We relaxed for the last five days of our journey before heading home quickly from Chicago , ending a wonderful journey across this magnificent country.
On Thursday and Friday (May 18 & 19) we settled in at Illinos Beach State Park on the west shore of Lake Michigan just behind the dunes in Zion, IL, near Waukegan. We had nice weather, albeit a bit cool. We had a very nice grassy campsite and staked out the dogs to free them from the RV. More about the park here.
On Thursday night, Libby visited from Chicago with her Aired aleand we enjoyed a 'sandwich supper' with a campfire and watched as the deer came within 59 yards of the dogs and weren't phased in the least. We saw the deer often in the time we were at the park. On Friday we just chilled out napping, reading, taking the dogs for long walks and leisurely enjoying the uncrowded campground.
Spencer, a carpenter and a campground host came around when he saw the 'dales and we chatted for a bit. He's a dog breeder and was admiring Scffer and Jesse. Next thing we knew he had delivered Friday's campfire wood...free, a nice gesture as we had scrounged partially burned wood from the vacant site fireplaces for Thursday's fire.
On Saturday morning we headed for the Mitchells in Wheaton and remained with them for two nights, again a leisurely visit with Jim, Kim and Abby, who had been at the Illinois State Track & Field Finals on Friday. Jim treated us to 'the best deep dish pizza in the world' from We attended Wheaton Bible Church with them on Sunday followed by a wonderful breakfast at Eggcentric in downtown Wheaton. We really appreciated their kind hospitality and they were 'in love' with our 'dales, having just lost their Labrador, Missy, of many years in January. We had a wonderful time with them and are most grateful for their friendship.
On Monday we were off at 0900 from Chicagoland headed on I-80/90 to Vermont. SInce the weather was good, we decided to run for home, just under 1000 miles, in two days. (Hey, Jim, there was NO traffic backup at all that constructio around I-94/90/80. Can you believe it?) We zipped through Illinois, Indiana and Ohio and spent Monday night at the Erie, PA Wal-Mart after a woderful buffet at the Golden Corral, a treat we had tried twice before, once just east of Kansas City and the other time... I forget where
Carol awoke with an eye irritation and for a while she was considering a trip to the ER to have it looked at, but she tried some eye wash and drops and as the day went on, she was better.
WIth continued good weather we zipped across New York on I-90, the NY Thruway, and arrived in Vermont via Glens Falls at about 7:oo pm. We stopped to see the Shoreham Ushers and visited briefly with Caroline and Gawain.
Then north on Rte 22a we were treated to a very beautiful sunset framed by the Adirondacks and before we knew it , I was filling the gas tank for the last time at Maplefield's in Colchester. Our 11,000 mile journey was over and we had seen this magnificent country and many of its national parks , many good folks along the way and more prairie than I ever want too see again!!
Later, I hope to assemble a 'best and worst/highest/lowest' list of various facets of our odyssey.
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