Chicago Mini-vacation - Part 3

Pheasant Run Resort - St. Charles, Illinois
Two years ago Kathy and I first visited Pheasant Run while planning a family reunion that coming Thanksgiving  (2009).  So this was our third trip to this pleasant property just east of St. Charles, which sits on the Fox River, about 40 miles west of Chicago.

Kathy got a reduced rate for one night (Groupon) and we added a night.  It was the more leisurely part of our long weekend.  We drove into Schaumberg (Woodfield Mall area) and had dinner at Season's 52, one of a chain of new restaurants that features seasonal menus and weekly special changes (52).  All entrees are 425 calories or less!  It was very unique and good.  I noticed that one is coming to the Kansas City Country Club Plaza area - now under construction.

We like this property.  It is comfortable, unique, has a "prairie architecture" theme.  We just loved it for the Coyne reunion.  Just walking around inside or out is a pleasurable experience.

The main pool had a filter out of sorts and was unusable, but we were able to use the smaller courtyard pool when Kathy sister and nephew and family came up for a midday swim on Sunday.

The Coyne Clan...isn't it hard to swim with sunglasses??

Late Sunday afternoon I played golf on the course that is a part of the resort.  She helped keep track of errant balls.  Occasionally that was hard with a low setting sun.  But it was fun to whip around the course.  Later we partook of "bar food" which was excellent.

On Monday, we were able to extend our check out time and partake of the now repaired main pool and the glorious sunshine.  It was truly a relaxed time and we will probably return again....





Putting green area and golf course in distance.



Chicago Mini-vacation - Part 2

Odyssey Cruise
Upon retiring from AM General, I received a gift certificate for the Odyssey dinner cruise from Navy Pier in Chicago. We picked a great evening to use it. I upgraded perks a bit as Kathy's birthday is this week, so we celebrated that as well!

Navy Pier was built on the Lake Michigan shore line in 1916. It was built to serve as a mixed-purpose piece of public infrastructure. Its primary purpose was as a cargo facility for lake freighters, and warehouses were built up and down the pier. However, the pier was also designed to provide docking space for passenger excursion steamers, and in the pre-air conditioning era parts of the pier, especially its outermost tip, were designed to serve as cool places for public gathering and for entertainment. It's Chicago's number one tourist attraction.  At over 3,000 feet in length, it's packed with shops, restaurants, entertainment venues, and of course docking for great dinner cruise vessels like the Odyssey.





At first it looked as though a small storm might roll in, but it dissipated before it made it to town. The meal was fantastic (they give you several choices, all of them sounding outstanding). After the meal we headed to the top deck and were surprised how warm it was out on the water. There was a slight breeze, reminding me more of Caribbean waters than Lake Michigan! Of course the big perk of this was to see the fabulous Chicago skyline from a mile out...and closer, as we approached it coming in. We got to see fireworks from Comiskey Park (White Sox). There are fireworks cruises several times over the summer, which costs more...so we got a small show for free! We had the added benefit of a full moon which reflected off the lake...so we got a bonus there too!

Happy birthday dear!

 

 

 

One the world's most magnificent skylines!

 

On the main floor a desert bar had been set up while we were upstairs; so back we came and partook of that and the outstanding trio playing music! But it was too alluring to watch the stars, moon and city, so after a couple brownies and strawberries from the chocolate fountain we went top deck to finish off the cruise.

The cruise was three hours. For us it was three perfect hours!

 

Don't wait until you retire to do this (luckily I had been on a similar one for a business event many years ago). It's worth the time and $$$ to do now!

 

Chicago Mini-vacation - Part 1

Architectural River Cruise
Kathy and I got a breakaway weekend together in early August and chose to spend it in Chicago for several reasons.  The main reason was to partake in the Odeyssey Dinner Cruise from Navy Pier, a gift I had received upon retiring from AM General.

But before we did that, after checking into the beautiful Swiss Hotel on Wacker Drive in downtown Chicago, we took a Architectural River Cruise, something that is highly recommended by anyone who has ever taken it.  Of note, the Swiss Hotel is fabulous.  I had stayed there on business twice in the early 1990s and it is wonderful now as it was then.  Kathy said it was one of the best hotel rooms she's ever been in.

