Chicago, IL and Beyond. 0 miles.
While on a break from riding, my wife Victoria joining me, we will be hanging out in Chicago, Freeport, and Galena Illinois, as well as Lake Geneva and Madison Wisconsin, from now through August 5th. This post will combine all 13 days of non-bicycling adventures, photos, and stories. Cycling posts will resume August 6th.
CHICAGO
Waking up in the South Loop area of downtown, we knew exactly what to do. Throwing on some clothes, we walked briskly to Cafe Intelligentsia, one of the best espresso joints in the city.
At the Green Zebra, we had a fantastic meal. The flavors were outstanding, and after tasting what we thought was one of the best dishes we ever had at a restaurant, they would bring out another course that would blow our socks off.
Using beans roasted fresh daily, their made-to-order cups of coffee, pour-over style, are crafted with precision, including a carefully-monitored water temperature and timer.
And, in a traditional Italian style, their espresso drinks are just about the best I've had.
While in Chicago, our plan was to take in the sights on foot or with public transportation, holding off on renting a car until we leave the city. Walking in the loop area, we passed by the famous German restaurant, The Berghoff. I've eaten there on at least one occasion in the past. If you like German food, add it to your list the next time you are in Chicago.
Lacking vegetarian fare, we decided to skip it this time, and headed to the parks and museums along the lakeshore.
On Wednesday evening, we joined my nephew Josh and his friend from work, Ryan, at Wrigley Field to catch the Cubs versus the Padres.
I refrained from wearing a Padres jersey (because I didn't have one), and kept my mouth mostly shut, knowing that the Cubs have been on a big losing streak, and would likely continue that streak in this 3-game series. The crummy Cub performance could explain the significant lack of attendance at this Summer evening game in such an iconic park.
We were sitting in the bleachers below the scoreboard. I noticed a young guy behind me wearing a Padres shirt. I turned and asked him if he lived in San Diego. He told me that he used to, but has since moved to Chicago with his girlfriend. She was, of course, sitting next to him wearing a Cubs jersey.
I chatted with him for a bit, and at some point mentioned that my wife and I taught at Grossmont College. He told me that he attended Grossmont back in 2007-2008. "I teach Geography.", I told him. He paused, staring at me, then put both of his hands on the top of his head exclaiming, "No way! - You were my Geography teacher." Kevin Tenny is his name, and he took my Physical Geography class during his studies at Grossmont. We laughed about the coincidence, and I asked him to join us for a group photo (from left to right, Kevin, Me, Victoria, Ryan, Josh).
Being a resident of Chicago for a while, Ryan gave us some good restaurant recommendations, seeing as how the Padres were winning 5 to 3, and the game was slow. We left before the end, primarily because both Victoria and I were cold! The temperature was in the low-60's, unusual for this time of year. And, the wind didn't help.
The next morning, we headed out to the West Side in search of a breakfast spot that was on Ryan's list. We took the blue-line subway, and then walked the rest of the way. En route to the Sweet Maple Cafe, we passed by the impressive Notre Dame De Chicago church, built in 1887. The beautiful green dome is highly visible from the nearby I-290 freeway.
A few blocks South of the church, we came upon a tree-lined park with flower gardens and a statue of Christopher Columbus.
The Sweet Maple Cafe was a small place with a buzzing atmosphere of laughter and great food. They serve real maple syrup with their pancakes, waffles, and french toast. We had a great time here, and it drew us out of the loop into an area new to us.
Later, we discovered the Divvy bike system. Swipe your credit card, and for $7, you get unlimited 30 minute-or-less rides for a 24 hour period. There are bike racks loaded with Divvy bikes all over the city. We used them to cruise the beach from Lincoln Park to Navy Pier.
At Navy Pier, we jumped on the Ferris wheel to get some unique views of the city.
The views were spectacular, and the weather was great.
That evening, we took the Divvy bikes to West Town, headed to another recommended restaurant. The Green Zebra, a vegetarian spot, was our destination. Near the restaurant, I noticed a bike secured to a bike rack that was a subtle reminder that, regardless of whether or not your bike is locked up outsite, it isn't necessarily safe in Chicago.
Unfortunately though, later that evening, Victoria fell ill from food poisoning. It must have been the kale salad she ate, which was the only dish that we didn't share equally. The lingering effects of her sickness the next day kept our activities to a minimum as we headed out of the city toward Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.
