Page 5 of ChicagoDave Travel Blog Posts


North America » United States » Minnesota » Lutsen July 25th 2010

Entry Six: Temperance State Park, Minnesota (2 nights: Sunday/Mon. July 25/26th) Minnesota Boundary Waters Canoe Area Temperance State Park, located at mile 83 of Hwy 61 is, like many of the 8 State Parks available on Lake Superior, is spectacular. Each minute of every hour of each day, it is the ending point for millions and millions of gallons of (I’m guessing) 100s of large and small Boundary Water lakes. All campgrounds are situated in close proximity to Lake Superior, and I went swimming several times while there. The cost is $25, plus a $5 car entry pass per day. While buying (more) obligatory postcards, I chatted with the very pleasant weekend worker, who, by chance, used to live in Chicago in Lincoln Square. Like I said, the weekend workers were nice and helpful. After setting ... read more
Temperance Trees
Dave and Sophie
Moonrise

North America » United States » Minnesota » Two Harbors July 25th 2010

Entry Five: Duluth, Mn. (depart 1 p.m.) to Temperance State Park, Minnesota (arrive 6 p.m.) Miles driven: 83 Leaving Duluth on a sunny and hot Sunday morning, Sophie the dog and I slogged through the Duluth construction, finally finding ourselves on the “North Shore,” a famous 151 mile long stretch of road that extends all the way to Ontario, Canada. It’s designation as an “All-American” road certainly fits, as the stunning views provide my first real sense of peace, ease, and relaxation. Lake Superior, the largest of the Great Lakes, envelopes the right-hand view for most of the entire way. Large rocks and cliffs jut out into the water, providing excellent photo opportunities from the numerous turn-offs. Small towns, approximately one every 15-30 miles are efficient and cute, and, in fact, the entire area is very ... read more
City Park in Two Harbors
Ed the Collector View
Bourndary Waters Area Sophie

North America » United States July 24th 2010

Entry Four: 134 U.S. Flags The American Flag: Is there any greater method to display one’s patriotism then to display a flag? During 12 hours of driving through Iowa and southern Minnesota, I began to snap as many photographs of the Stars and Stripes as I could catch with the camera, even sometimes turning the truck around for the shot. Then, I figured that, as long as I was driving so much, why not try to shoot as many flags as I could? It gave me something to do, plus gave me an opportunity to think about who displays the American flag, and, more importantly, why? In my informal opinion, it seems that the flag is displayed a lot by car dealerships, and in small towns, to suggest solidarity. On personal, well-kept homes, the flag might ... read more
Farm Flag
Blowing-in-the-wind Flag
Gorilla Flag

North America » United States » Minnesota » Duluth July 24th 2010

Entry Three: Iowa City, Iowa (depart 3 p.m.) to Red Wing, Minnesota (arrive 11 p.m.) Miles driven: 606 (309 Friday, 27 Sat.) If You Build It…They Look for It. And not find It... Where the F* is this M-fer?! After the 3 hour blogging process, Sophie the dog and I left Iowa City, heading northeast with the goal of hitting the Great River Road, which parallels the Mississippi River. After traveling for 2 hours north, I was looking at my trusty Readers Digest (who’da thunk?!) Road Atlas and noticed an attraction dot 10 miles north of Dyersville, Iowa that read “Field of Dreams.” Now, I was conflicted. I was getting a late start (3 p.m.) and had only been on the road for 2 hours. Plus, the “set” for Kevin Costner’s yawn about old, dead baseball ... read more
Mississippi River Sophie
Field of Dreams: Part One
Field of Dreams, Part 2

North America » United States » Iowa » Iowa City July 24th 2010

Entry Two: Chicago, Illinois to Iowa City, Iowa Miles driven: 255 (Thurs.) 49 (Friday) J.T.’s voice during his third Thursday phone call was “back to normal.” In the first two, groggy sleep and general pre-trip anxiety filled the earpiece of my new Sprint Evo phone; he had pulled an all-nighter overnight Wed. in a bar-soaked adventure with a friend. After singing live-band karaoke until 2 a.m., the duo were heading off to another bar when Wes, the now-drunk “starving artist,” squeezed the front handbrakes of his bicycle, launching him over the top and “face planting” into the Chicago sidewalk. A hospital visit, yielding 7 stitches, precluded sunrise cocktails and a memorable story. In any case, J.T. was now packed and ready to go. I packed up the “technology center” (which includes the laptop, the phone, camera ... read more
Blog author: Chicago Dave
Chicago 47th St. statue
Head in water: Iowa City

North America » United States » Illinois » Chicago July 22nd 2010

Summer 2010 Travelblog: Truck Camping from Chicago, Illinois to Seattle, Washington Start: Thurs. July 22, 2010 End: Thurs. September 2, 2010 Stress! Before the Trip: Where’s that freakin’ receipt?! Of course, there was no good reason to spend 45 minutes searching all around the condo, pant’s pockets, and vehicles for the original Jewel grocery store receipt from the previous night. After all, even if found, and then combined with the other two items required for a Papst Blue Ribbon 30 pack $4.00 mail-in rebate, there’s no logical reason, during this final night of packing before a 6-week vehicle road trip that I should be concerned about a few measly bucks. But, this trivial detail does not stop me from searching. And search some more. I just had the receipt last night, and I put it…? Maybe ... read more
Visual Organization
Self Portrait
Chicago Loop: The Eye Sculpture




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