Swiss Hotel - Chicago

View from our room at the Swiss Hotel

From our hallway...Chicago River, Navy Pier, Lake Michigan

There are different companies that run these tours.  Ours was Chicago Line Tours launching from the North Pier Docks.  The docent was prolific in his knowledge.  I was impressed.  The frustrated architect in me started to come out seeing these fabulous buildings along the Chicago River.  There was so much history told, that I can't cover it here...you need to come to Chicago to find out yourself.  I am only putting up a few photos on this blog...all 52 are up on my Facebook page.  You don't need to be a "friend" to see them.  Just go to facebook.com and search for Lee Woodward.  Then I  think there is a photos section. Should be easy to find.

Fabulous buildings in every direction on the Architectural River Cruise





The famous Wrigley Building built in 1925

Marina Towers from the early 1960s

The Merchandise Mart - from 1931 - world's largest commercial building

Sears (now Willis) Tower (1971) with large apartment tower and River City commercial and housing development.

White building - 17th Church of Christ, Scientist

333 West Wacker...often voted by Chicagoans as their favorite building...it is beautiful, but it's hard to pick from all these magnificent structures!

We were really pleased with this tour and it is a must if you visit Chicago.  A beautiful day added to the the pleasure and interest of the trip!



Arbor Day Farm etc.

On my recent journey, Nebraska was not much cooler than Kansas. 

I have always enjoyed trees, planting them, sitting under them etc.  This may have come from my grandmother Woodward, who had a great appreciation of the outdoors and tried to pass it along to my brother and me.  She knew more about flowers (and could name most every mountain flowers in the Rockies by sight!).  I guess I filled in with the trees, although I can recognize a few of the hundreds of varieties in the US.

For many years I belonged to the Arbor Day Foundation.  They promote planting trees to help the environment, encourage wildlife, keep our homes and cities cooler etc.  They also promote a program called Tree City USA, the signs of which you may have seen across the country.  You can learn a lot more about the organization at their website: http://www.arborday.org/  Check to see if your city is a member of Tree City USA at that site.  Our area cities of Mishawaka and South Bend are!

Their headquarters are in Lincoln, Nebraska, but the Arbor Day Farm, where J. Sterling Morton first started a National Arbor Day 120+ years ago is in Nebraska City, Neb.  His home is still there, located in Arbor Lodge State Park.  An original spruce windbreak he planted is still easily seen.

Arbor Day Farm is an attraction, and it is still a work in progress, developing more educational programs aimed mostly at school children.  One of great attractions is Lied (pronounced Leed) Conference Center.  It is a beautiful structure that uses a lot of wood  and native stone and has a rustic look, although it was built in 1993.  I was proud to see that a former employer of mine...John Deere was a major contributor in constructing the building.  International conferences are held there year round.  It was a good vacation place as well.  http://www.liedlodge.org/  It has a spa, pool, 144 rooms and a golf course nearby designed by Arnold Palmer.  One interesting facet is their commitment to sustainability http://www.liedlodge.org/about/green.cfm .  They also grow much of the food used in the great dining room.  I treated myself to a Nebraska grown KC strip steak.

On Monday afternoon after checking in, I walked the half mile to the actual Arbor Day Farm Tree Adventure area.  Wow it was still hot and humid...upper 90s.  I did take a towel with me and some water!  I was able to get on the Discovery Tour, which is high tech....a big green John Deere tractor pulling what might at one time have been a hay wagon...it was covered and seats for passengers.  It takes you through their farm and woods, showing many things they are doing in tree and farm development.  They have a huge apple orchard, growing many varieties that are not available for sale in most of the world.  Part of their reasoning is to maintain seed varieties for a constantly changing planet.  Locals are invited to come in and pick during harvest time.  They make a lot of cider and prepare apples for pies and other treats throughout the year at the Lodge and their Apple House.

They have a huge sunflower plot and use the seeds to feed local birds. The flowers were just beginning to open during my visit.  The flower heads turn during the day to face the sun, although this picture appears to show some with their "backs" to it...during this heat wave!

