US Hwy 20: (E)Erie

Just in case you thought I was kidding, here's a photo of my lone camper in this huge park.



Just in case you thought I was kidding, here's a panoramic photo of the deserted "strip" in town.



It's very eerie here on the Erie shore. Nothing is open, there's nothing to do, and the weather was nasty again today. I'm pushing east tomorrow… Stay tuned!

Click here to see exactly where I am posting this from on Google Maps.

US Hwy 20: Lake Erie Shore

East of Toledo, US Hwy 20 is an excellent four-lane road, smooth and wide open while traversing gently rolling hills. About half way to Cleveland, it changes back to a decent two-lane that passes through a number of old rural towns.

I kept looking for a reason to stop, but there didn't seem to be much going on. Like so many of the towns I pass through, they're trying to hold onto their viability -- and dignity -- but slowly losing ground to the larger highways and malls. I happily settled for a very nice countryside drive.



Unlike my premeditated decision to avoid dragging my rig through downtown Chicago last week, I intended to stay faithful to US Hwy 20 through Cleveland. My plan fell apart almost immediately, as I somehow got shunted onto a very confusing set of interstates. At least I got a nice shot of the stadium and major buildings!



Just east of the city, I regained US Hwy 20, but almost wish I hadn't. For many miles, I slogged along a rough road through even rougher neighborhoods. For the record, I may make it a policy on future road trips to avoid any city larger than 100,000 people!

Eventually the vast urban sprawl thinned out and I was running nicely near the shore of Lake Erie. I've stopped in Geneva-on-the-Lake, which hails itself as the first summer resort in Ohio. The famous lakefront "strip" looked like a ghost town when I drove through it, but I plan to check it out better tomorrow.

The RV park I'm in is huge, and considered one of the best in the country. As you can see, I'm in a nice spot that backs up to a lake. At this point you probably won't be surprised that hardly anyone else is here, so Happy and I have the place pretty much to ourselves!



Hopefully the weather will hold tomorrow and we can have a nice day on the lake… Stay tuned!

Click here to see exactly where I am posting this from on Google Maps.

US Hwy 20: Indi-hio Farmland

The weather was very blustery today: Cold and overcast, with persistently strong winds. Although there were a few wiggly moments on the road, I continue to be quite pleased with how my short, low-profile trailer handles the wind. I can't image what it would have been like dragging one of those tall, super-long behemoths.

US Highway 20 east of Michigan City is a typical four-lane, but soon downshifted to a nice two-lane country road. I set the cruise control at a modest speed and enjoy a very pleasant, pastoral drive.



Just as I noticed that the farms looked particularly prosperous, I passed a buggy and realized I was in Amish country. That explained it, because the Amish always seem to have good looking farms!



Almost before I knew it, I crossed into Eastern time zone then into Ohio. Attractive farms continued to decorate my path, and the miles just melted away.





I've stopped for the night near Toledo, as yet undecided about whether I'll remain here tomorrow or move on… Stay tuned!

Click here to see exactly where I am posting this from on Google Maps.

US Hwy 20: Indiana Dunes

I had never heard of the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore before, but I spent the entire day exploring it and am really glad I did. Covering 15,000 acres along 15 miles of the southern Lake Michigan shoreline, it's an intriguing combination of beaches, dunes, wetlands, forests and history.

Created by glaciers of the last ice age and continually influenced by millennia of wind and water, many miles of sandy beaches are the area's most prominent feature. The lakeshore is nestled between two immense industrial areas that invariably appear as backdrops in photos.



Behind the beach is a series of rolling ridges, with the eponymous dunes situated in various locations.

The dunes are visually stunning, rather imposing and very hard to photograph. Several approach 200 feet tall as they continually evolve, move, grow, erode and reform.

Between the beaches, dunes and the surrounding woodlands lies an extensive range of bogs and wetlands.

All together, they are claimed to have one of the world's richest diversities of species, to be preserved forever from industrial and human overwhelm.



Well defined and clearly mapped trails range throughout the entire park.

I didn't care much for the bog walk, but several miles along the beach were a welcome leg stretch.

The wood trails were beautiful, finally giving me a sense of spring having arrived!

Besides the nature attractions, there's some interesting human history here.

The area was settled by a few families in the early 1800s, and their homesteads have been very well preserved.

The facilities were not open at this time in the season -- of course! -- but wandering around them gave a pretty good impression of their residents' lives as trappers and farmers. The good old, simple days!



As always, Happy was my constant companion throughout the day.

With this photo, I'll let you draw your own conclusions about how much she enjoyed it.

I don't have much to report about Michigan City itself, besides that it's basically just an old crossroads town.

Several malls along the highways offer every kind of modern chain store and restaurant, while the old downtown area is fairly worn and a little rough.

How many times have I written that on my old US Highway road trips?

I've had a good day here, so I'm going to continue east tomorrow… Stay tuned!

Click here to see exactly where I am posting this from on Google Maps.

US Hwy 20: Into Indiana

After four good days in Milwaukee -- good weather, good work, good dog park, etc. -- it turned cold, windy and rainy again yesterday afternoon. Those conditions persisted this morning, so Happy and I packed up and hit the road with the simple plan to drive the interstates south then east around Chicago. It turned out to be a pretty miserable day on the road, probably the worst of this road trip so far. That says a lot, no?

