marina was right off the Navy Pier, at the junction of the Chicago River and Lake Michigan. It was helpful to have taken the boat tour of downtown, as that is the exact route that we took Rock Chalk through yesterday morning. We left early and locked through the first lock off Lake Michigan, and slowly worked our way through the Loop, avoiding the water taxis. Once we were out of the Loop it was all barge traffic. That part of Chicago and Illinois state is not so pretty. Doesn't smell very good either. Oil, Gas, hydrogen, flameable liquids, gravel, cement, asphalt, coal, grains of all types, and anything else that moves by barge is stored along the river. Smelly!! We aren't in Canada anymore, Toto.

I spent the day talking to tow boat captains as we avoided getting run down, and made it to just south of Joliet. The barges are 35 ft wide and 200 ft. long each. We have already seen two wide and three deep barge fleets being pushed by one massive towboat. These guys travel the rivers from the Gulf and they are good. Just stay out of their way and talk to them to let them know where you are.

It is the start of a whole new adventure. Marc