After the tour, I sat in the information building and watched a video...mostly to cool off, then walked to the Apple House and had an Apple Cider Slushy!  Ummm...good and cool!

As mentioned, I dined at the lodge and had a great meal.

BUMMER...one negative was the fact that I found out my email contact list had been hacked and email messages going out under my name to many on my list, producing spam letters hocking various products!  Spent much of the evening dealing with that!

On Tuesday, after dealing more with the above, I checked out of the lodge and went back to the "Farm" and walked through their longer 2/3 mile woodland walk.  They have information signs pointing out the various variety of trees, what they are good for (wildlife food etc.).  I then went through their greenhouse and gift store.  It was time to start heading home.

Nebraska City sits on the west banks of the Missouri River.  I originally had intended to leave the area by crossing the Missouri there and heading out through western Iowa.  However, one of the largest floods of recent Missouri River history is still working its way south and many of the roads are closed, including about 50 miles of Interstate 29.  I worked my way toward Omaha, intending to cross there, but saw I could cross at Plattsmouth (US 34).  I decided to do that in order to see some of the flood waters.  The current water is that which has flooded over the dikes and is pretty much stuck there until it evaporates.  It was quite impressive, given the several mile width of the river valley.

I made it to Des Moines for the night and decided to contact our niece Tracy Van Sickle who lives about an hour northwest of DM.  I ventured there to meet her and her kids (husband Matt was at a meeting).  Tracy took me on a tour of the area...which was of special interest to me, as we visited Boone, Iowa.  My grandfather Ewall was born on a ship coming over from Sweden.  My mother used to say that her dad's family came to "live with the Indians in Boone, Iowa."  I have a feeling they were given land that was taken from the Native Americans and was being parceled out to European settlers to help populate the far west of the country at that time.  Having never been through there, it was interesting to know this is where the grandfather I never met spent his early days.  They also lived in
Avoca, Iowa, which I purposely drove through earlier that day.  With little background information, it's hard to get much of a feel for "roots" other than seeing the terrain and some of the very old buildings that would have been there in the 1880s.  Later they moved on to Council Bluffs, Iowa, where my mother was born, then on to Omaha.

One fascinating place Tracy took me was by the Kate Shelly railroad bridge that crosses the Des Moines River valley.  It is the tallest double track bridge in America.  Quite picturesque  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDwMget1mrk

So, after pizza bread and salad, it was time to head back to the motel.  I returned home early Wednesday evening after a great foray into America's heartland.  It wasn't Yellowstone, Hawaii or New York City. But it was really what I think mainstream America is about and I'm glad I was able to see sites I've wanted to see, while mixing in ones I'm familiar with!  Travel is good.  But so is home and family!

The Flint Hills tour

I stayed in El Dorado, Kansas, last night (Saturday).  Probably could have stayed in Emporia and entered the Flint Hills National Scenic Byway (Kansas 177) at Cassody, but it was a pleasant drive up.  The southern terrain is rather flat. 

Cassody, but the way, is the Prairie Chicken capitol of the world, for whatever that is worth.  The Byway follows undulating plateaus and mesas that have been formed by millions of years of erosion of the limestone that was left from an inland sea.  The erosion of the softer parts of limestone has created the valleys and shelves, which eventually became covered with prairie (French for meadow).  The valleys are lush with trees and for the wider ones farm crops such as corn, hay, and soybeans.

At one time the tall grass prairie stretched from Kansas to Illinois, from Oklahoma to Manitoba.  Now, the Flint Hills contain the last remnants. Less than four percent of the 140 million acres exists.  The tops of the rolling plateaus did not allow for plowing, hence it stayed available for grazing.  The Flint Hills are considered the lushest grazing lands in the world.  Cattle are trucked in from hundreds of miles to fatten up.  It is estimated that during grazing season (April through July) that cattle can gain 1.8 pounds per day. (I have felt that way around the holidays!)  Of course before cattle, the great plains were the home of massive herds of buffalo.

I stopped by a scenic overlook and was impressed with the quietude.  I think that’s why I was intrigued by the area…vast expanses of grasslands, rock and quiet.  Quiet is hard to find these days!

