June 6 - Erie to Michigan and second family photo attempts
I checked out of the motel the next morning with the aim of returning to Michigan for a second try at the family photos. As I had never succeeded in finding a post office while driving through Toronto, I mailed everyone's postcards in Erie on my way out. A lady at an Erie Starbucks complimented me on my hat.
Mileage as I'm about to head out of Erie
The drive through PA and Ohio was uneventful. I did look for Hank's root beer in a PA gas station, but had no luck.
At the toll plaza onto I-75 northbound, toward Michigan
Gas prices in northern Ohio or southern Michigan. This was much better than the $3.93/gallon price I saw in New York and considerably better than the Canadian prices had been.
With my arrival at the Golden household, we returned to our previous location for a second stab at some family photos. This time went much better than the first time had gone.
Following the photos and dinner, it was time to pack things up and start making my way back toward Illinois. It was also time to start being more frugal in my spending. Home for the night ended up being an America's Best Value Inn for $39.95 after tax, paid for in cash. I stopped there after leaving other possible lodgings due to a rude desk clerk. If there's one thing I don't feel like dealing with when I'm looking for a room at 1:30 in the morning, it's a desk clerk with an attitude.
Home for the night in Battle Creek, Michigan
June 7 - Onward to Illinois and the softball game
The drive back to Hoopeston was uneventful, and it was [good/nice] to gain back the hour I'd lost seven days earlier. It was a Thursday, and Ted's and Heidi's son Gabriel had a Little League game scheduled for [that/the] evening.
This is rural Indiana and Illinois - corn fields as far as the eye can see
I pulled out my DSLR for the ball game. It was a rare treat to have such an opportunity after years of shooting live music in darkened clubs.
Ted and the baby
June 8 - A visit to Chicago
On Friday, Ted and I made a trip up to Chicago. A city kid himself, he enjoys a big urban area as I do, and I was happy for the company.
There was a boat show going on the day we arrived.
The marina
The Gold Star Families Memorial
The Chicago skyline as seen while walking in the direction of Grant Park
Buckingham Fountain, which appears during the opening credits of the Married With Children television series.
The Chicago Blues Fest was going on while we were there, and we attended part of a Texas Johnny Brown performance. I bought a CD afterward.
The Blues Festival in Grant Park, as seen through the camera of an LG CF360 slider phone
Downtown as seen by a pocket digital camera in Grant Park
I wanted to try the Chicago Diner, so we took the elevated train to Belmont Avenue and walked from the stop to the restaurant.
The train station. The high efficiency of mass transit in cities like Chicago is always a novelty to me.
The Chicago Diner on N Halsted
A smoke shop storefront. Ted wanted to stop here to pick up a cigar.
Heading back toward the train stop to return to the Grant Park area and the car
Chicago gas prices approached Canadian levels
June 9 - Illinois and Hoopeston to St. Louis
On my penultimate day on the road, and my last afternoon in Illinois, I went out yard sale hopping with Ted and Heidi.
The Rossville Depot Railroad Museum in Rossville, Illinois, seen while out hitting yard sales
A dilapidated section of old track, seen while out and about in the afternoon
At 8 PM in the evening, it was time to set out for Texas and home.
Mileage as I'm about to leave Hoopeston for the drive back to Texas. 2,978 miles traveled so far.
Gas prices in Hoopeston as I'm leaving - considerably cheaper than Chicago and the cheapest I'd seen since leaving the South.
June 10 - St. Louis to home
I headed out toward Dallas at [about/around] 11:30 Sunday morning, having stopped overnight in St. Louis after over 200 miles on the road.
The motel as I'm about to head out of St. Louis
Gas price in Missouri.
One last stop on the way back to Texas - the McDonald's spanning the Will Rogers Turnpike in Oklahoma.
The Will Rogers statue on the plaza
Inside the building, visitors are presented with a shrine to Will Rogers
View from inside the restaurant
Final mileage after pulling into my apartment complex - 3,877 miles traveled in total
Total haul from the trip, including surplus motel room toiletries and multiple souvenirs brought back from Canada
