Profile
Blog
Photos
Videos
Here we are, one month on, apparently. I have started to get slightly lazy with updating this but will do my best to update it when I get a few free moments and internet permitting. So what's new for my avid readers (hi dad. Any other readers are purely coincidental), well we are progressing nicely through northern america with only minor hiccups.
Upon leaving our comfort house of friends in Ohio we were once again on the trail up north. We had already had a preview of the great lakes during our stay in Erie but we wanted to get a true gauge of size which we hadn't been able to be for endue to outlying land mass. with this is mind we ended up on the shores of lake Michigan, in some Indian sand dunes which were equally impressive and on what appeared to be one of the windiest days on the decade. We as our first beach on the shore of the lake, climbed some incredibly high dunes (3 of which when we reached the top we found out were classed as official mountains, if only minor ones) and had a jolly walk around the lake edge, the beach and the dunes. The dunes were impressive but the lakes are even more so. Three is no sign of the other side, the curvature of the earth at least appears visible, to all appearances it is an ocean, if it were not for the map telling us this wasn't so.
From there, Chicago. We had intended to stay a feww days here but were unable to find a campsite and all the Walmart seemed to be in less than reputable areas (1 days we moved between 3 different Walmart before we ground one we dared stay the night in that area, the first we didn't even risk getting out of the van). With this in mind we decided to do as much of Chicago in one day and then move on to the next place where parking is easier and we have places to stay at night. This led to a major error on pour part when we decided it was a good idea to drive into the centre. I have no idea how to drove on those roads but we had no place being there. A s*** load of lanes, exits on all sides, and no idea where we were going.new eventually decided to park far out and get the overground underground in. Sear tower was very impressive, nice and high with interesting views, exceedingly less busy than empire state, and generally quite interesting. The rest of central Chicago was nice, saw the waterfront and walked the river and saw lots of pretty buildings etc etc.
Over the past few days we've gradually made our way up the west coast of lake Michigan toward Milwaukee. Since we have slept in Walmart every days since leaving Ohio we are getting to desperation time for a shower so after much hu ting we found a campsite that is still open this time of year and will be heading there tomorrow. After a few stops in cities and more views of then lake today we have done Milwaukee. A pretty little city again with not much in it. Good lake view, nice buildings, couple of museums, a rather large mammoth, some strange connection to pirates I failed to understand. We also found we had arrived 1 day after some large parade which is annoying but ah well, move on. Tonight another fabulous Walmart, tomorrow a shower, we are turely living the american dream. Sure there are many other things we've done I've forgotten but we shall all have to live with that.
Much lave all
- comments
Dad Des Moines in Iowa is where bill Bryson comes from. It's about the middle point of the USA and, according to Bryson, is one of the most dreary places in the USA. Sounds to me you walked the best bit of Chicago, up the river. We never managed to fathom the L (I think that's what the train thing is called). Also found that once you got out of the centre, it did become very seedy, very fast!