LAKE GENEVA
In Lake Geneva, Victoria and I stayed with my Aunt Helene (my Dad's sister). A weekend getaway town for relaxation and lake activities, the town sees a big influx of tourists in the Summer, mainly from Chicago. My parents and many of my extended family grew up in the area, and we have some significant real estate holdings in the local cemetery. Since my grandmother, Catherine Reichert, passed away at age 100, I have not been to her final resting place. So, we decided to make a trip out to St. Francis De Sales cemetery to pay our respects and deliver some flowers.
We first visited my Grandparents on my Mother's side, Catherine and Michael Reichert. While Catherine was my closest grandparent, spending time with me practically daily throughout my adolescent years, my Grandfather Michael passed before I was born.
Next to them, my great Grandparents on my Mother's side, Anton and Josephine Hellstern. Josephine lived 99 years - the women in this family have longevity on their side!
Next, we visited my Grandparents on my Father's side, Agnes and George Curran. George passed when I was very young, and I don't remember much of him. But, annually each Summer, my parents would drive me and my siblings across the U.S. to stay for a few weeks at my Grandma's house (Agnes). I have fond memories of her. Summers at her home were magical, and her baking talent in the kitchen, often making such delights as apple crisp, are unforgettable.
Next to them, my Uncle Gerald, who only lived 11 years, passing from appendicitis complications.
Also here are my Great Grandparents on my Father's side, Henry and Rosina.
My Dad's sister, Aunt Kathleen, and her husband, Uncle Skinner (aka Marvin) Wilson are also here. And, next to them, the husband of my Dad's other sister, my Uncle John Churchill.
The cemetery, on a hill just outside of town, is surrounded by corn fields that grow right up against the property. Victoria and I ducked in for a corny picture before moving on.
My Aunt told me of another cemetery nearby, St. Killians, that had a few other older family members on my Dad's side. So, we made our way over to the oak-lined grassy hill to see who we could find.
The Meyerhofers are there, including my other Great Grandparents, Mary and Felix.
Felix was born at the nearby family farm.
Mary outlived Felix by almost 30 years.
Aunt Helene found an old family photo with Felix Meyerhofer included. He is the young boy immediately to the right of the center window in the photo. His Father (Joseph), who is my Great Great Grandfather, is the man with the beard in the photo, just left of center, next to Josephine, my Great Great Grandmother.
And, not pictured, Joseph's father Nikolass, my Great Great Great Grandfather, a stone mason migrating to this area from Arnstein in Bavaria Germany in 1842, built the family stone house in the photo behind the family. When Nikolass arrived with his immediate family, he sent the kids out into their newly acquired land to clear the fields of stone in preparation for planting. The stones they cleared were used to build the house that was finished in 1850. Nikolass used a Roman technique called Opus Mixtum to construct the home, which using different sized stones, requires the smallest amount of mortar possible.
A short drive from the St. Killians cemetery, we passed the same stone house, still standing today, that was built by Nikolass. I pulled into the driveway to take a photo, and a woman was outside (the current owner). I decided to let her know who I was, and to ask permission to photograph the outside of her house. When she learned of the family history, she insisted that we come inside and take a tour of the home.
While significantly modernized, much of the original stone work laid by the hands of Nikolass, Joseph, and others, is brilliantly exposed within the home.
The rough-cut of some of the beams resembles tree trunks more than finished lumber.
Original flooring from 1850 is still exposed downstairs, the planks almost a foot wide.
Walking down into the musty basement, the arched ceiling of brick was magnificent, reminiscent of a French wine cellar.
Some of the internal walls of the home were built with adobe, the straw still poking out in places.
The upstairs is probably the most modernized. Having experienced a fire in the early 2000's, much of the wood beams and flooring upstairs is new, but designed to fit well with the old. The exposed rock and brick is original however.
A side porch downstairs with skylights added provides a cozy Summer spot for dining and relaxing.
Outside, the old grain silo still stands, as well as several barns.
An up-close look at the stonework on the house reveals the mixed use of mostly stone, with bricks interwoven at the corners and over doorways/windows to achieve a straight edge.
No visit to the town of Lake Geneva would be complete without a visit to the lake. A beach and riviera line the shore, and tours of the lake can be obtained by jumping on the U.S. Mail boat that delivers mail to the mailboxes on the docks of the mansions around the lake.