For one thing, it seems that every road in Wisconsin is under construction. That is certainly true of the interstates we were on today: Rough patched roadways, narrow and shifting lanes, the works. The roadway got better when we hit the Illinois tollway, but the insanity shifted into a higher gear altogether. Driving the speed limit (55 mph) in the right lane is a nightmare as trucks zoom by at 70 or more. Pulling off every 20 minutes to pay a toll is also pretty annoying, almost enough to make me break down and get an EZ-Pass account!

In due course we crossed into Indiana, the self-proclaimed crossroads of America.



I'd planned to get back onto US Hwy 20 just as soon as possible after clearing Chicagoland, and was even more enthusiastic to do so than I could have imagined. I know it doesn't look like much, but I was pretty giddy with excitement when I saw the familiar -- now cherished -- sign welcoming me back and pointing me in the right direction.



Driving at the posted speed limit of 45 mph makes progress slower, but also a whole lot more pleasant -- and even downright relaxing after the interstates. The two or three stoplights in each town add a welcome punctuation to the roll, and offer a chance to look around or check the map without concern for safety. Greenery at the side of the road and my old friend the railway alongside round out the picture. Color me happy!



I've stopped in Michigan City, IN, and plan to stay here tomorrow. There are some famous dunes on the nearby shore of Lake Michigan that should be nice to check out, especially if the weather clears a bit. Who knows what else I might find, now that I'm very happily back on track… Stay tuned!

Click here to see exactly where I am posting this from on Google Maps.

US Hwy 20: Northern Illinois

It rained all day yesterday, often torrentially. I used the day to get some work done. Happy slept. In the afternoon I developed a case of cabin fever and went to a movie (Iron Man 3 -- Awesome!). Happy slept. The rain let up a bit in the evening, so I made her go out for a walk. She did her business in a cursory manner then slept through the night. What a life!

It was still overcast this morning, but without rain. Happy was obviously well rested, because she played an epic game of "loose dog" while I drank coffee and hooked up our road rig. She grinned from ear to ear when she figured out we were going for a ride. As usual, she hopped up into the passenger seat, curled up and was asleep again in moments. My dog the narcoleptic!

US Hwy 20 east of Galena returns to being a two-lane affair, and continues that way across most of Northern Illinois. A series of significant hills characterize the drive, much higher and longer than those we've crossed over the last two states. The farms have also "greened up" considerably, making the scenery much more attractive.



By mid-day I was across the state, just a few miles from Chicago. I've got a two-day work gig early next week in the Milwaukee area, so I put a virtual stake in the ground and turned north. I'm now parked at the Wisconsin State Fair Ground RV facility and Happy is now asleep in the sun.

I may have time to do a little exploring around here, but I'll be pretty busy with my other work through Wednesday of next week. Once that's complete, we'll shoot back down to Chicago and continue east… Stay tuned!

Click here to see exactly where I am posting this from on Google Maps.

US Hwy 20: Galena, IL

The weather was beautiful yesterday, so I postponed my chores and explored instead. I can report that Galena, IL, is a truly charming town, due in large measure, I believe, to its topography.

With its namesake river -- and a substantial levee -- to its front, there is an expansive green space and natural border which is very pleasant to walk or just look at.



With a fairly steep and substantial hill to its rear, the town feels like it is protected -- even watched over -- by some large, striking structures atop the rise.



The net effect is that the town is nestled -- even cocooned -- in a comfortable, walkable and quiet space. Most important of all, it seems to me, is that this topography has prevented the typical sprawl that so many small towns suffer from. All of the big stores are out on the highway, in a shopping center about a mile away. They're readily available, but not interfering.

As a result, the old Main Street runs a delightful few blocks, featuring an aesthetic variety of brick buildings. As far as I could tell, they are all old, original buildings, well preserved and maintained. There's some foresight, discipline and diligence of the townsfolk to be admired here.



Although most of the parking spaces are occupied, there's very little actual traffic. The assortment of shops indicates that tourism is a major driver, but the town is not touristy. There are many of the usual establishments for a town like this -- e.g. trolley tour, ghost tour, souvenir shops, etc. -- but they are part of the background, not the lead story.

There are numerous boutique inns, and a selection of good restaurants. There are a number of gourmet and wine shops, a few art spaces and many small, historical buildings and features, each with their own entertaining story.

The combination local and U.S. Grant museum is worth a look, featuring a good collection that's well designed.

Grant was once a local store clerk here, before becoming president and everything in between. His modest house sits on another hill across the river.

All considered, I give Galena strong marks as a place to visit. It makes for an excellent place of repose in the middle of a long trip, and worth consideration as a long weekend destination.

I'm glad I explored it yesterday, because the cold, wind and rain caught up with me today. I've gotten my chores done, and enjoyed some time hanging out with Happy. We still have the entire park to ourselves, and she has enjoyed playing "loose dog" -- her version of "keep away" -- which seems to be the only game she knows how to play!

