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Free Dinner 
Motel lobby, where you ken dine above the door fer free if you ken figger out how to get up there
We stayed at this motel, and somebuddy said that they would give you a free dinner if you could figger out how to get up to the special table above the entrance without a ladder. 
Wisconsin
"The Badger State"

We was only in Wisconsin overnight and the old folks didn't ride their bikes there, so I don't have very much to report, but I'll list a few important things.

State Flower:
Wood Violet

State Bird:
Robin

State Tree:
Sugar Maple

State Fish:
Muskellunge

State Animal:
Badger

State Wildlife Animal:
White-tailed Deer

State Domesticated Animal:
Dairy Cow

State Mineral:
Galena

State Rock:
Red Granite

State Insect:
Honeybee

State Beverage:
Milk

State Pest:
People from Chicago


Famous People From Wisconsin

Don Ameche actor, Kenosha
Harry Houdini magician, Appleton
Pee Wee King singer, Abrams
Liberace pianist, West Allis
Charles and John Ringling circus entrepreneurs, Baraboo
Pat O'Brien actor, Milwaukee
Charlotte Rae actress, Milwaukee
Spencer Tracy actor, Milwaukee
Orson Welles actor and producer, Kenosha

 

Sparky's New York Trip, September, 2003, Page 9
by Sparky

Heading West

September 20, 2003.  Van odometer 40313, 3,154 Miles so far.

After spending the night in Michigan City, Indiana, we took off and arrived in Chicago around 10:30, which was too early to check into our motel, so we messed around trying to find out how to ride the subway train.  Gloria finally called somebuddy at the train phone number and then we was able to find the Park & Ride out near the airport.

The old folks bought a couple of all day tickets fer about 5 bucks each, then them and Lil Benny got on the subway train and rode it to some street that I forgot the name of, but then they got out and waited fer a bus to take them the rest of the way to the World Famous Navy Pier, on the Chicago Waterfront.Lil Benny posing fer his picture in front of the Navy Pier  The picture at right shows Lil Benny posing in front of the Pier jest before lunch.

Lil Benny was the only one of us guys that went along, cuz there was an open box of that World Famous Salt Water Taffy Candy in the back of the van and we was hungry cuz it was almost lunch time by then.  And, also, Lil Benny is more of a health nut than the rest of us, so he had his heart set on getting a hamburger and fries fer lunch.

Photo #1 shows a view of the traffic from the pedestrian bridge over the expressway at the Park & Ride.

Photo #2 shows the bus stop where they caught the bus to the Navy Pier.

Photo #3 shows the big bus they rode to the Navy Pier.

Photo #4 shows the Ferris Wheel on the amusement level of the Pier.

Photos #5, 6 & 7 show scenes around the Pier.

Photo #8 shows the entrance to the subway station near the bus stop near Grand and Halstead Streets.

Sparky's Photo Album of Chicago

The Park-N-Ride near the airport in Chicago
1. Park & Ride in west Chicago

View from the bus stop where we caught tot bus to the Navy Pier
2. Bus stop for Navy Pier bus

Bus we rode to Navy Pier
3. Bus they rode to Navy Pier

Ferris Wheel at Navy Pier
4. Ferris Wheel at Navy Pier

Crowd outside at Navy Pier
5. Crowd outside at Navy Pier
Upper deck with amusement rides at Navy Pier
6. Amusement area at Pier
Inside the shopping area of Navy Pier
7. Shopping area at Navy Pier
Entrance to the subway back to the Park & Ride
8. Subway entrance

After getting back to the van, it was jest about 3:30 in the afternoon, so the old folks decided to head north toward Milwaukee, cuz they wanted to check out the bike trails up there, so we got as far as Racine, Wisconsin and checked into a motel there.


Wisconsin

September 21, 2003.  We got up and ate breakfast at the motel free breakfast area, and the bagels was considerably smaller than what we had become used to in the New York area, so me and the rest of the guys ate a donut somebuddy had jest dropped behind the table instead.  It was reel good, cuz we seldom get donuts to eat!  Since we saw it fall, and got it off the floor before 3 seconds had gone by, it was safe to eat.  (See more about "The 3-second rule" in the column at right).  The old folks also ate there, then we took off fer Milwaukee.