Our visit to the lake was cut short by an advancing thunderstorm, as we walked briskly with our ice cream back to my Aunt Helene's house.
FREEPORT
After a few relaxing days in Lake Geneva, we headed South, back into Illinois, to the town of Freeport, also known as "Pretzel City USA".
My cousin Jackie (on my Mom's side of the family) and her Family (the Meiborgs) would be our next hosts for a few days while we enjoyed the area. Jackie makes a dangerously delicious Lemon Drop!
The Meiborg's home is surrounded by corn and soybean fields, as well as pasture.
One of the highlights of Freeport is the Union Dairy, a long time favorite that serves up delicious ice cream made in-house.
The ice cream was delicious. I had the blueberry ice cream loaded with chocolate covered waffle cone pieces. In the photo, Jackie is on the far right, and her son Jeffrey is on the far left.
Just outside the Union Dairy, one of the sites of the Lincoln-Douglas debates. Victoria, a big Lincoln fan, had to sit on his lap for a photo.
We then headed off to the nearby town of Rockford, Illinois to visit my Dad's Brother, Uncle Pat, and his apple orchard, "Curran's Orchard".
Over the years, Pat has perfected the art of making apple cider. Winning lots of cider contests through the years, last year was the big one as he took first place in the National Cider Competition.
We took a walk out into the orchard, learning about the difficult process of apple production, and about the incredible apple varieties, each have an ideal purpose. Some are great for cider, some for eating, some for baking, etc.
A healthy, vibrant row of trees looks like those in the photo below.
Tragically, due to the incredibly-cold winter of 2013-14, many of Uncle Pat's trees died. "Anything with a "Gold" in the name died, or is still dying - JonaGold, Golden Delicious, etc.", Pat said with an undertone of sadness. He's had to rip up those trees that have died, which is upwards of 500 in this small orchard.
The loss is a huge blow to his operation, and the recovery is dauntingly slow. Uncle Pat said that the increased demand for replacement trees has resulted in a 2-year waiting list just to get 60 new trees. And, those trees will take at least 5 years in the ground before they start producing. That means a minimum of 7 years before he can replace the productivity lost.
Huge apple-wood piles lined a dirt road to the barn at the back of his property.
In addition to apples, he's also growing pumpkins and Indian corn to sell at his roadside stop when it opens up in the Fall. Of course, where there's corn, there's likely to be a corny picture!
After spending several days in the Freeport area with family, Victoria and I were once again on the move, headed to the romantic and historic town of Galena, Illinois to celebrate our 5-year wedding anniversary.
GALENA
Galena is about 3 miles from the Mississippi River in Northwestern Illinois. On the Galena River, it is an old lead mining town that was visited by steamboats back in the day.
Prone to frequent flooding, the Army Corps of Engineers built a levee and flood gates that double as the fortress-like entrance into town.
With lots of history in mining and river commerce, the town is now a tourist destination for those that wish to relax, take in some history, and enjoy the shopping and eateries that line Main Street.
Some of the original pre-1850 architecture still stands in the town. Most of the older buildings are built out of large limestone blocks quarried from the nearby hills.
Victoria and I stayed at the historic Desoto House Hotel.
Built in 1855, Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas spoke from it's balcony, and it was the headquarters of Ulysses Grant's presidential campaign.
We enjoyed relaxing and learning about the history of this small town. Massages were scheduled for our anniversary, and the gelato was amazing.
From Galena, we headed Northeast, back into Wisconsin, to spend a few days at the capitol city of Madison.
MADISON
Madison was a fun town, situated between two large lakes, with lots of good food and lake activities to partake in.
While there, we caught a free water skiing show at Lake Monona. The incredible acrobatics and syncronization while being towed by a boat were impressive.
CHICAGO
Back in Chicago for the last night before Victoria returns to San Diego, we stayed at the Radison Blue Hotel, adjacent to Millenium Park. It was a high-end hotel with amazing perks, all compliments of my cousin Dawn. We had a view of the park, the lake, and a lighning storm in the evening. Dinner was at Josh and his girlfriend Jean's apartment. Josh grilled up some delicous steak and salmon, and we had a fun time. It was a perfect ending to a vacation with my wife.