Despite a continued forecast for bad weather, I plan to stay here tomorrow… Stay tuned!

Click here to see exactly where I am posting this from on Google Maps.

US Hwy 20: Thunderstorm Hangover

Happy and I had a rough night in Waterloo, as a series of violent thunderstorms rolled over us. Fierce lightning and bone-pounding thunder were followed by heavy rain and hail. We were up most of the night, and the RV park was a mud-bowl again this morning. Strong winds were of concern to me as I hooked up my rig, but we had to get out of that place. Despite being hungover from the night's storms, we hit the road.

US Hwy 20 east of Waterloo continued as a mostly very good four-lane affair. It was a little hairy in spots where roadwork was going on, with lanes narrowing down and requiring close attention in crosswinds. The only real thing of note was the sudden appearance of large farm operations by the roadside. The farther east you go, the more developed the landscape gets. It's a simple as that.



It's also a simple truth that the farther east you go, the older things are. Immediately after crossing the Mississippi River and entering Illinois, you get a feeling that you're in an older, more established countryside. Of all the border crossings I've done, this one struck me as one of the more dramatic.



I pushed east just a few miles to the town of Galena, IL, which I've heard is quite charming. I'm parked in an older, established RV park which promises to present less of a mud problem if the thunderstorms and rain continue. As usual on this road trip, I have the place to myself.



Happy and I took a nap in the shade of our doghouse this afternoon, and I think we're both in better shape for it. I've got a bunch of chores to do tomorrow, looking forward to doing laundry, cleaning up my rig and generally catching up with myself. I plan to stay here a few days, so I should have plenty of time for some proper exploration… Stay tuned!

Click here to see exactly where I am posting this from on Google Maps.

US Hwy 20: Waterloo, Iowa & Gas Prices

My plan to explore Waterloo was pretty well thwarted by a series of violent thunderstorms this morning. Poor Happy spent two hours shivering under a blanket, despite my best efforts to console her. When the deluge finally let up, the entire RV park was a giant mud bowl. I now have mud pretty much everywhere in my camper and truck. In case you're keeping score for this road trip, it's "Weather: all -- Me: nil."

When we finally got out for a drive this afternoon, we found that Waterloo is a pretty nice urban-rural sprawl. The Cedar River cuts right through town, and several significant roadways encircle it. There's a huge mall -- actually a cluster of malls -- that must serve the entire region, because they're way too big to be justified by the town itself.

There's a large casino complex, an even bigger water park, and a nice dog park. I was hoping to visit the large John Deere tractor plant, but missed the schedule due to weather. The entire Waterloo universe is surrounded, of course, by endless acres of agricultural fields. It's a nice place, though not very photogenic.

One photo I did take is of this price board at a gas station. I've been intrigued to see that "Super" (89 octane) is cheaper than "Regular" (87 octane).

I think it's because "Super" has 10% ethanol in it and "Regular" doesn't. Is ethanol that much cheaper? Maybe it's because ethanol is subsidized? Who knows?

One thing's for sure: My fuel costs are lower that they used to be with Darth. My new truck, Anakin, gets a bit better mileage, and unleaded is now 20% cheaper than diesel.

I'm going to push east tomorrow, intending to cross the Mississippi River at Dubuque. It looks like the flood dangers have abated for the moment, so I might as well take advantage of the opportunity before I get hammered again by weather and its consequences on this road trip… Stay tuned!

Click here to see exactly where I am posting this from on Google Maps.

US Hwy 20: Iowa Express II

I enjoyed my time in Sioux City, but have to admit that was mostly because the weather was nice. It's an okay little mid-west town, but I didn't take a shine to it. While leaving it pretty early this morning, I crossed the "Mighty Mo" for the last time on this road trip.



Just east of Sioux City, US Hwy 20 becomes a brand new, high speed, four-lane affair that makes the miles melt away. I stopped in Fort Dodge for lunch and had a quick look at the old fort. It's pretty much the same as all the other old forts I've visited, so I didn't stay long. I'd thought about staying in town for the night, but I didn't get a good vibe and there really isn't much there.

Continuing east, I was simply amazed by the road. I have to believe it's some kind of "pork" or "make work" project, because I just can't fathom how the area or traffic can justify it!



I was also amazed by the "nothingness" of the area. Dry brown fields as far as the eye can see. There was nothing to see or do -- and no place to stay -- until I got practically across the state to Waterloo. While reviewing my day on the map, I had a funny deja vu and realized I had the same experience in reverse last summer during my US Hwy 30 cross-country road trip: Intending to stop somewhere in the middle of Iowa and not finding any reason or facilities to do so!

Looking back in the record, I found a post entitled "US Hwy 30: Iowa Express" which chronicles a day when I drove from Urbana, IA, 35 miles southeast of where I am now, to Onawa, IA, 35 miles southeast of where I started this morning. The only differences between that day and this -- besides direction of travel -- are the quality of the road and the lack of corn in the fields. You probably don't find that as amusing as I do, but that's what prompted me to title this post "Iowa Express II".

I'm going to stay here in Waterloo, IA, tomorrow to check it out... Stay tuned!

Click here to see exactly where I am posting this from on Google Maps.