Well, we didn't find much in Milwaukee, so we took some pictures down near the lakefront.  We did finally find the bike trail, but it was a little cold and the old folks was a little tired, even in the "Whiney" stage, so they decided not to take a bike ride.

Photos #1 & 2 show views of the lakefront at Bradford Beach Park.

Photo #3 shows another lakefront view, looking toward downtown.  At first I thought that those rocks were jest some very coarse sand, but then I saw the other beaches.

Photo #4 shows the 175-foot Victorian Gothic water tower that has overlooked Lake Michigan since 1874. The tower was constructed of Wauwatosa limestone and sits at the east end of North Avenue directly adjacent to St. Mary's Hospital.  It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, but I don't know if it is World Famous.

Sparky's Photo Album of Milwaukee
Bradford Beach on the lakefront in Milwaukee
1. Bradford Beach in Milwaukee
View of lakefront with some of downtown in the background
2. View of lakefront
View of rocks to prevent erosion
3. Rocks that prevent erosion
Tall tower near the lakefront
4. Old tower near lakefront

For more information on Wisconsin, if you want to see all the things we missed, you ken jest click on Wisconsin Travel Information.

After leaving Milwaukee we headed back fer Chicago and did a little more sightseeing before checking into our motel.

September 22, 2003.  We got up and did some more sightseeing around the Chicago area, but nothing worth taking a picture of, unless you like to see pictures of traffic, then we headed west toward home, cuz the weather was getting colder by the day.


Iowa & New Braska

The old folks have taken some nice bike rides in Iowa and New Braska, but it was too chilly, and we was all tired and cranky, so it was time to jest blast through and get home so we can all rest up after the 19-day, 4,547-mile trip.  That averaged out to about 239.31578947368421052631578947368 miles per day, which is more than I would have thought.

We did want to visit one World Famous sight in New Braska, though, "The Great Platte River Road Archway Monument, which is a bridge-looking building that spans Interstate 80 near Kearney, New Braska.  A roadside sign announced fer us to tune our radio so some station to learn all about the monument.  At 4:06 in the afternoon, as we was heading toward the exit to the monument, it told us that it closes at 4:00, so we didn't get to see it.

Well, that was about it.  We got home the next day in the early afternoon, and us guys immediately took a nap while the old folks put things away and cleaned out the van.--Sparky

Return to Sparky's Back Yard, Page 9

Illinois
"The Land of Lincoln"

State Capital:
Springfield

Area:
56,345 Square miles

Population:
12,419,295

State Tree:
White Oak

State Flower:
Purple Violet

State Bird:
Cardinal

State Animal:
White-Tailed_deer

State Fish:
Bluegill

State Insect:
Monarch Butterfly

State Fossil:
Tully Monster

State Mineral:
Fluorite

State Dance:
Squaredance

State Song:
"Illinois"

State Pest:
People from anywhere else.


Famous People From Illinois 

Jack Benny comedian, Chicago
Ray Bradbury author, Waukegan
Edgar Rice Burroughs author, Chicago
Walt Disney film animator, producer, Chicago
Harrison Ford actor, Chicago
Ernest Hemingway author, Oak Park
Charlton Heston actor, Evanston
Wild Bill Hickok scout, Troy Grove
William Holden actor, O'Fallon
Rock Hudson actor, Winnetka
 City

Bill Murray
actor, Wilmette
Bob Newhart actor, comedian, Chicago
Richard Pryor comedian, actor, Peoria
Ronald Reagan U.S. president, actor, Tampico
Gloria Swanson actress, Chicago


The "3-Second Rule"

When a food item falls on the floor you shouldn't pick it up and eat it unless you can do so before 3 seconds have elapsed.

According to a group of World Famous Scientists, Waiting longer than 3 seconds gives germs who live on the floor a chance to race over and jump onto the item.  If you eat it then, the germs will be able to make you sick.

 

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Copyright (C) 2004 by James J. Meagher