 As I noted from yesterday, Kansas is hot.  Today was no exception…I was hoping a cool Canadian air mass might have floated in, but that won’t start for a few weeks yet. It was in the low 90s at 9 a.m.

Along the byway there are three transmitters broadcasting at 1680 AM on the dial.  It was helpful.

I stopped in Cottonwood Falls.  There, the courthouse for Chase County is the oldest courthouse in service and one of the oldest in the country.  Like almost everything around here, the older buildings are built of limestone.  Active quarries still provide limestone for many uses.  I met a nice couple from Nebraska taking in the Byway in much the way I was. It being Sunday, most of the quaint stores on "Broadway" were closed.

I then made my way to the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve.  It contains nearly 11,000 acres, protecting a nationally significant example of the tallgrass prairie ecosystem. The Nature Conservancy owns the land; the National Park Service manages it.  It is free to the public and is still under development.  I’m proud to be a member of The Nature Conservancy, which is dedicated to protecting lands around the world, while allowing access to enjoy (much different than the Sierra Club!)

The large home, barn and out buildings were part of a huge private farm/ranch from the late 1800s.  A park service ranger is at the visitor’s office in the home and you can do a self tour and watch a video.  There are “school bus” tours out into the grasslands…one was already out and the next one was not scheduled for 3 hours…the do run them more often in cooler weather.

       A limestone school house built in 1882, now on Tallgrass National Prairie Preserve property.

I decided to walk the one plus mile trail.  It was a hard call.  It was now 98 degrees, but there was a slight breeze.  It was an opportunity to see the great mixture of grasses and wildflowers.  By the walk’s end I had totally soaked a T-shirt.  Luckily I’ve been doing a lot of yard work and golf in hot humid weather this spring and summer, so I really didn’t feel too drained…just wet!  An interesting thing was that I parked next to a car from my same county in Indiana, out of a dozen or so in the lot!  I think those folks were on the bus tour as it was gone when I left.

 On the video I saw, someone was quoted as saying it was hard to capture this land on canvas or by word (that would also include camera).  Hopefully these help capture it a little

I took a short drive to Council Grove and it was past lunch time.  I saw a restaurant on the main drag called the Hays House.  Several cars were there, so I went in.  I had a great Sunday buffet lunch.  As I was eating I read in some of my literature that this was the longest continuously operating restaurant west of the Mississippi (1857). (How do people know this?)  Covered wagons passed by this building on the Santa Fe Trail. It also said how wonderful it’s fried chicken was, which I had from the buffet, and their great pies, which I had as well (custard!).  It was good to cool off, rest and have a great meal.
See a YouTube review: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgnCfmNym7k

A great lunch at a local historic place...picture covered wagons going by this building in the 1850s and 1860s.

From there I drove to Manhattan, Kansas, home of Kansas State University.  It’s an attractive, compact campus, again with most of the buildings made of local limestone.  It was 104 in Manhattan.  Welcome to Kansas!  It was then that I noticed I had my University of Missouri T-shirt on…still damp from my walk, but no one at the gas station across from the university seemed to notice and I was not mugged. 

One feature of Manhattan I noticed was the huge Tuttle Creek Reservoir dam just to the north of town.  This reservoir is the largest of many that the Army Corps of Engineers built in north central Kansas for flood control, not only for local towns, but for the water it sent down the Kansas River toward Kansas City.  There were two huge floods in KC in 1951 and 1953.  I recall hearing in the 50s and 60s about the construction of these dams as I grew up.

The rest of the trip was uneventful as I made my way to the north part of Kansas along US 36 at Marysville where I stayed.  I recall this highway as our family drove (in 1961 I think) to Denver from KC (before I-70 was completed). It’s a straight shot from St. Joseph, Mo., to Denver, and is the route of the famous Pony Express.  This was station number 11 of more than 180 along the way!

As I mentioned before…this was a route I had hoped to take many years ago.  I’m glad I did…it was quite interesting, albeit hot.  It’s a part of the country that holds a lot of history as well unique terrain!