Leaving Chicago...
On the day we arrived, we were driving along and saw a scarlet bird. I thought perhaps someone's pet had escaped, it was such a bright red, it seemed tropical. But no, it was a cardinal, the state bird of Illinois. I don't remember ever seeing one when I lived there, so I took it as a sign that our visit would be great... And that it was!
There were other creatures that caught our attention, fireflies every night sparkling around us as we sat and drank our beers, but the one that literally got us on our feet was a big skunk, skulking past us to hide behind Gerry's garage, where he may have made a little home for himself. That was definitely something neither of us had seen!
Norah and Euan's giant bear of a dog also left an impression!
We leave Chicago full of great memories, from sightseeing, time spent catching up with Gerry, and visits from old friends. All in all, a fantastic start to our adventure!