Thursday, August 6, 2015

Road Trip 2015..the USA kinda way....


Trivia: The first successful North American transcontinental trip by automobile took place in 1903 and was piloted by H. Nelson Jackson and Sewall K. Crocker, accompanied by a dog named Bud. The trip was completed using a 1903 Winton Touring Car, dubbed "Vermont" by Jackson. The trip took a total of 63 days between San Francisco and New York, costing US$8,000. The total cost included items such as food, gasoline, lodging, tires, parts, other supplies, and the cost of the Winton.

 A road trip is a long distance journey on the road. Typically, road trips are long distances traveled by automobile; especially RVs. 
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My road trip is traveling with my husband on our sedan, driving as if the roads never end. There are stops (oh yes..gotta be..), short ones, good enough to stretch our legs, walk a bit, throw some trash, and use the bathrooms. Roads are interconnected (on different states), using the Interstate Highways. The higher speeds and controlled access nature of the Interstate allowed for greater distances to be traveled in less time and with improved safety as highways became divided.

It is ideal to have alternate drivers...
I admit, I am not good in navigation, but I am the alternate driver...
What is nice about road trips---the views along the way...



This is a typical rest area....no shops..just vending machines for immediate junks.. :)



Windmills....vast of corn and soy bean lands....
Now our vacation officially starts----Chicago...
Shedd Aquarium
Well, it's summer time---so, lines are predictable.

Looks cute..but deadly poisonous...

Blue lobster...
This caught my attention...I call them suckers..


This is what I see...nice..




Kids get to be penguins also...
Shark-y swims so fast....
Clown fish...aka...Nemo
Informative show..

Touch the stingray..

Off we go for a food trip....



My little Rubens...



Crown Fountain...some people find it creepy...
While some of the videos displayed are of scenery, most attention has focused on its video clips of local residents; hundreds of Chicagoans visit the fountain hoping to see themselves appearing on one of the fountain's two screens. The fountain is a public play area and offers people an escape from summer heat, allowing children to frolic in the fountain's water.
Cloud Gate is a public sculpture by Indian-born British artist Anish Kapoor, that is the centerpiece of AT&T Plaza at Millennium Park in the Loop community area of Chicago, Illinois.
Kapoor's design was inspired by liquid mercury and the sculpture's surface reflects and distorts the city's skyline. Visitors are able to walk around and under Cloud Gate's 12-foot (3.7 m) high arch. On the underside is the "omphalos" (Greek for "navel"), a concave chamber that warps and multiplies reflections. The sculpture builds upon many of Kapoor's artistic themes, and it is popular with tourists as a photo-taking opportunity for its unique reflective properties.
That must be a real "high-five" leaving the palm print...
Reflection of the building on the Bean...
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This road trip is also time for me to bond with my husband's family side.
They have a grand reunion with aunts, uncles, cousins.





The next day...a cemetery tour...
Memories of loved ones being told once again...

The best way to fly a kite--on this windy day at the farm...
Time to meet friends...

I decided to be their adopted sister... Betty and Sue...
'Got the chance to ride the Gator 4x4...to tour around the farm..


Cute town...not touristy..mostly locals..

At Matthiessen State Park..there is a fort..
Matthiessen is a paradise for those interested in geology as well as recreation. Visitors can expect to see beautiful rock formations in addition to unusual and abundant vegetation and wildlife. All of this, along with park and picnic facilities, make Matthiessen State Park a popular choice for a special outing.

As I end my road trip in Illinois...
I would say....

"I don't care how long it takes me,
But I am going to somewhere beautiful,
and meet wonderful people..."


To the Bray's and David's friends....thank you for making me feel at home.

Thank you for taking time to view my blog...


Freundschaft Bee
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Reference: Wikipedia